I loved the video! I had to laugh at the part about how a lot of composers burn out around 30! I'll be 79 next week. I study and write every day. I have written 6 pretty good symphonies (I know... not practical) and many other styles. I'm a prolific arranger/transcriber (my work), but a completely obscure composer (my passion). If I burn out, it'll be in my 90s+. I understand where you're coming from though. I can tell you, as an old guy, that from about the age of 30, most people start thinking they're getting old. Try to avoid that kind of thinking like the plague. It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy! Again, I really enjoyed the video! Thanks!
Well I love this comment and this is so inspiring to hear that you’re continuing to write for that long. It definitely is an aspiration that I have and I’m sure many others want to achieve! I’m 30 now so I have a ways to go hopefully 🙏🏽 thanks for your inspiring comment.
Yes, thank you for the perspective. I'm in my forties and I feel like I've barely gotten started. Many think food or exercise or positive thinking is the way to a long healthy life. Sure, they're right. But, what's possibly worth more than that is a fulfilling sense of purpose. Ever hear of a composer with Alzheimer's? Me neither. That's because the composer brain is always challenged with no time for boredom and lack of stimulation. I'll keep writing so to help squash this silly view that 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 or 80 or 90 or 100 or 110 or 120 is old:)
Entering the Westworld Competition (as infamous as it is) was the best decision I could’ve ever made as a young composer. The software I won was great but the opportunities, jobs, and connections I gained from that experience definitely outweighed all that. I’ve also entered so many contests I HAVEN’T won, but ending up with a great portfolio piece for your website is always a good thing if you’re starting out. I’d honestly say there are enough contests without entry fees to keep you busy. All this to say… I would DEFINITELY recommend anyone enter some competitions and enjoy the process despite the outcome! I firmly believe competitions are more about trying something new, getting out of your comfort zone, and learning than they are about winning.
Rachel, first of all thank you for your comment, and I agree with you! I’ve applied to over 300 contests and I’ve won around 10% of those. The video is just meant to be an intro for those thinking about applying to contests in the “classical music” field, whatever this means. There are some contests that are better than others and I just wanted to illuminate how to tell which ones are worth applying to or not.
Thanks for this video!! I’m an aspiring high school composer, and I wanted to know what kind of competitions I should look for and you have some great info. For me personally, I don’t care too much for a cash prize, I just want to get my music out there so people can experience it, but this video is extremely helpful, thank you!
Criterias for me to join a film scoring contest: No fees over 30-40$. No limitation according age, gender, nationality etc. A proper video material including sounddesign that you may use afterwards for your show reel and own social media pages. A video material that is not adult stuff, sexistic, traumatizing or any unsuitable topic for your show reel. The prices must be not extremely special but should be more interesting than a percentage discount of a frumpy plugin. For me personally the winner aspect is not really exciting but to have afterwards a good material for my show reel. All these contests are mainly from composers for composers and do not hit necessarily the taste of a filmmaker. So I don't care much about whether the composer judges are enthusiastic about my entry or not but I want to have afterwards something authentic to present for film directors. It happens often enough that I listen to the winner entries after a contest and I think by myself: sure, a very well done composition but from point of film making maybe just meh. So, is it about just to shine in the ivory tower of composers or to find a job?
Awesome, I’m not as familiar with film music contests but my general sense when I used to score films at USC was that it was the relationships I made with directors that was the most important. I’ve had the good fortune to win many contests that led directly to performances and repeat collaborations with musicians and conductors, so to me they are very useful, even nowadays.
For contests with only 1 winner, they are pretty good if you already have a piece that fits the requirements; might as well shotgun with something that you have on hand if it costs you nothing. I agree it's less viable to do that when there's an application fee or any other barrier to entry.
I agree, they are just statistically harder to "win" obviously -- i have applied to those in the past of course, but never have i written something brand new just for a contest like that. Always good in my book to give it a shot. You never know who's listening.
Great video.Thank you so much!!.could you make a video introiducing todays top up and coming American and canadian composers that are worth listening to.The hardest thing is to have access to hear new great music as one doesn't know the names of these composers(for instance to put into utube or spotify) Thanks
Love the video! Let's say I do composing as a hobby and can't really justify making a proper career out of it or going back to school for higher education. Would competitions be a good way to meet people, pick brains, and get into an amateur space; or are they all geared towards resume building and professional networking?
quite agree with your pov. just I wish to know more european composing contests cause the most I know are americn (at least the most with these characteristics are americans.
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I loved the video! I had to laugh at the part about how a lot of composers burn out around 30! I'll be 79 next week. I study and write every day. I have written 6 pretty good symphonies (I know... not practical) and many other styles. I'm a prolific arranger/transcriber (my work), but a completely obscure composer (my passion). If I burn out, it'll be in my 90s+. I understand where you're coming from though. I can tell you, as an old guy, that from about the age of 30, most people start thinking they're getting old. Try to avoid that kind of thinking like the plague. It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy! Again, I really enjoyed the video! Thanks!
