Sinquefield Composition Prize

The Sinquefield Composition Prize is an annual competition for students at the University of Missouri. The winner is given an opportunity to write an original work for one of Mizzou's premiere large ensembles and have his/her music performed and recorded. The 2023 commissioned work will be written for the MU's Symphony Orchestra.

The 2023 Sinquefield Prize winner is Morima. Read more about Morima here.

Listen to the winning works from previous years here:

August 29, 2022: Submission of entry materials due.

September 22, 2022: Winner announced.

Early 2023: Score and parts of commissioned work due.

TBA: Recording of commissioned work by MU's Symphony Orchestra.

Any undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Missouri may submit an original fine art composition for consideration. Professional composers from outside the MU School of Music will serve as judges for the competition.

Students will submit works to the School of Music composition faculty. The outside judges will select one composer to write a piece for large ensemble. The winning student must then compose a new work for the Wind Ensemble, the University Philharmonic, or the University Singers.

Student composers will submit one score and corresponding recording (live performance or computer realization) of a representative piece for any instrumentation. The submitted work does not have to correspond to the commission's instrumentation.

The winning student will be awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the University of Missouri and a cash prize for the production of score and parts. The commissioned work will be premiered at the annual Chancellor’s Arts Showcase in the Missouri Theatre, giving the winning composer the experience of working with the conductors of and musicians in Mizzou's large ensembles. Following the performance, the selected ensemble will record the commissioned work.

Winning composers should inscribe the score and parts as follows: Commissioned by Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield for the University of Missouri Chancellor’s Arts Showcase. Composers should also include the date of the concert.

Sinquefield Prize Winners and Finalists:

2022

Winner: Luis Hermano Bezerra, Echoes, composed for the University Wind Ensemble

Finalists:

  • María Laura Disandro
  • Oswald Huynh
  • Jack Snelling

2021

Winner: Santiago Beis, Triadic Bloom, composed for the string section of the University Philharmonic

Finalists:

  • Luis Hermano Bezerra
  • Daniel Fitzpatrick
  • Oswald Huynh
  • Daniel Vega

2020

Winner: Ben Rouder, Traces of Them Remain, composed for the University Singers

Finalists:

  • Luis Hermano Bezerra
  • Daniel Fitzpatrick
  • Hans Bridger Heruth

2019

Winner: Niko D. Schroeder, yr Mallet, yr Hammer composed for the University Philharmonic

Finalists:

  • Dustin Dunn
  • Ben Rouder

2018

Winner: Aaron Mencher, Gravity composed for the MU Wind Ensemble

Finalists:

  • Ben Colagiovanni
  • Dustin Dunn
  • Ben Rouder
  • Maeve Smucker

2017

Winner: Douglas Osmun, Transfiguration composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

Finalists:

  • Hans Bridger Heruth
  • Dustin Dunn
  • Aaron Mencher
  • Maeve Smucker

2016

Winner: Henry Stewart, Sonnet 73: De Profundis composed for University Singers

Finalists:

  • Kaylene Cypret
  • Justin Pounds
  • Matthew Stiens

2015

Winner: Trey Makler, whatever we lose composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

Finalists:

  • Justin Pounds
  • Matthew Stiens
  • Robert Strobel

2014

Winner: José Guillermo Martínez Rubiano, Interferencias composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

Finalists:

  • Joe Hills
  • Justin Pounds
  • David Witter

2013

Winner: David Witter, Missouri composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

Finalists:

  • Grant Fonda
  • Joe Hills

2012

Winner: Michael E. Anderson, Wisdom's Voice composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

Finalists:

  • Grant Fonda
  • David Witter

2011

Winner: Patrick David Clark, A Fantasy on Themes of Mussorgsky composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

Finalists:

  • Andy Bowman
  • Tony Hernandez
  • David Witter

2010

Winner: Michael Strausbaugh, Erebus Fantasia composed for Michael Strausbaugh (guitar) and the University Philharmonic Orchestra

2009

Winner: Stephanie Berg, Motive and Reflection composed for the University Philharmonic Orchestra

2008

Winner: Mark Woodward, Birds of Paradise composed for University Singers

2007

Winner: Katie Andres, Horn Concerto, Movements I and II composed for Marcia Spence (horn) and the University Philharmonic Orchestra

2006

Winner: Patrick Dell, Eidolon composed for the MU Symphonic Wind Ensemble