VSL announce Vienna Composer Contest: Win a chance to record at Synchron Stage

Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL) have announced the Vienna Composer Contest in celebration of their 20th anniversary. They are running a competition in collaboration with production music label 2nd Foundation Music with prizes ranging from 12 x €500 Vienna Vouchers to three complete Synchron Packages worth more than €9,000 each, to a contract with 2nd Foundation Music who will release and distribute the winner's six-track orchestral album, recorded at Synchron Stage Vienna.

The competition is open to all composers looking to break into the world of library music, and whose work isn't already available through mainstream distributors. There is no age limit, and participants will work with Vienna's HELLO Free Instruments or demo licenses, so there's no requirement to purchase any product.

The Vienna Composer Contest consists of three rounds:

Round 1
February 1 - March 31, 2023

Participants will write a 30 seconds piece, only using the sounds of Vienna's HELLO Free Instruments. The jury of 2nd Foundation Music and Vienna Symphonic Library staff members listens out for musicality, creativity and originality. No additional effect plug-ins are allowed, but participants can use the internal effects and capabilities of the Vienna Synchron Player to the full extent.

MP3 and project files of the first round need to be uploaded to the VSL website at vsl.co.at/ViennaComposerContest before March 31, 12 pm/24:00 CET.

Round 2
April 21 - May 31, 2023

Each of the 12 semi-finalists who will move on to the second round will receive Vienna Vouchers worth €500. In this round participants will write a one minute piece of music to a brief by 2nd Foundation Music using a temporary license of Vienna's Synchron Prime Edition. Composers will receive professional feedback and advice from the label on their initial upload, and will be able to submit a second draft from these notes.

Round 3
June 1 - 30, 2023

Three finalists will go through to the third and final round and each will win a complete Synchron Package. They will write an entirely new, full-length track to a detailed brief by 2nd Foundation Music. At this stage participants will work closely with the label to hone their tracks. This will be a valuable opportunity to refine their craft, and to get further insight into the process of writing for library music.

Winner Announcement
July 1, 2023

The winner of the Vienna Composer Contest will sign a contract with 2nd Foundation Music and, with guidance from the label, go on to write a further five tracks to create a well-balanced, marketable EP. All six tracks will then be recorded at Synchron Stage Vienna, with 2FM director Daryl Griffith conducting the Synchron Stage Orchestra. Once released in the fall of 2023, the music will be available as library music with distributors throughout the world, including APM Music, BAM, BMG, Upright Music and Warner Chappell Production Music.

More details and terms can be found at vsl.co.at/ViennaComposerContest