Well I love this comment and this is so inspiring to hear that you’re continuing to write for that long. It definitely is an aspiration that I have and I’m sure many others want to achieve! I’m 30 now so I have a ways to go hopefully 🙏🏽 thanks for your inspiring comment.
really inspiring comment, thanks for sharing !
Yes, thank you for the perspective. I'm in my forties and I feel like I've barely gotten started. Many think food or exercise or positive thinking is the way to a long healthy life. Sure, they're right. But, what's possibly worth more than that is a fulfilling sense of purpose. Ever hear of a composer with Alzheimer's? Me neither. That's because the composer brain is always challenged with no time for boredom and lack of stimulation. I'll keep writing so to help squash this silly view that 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 or 80 or 90 or 100 or 110 or 120 is old:)
Entering the Westworld Competition (as infamous as it is) was the best decision I could’ve ever made as a young composer. The software I won was great but the opportunities, jobs, and connections I gained from that experience definitely outweighed all that.
I’ve also entered so many contests I HAVEN’T won, but ending up with a great portfolio piece for your website is always a good thing if you’re starting out.
I’d honestly say there are enough contests without entry fees to keep you busy.
All this to say… I would DEFINITELY recommend anyone enter some competitions and enjoy the process despite the outcome! I firmly believe competitions are more about trying something new, getting out of your comfort zone, and learning than they are about winning.
Rachel, first of all thank you for your comment, and I agree with you! I’ve applied to over 300 contests and I’ve won around 10% of those. The video is just meant to be an intro for those thinking about applying to contests in the “classical music” field, whatever this means. There are some contests that are better than others and I just wanted to illuminate how to tell which ones are worth applying to or not.
@@saadhaddadmusic I really enjoyed this video and sure wish I had a resource like this to refer to 10 years ago!! Amazing job
Just missed this, thank you Rachel!
Thanks for this video!! I’m an aspiring high school composer, and I wanted to know what kind of competitions I should look for and you have some great info. For me personally, I don’t care too much for a cash prize, I just want to get my music out there so people can experience it, but this video is extremely helpful, thank you!
I’m glad it’s helpful! Keep composing ✏️
Excellent video, Saad!
Thanks!
Criterias for me to join a film scoring contest:
No fees over 30-40$.
No limitation according age, gender, nationality etc.
A proper video material including sounddesign that you may use afterwards for your show reel and own social media pages.
A video material that is not adult stuff, sexistic, traumatizing or any unsuitable topic for your show reel.
The prices must be not extremely special but should be more interesting than a percentage discount of a frumpy plugin.
For me personally the winner aspect is not really exciting but to have afterwards a good material for my show reel. All these contests are mainly from composers for composers and do not hit necessarily the taste of a filmmaker. So I don't care much about whether the composer judges are enthusiastic about my entry or not but I want to have afterwards something authentic to present for film directors.
It happens often enough that I listen to the winner entries after a contest and I think by myself: sure, a very well done composition but from point of film making maybe just meh.
So, is it about just to shine in the ivory tower of composers or to find a job?
Awesome, I’m not as familiar with film music contests but my general sense when I used to score films at USC was that it was the relationships I made with directors that was the most important. I’ve had the good fortune to win many contests that led directly to performances and repeat collaborations with musicians and conductors, so to me they are very useful, even nowadays.
Thanks for this video.
Of course hope it‘s useful!
Hi Saad - nice videos, just stumbled onto them! You might remember me, we studied together for a while at King's for the PhDs. Hope you're well:)
Well done, and very informative! thanks!
🙏🏽
For contests with only 1 winner, they are pretty good if you already have a piece that fits the requirements; might as well shotgun with something that you have on hand if it costs you nothing. I agree it's less viable to do that when there's an application fee or any other barrier to entry.
I agree, they are just statistically harder to "win" obviously -- i have applied to those in the past of course, but never have i written something brand new just for a contest like that. Always good in my book to give it a shot. You never know who's listening.
I wish I found this video earlier, thanks so much for the info and recommendation!
Glad it’s still useful !
Amazing, thank you so much!
Absolutely 🙏🏽
Great video.Thank you so much!!.could you make a video introiducing todays top up and coming American and canadian composers that are worth listening to.The hardest thing is to have access to hear new great music as one doesn't know the names of these composers(for instance to put into utube or spotify)
Thanks
Not a bad idea! I will also be having some of these folks on as interview guests.(I.e. my past video on Nina Shekhar)
Love the video!
Let's say I do composing as a hobby and can't really justify making a proper career out of it or going back to school for higher education. Would competitions be a good way to meet people, pick brains, and get into an amateur space; or are they all geared towards resume building and professional networking?
Beautiful cover lol
🤣
quite agree with your pov. just I wish to know more european composing contests cause the most I know are americn (at least the most with these characteristics are americans.
The Ulysses website has the European ones - but to be honest those tend to have much higher entry fees than the American contests.
@@saadhaddadmusic thank you anyway for your reply
I'm too old for those contests anyhow.
I’m almost there too 🤣 really nuts the age limit on these things
That credit reel tho…
You know it!! :P
First 2 were for people under 30 or at school and then you didn't name any of the ones you don't like..
9:34 - I don’t name specific contests. Just naming traits of contests I don’t like. Just my opinion.