"On Corps!" Competition Returns in 2017

I'm pleased to once again chair the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps' annual "On Corps!" competition for aspiring arrangers and composers! We invite individuals with an interest in arranging and composing music to submit their works to be considered for performance by the 2017 Blue Stars. The winning arrangement/composition will be performed as part of the corps` encore repertoire for the season.

All participants will receive detailed feedback on their submission from members of the Blue Stars design and instructional team. Johnathan Segovia, the winner of the 2016 "On Corps" contest, states:

"The On Corps competition is extremely valuable to young or emerging composers. The critique alone makes it worth entering. It is a surreal experience to see something I wrote down on paper to be played by DCI's best groups. It is something I will treasure for the rest of my life."

Works submitted should meet the following criteria:

1. May not be shorter than 1 minute 30 seconds or longer than two minutes in length
2. Must be arranged with the following part distribution:
   • 3 trumpets
   • 2 mellophones
   • 3 baritones/euphoniums
   • 1 tuba (sparing use of divisi writing is permissible) percussion (Our staff will augment percussion parts as needed)
3. Music must be able to be performed publicly under current copyright laws. The Blue Stars will pay copyright fees for the winning work if needed.
4. The work must be an original arrangement or composition, unpublished in any other venue.
5. Pay the Submission Fee

Submission Process$75 fee must accompany each submission. Individuals may submit as many entries as they so choose, but each submitted work requires the $75 fee. A PDF score and digital recording (both computer-synthesized and live ensemble recordings are acceptable) must be submitted to ward.miller@bluestars.org by 8 AM on Monday, May 1st, 2017. The score must include the author's full name, e-mail address, and telephone number. The winner will be announced by Monday, May 8th, and the winning work will be performed as an encore by the Blue Stars Drum and bugle Corps during their 2017 tour. All submissions will receive feedback on their submissions no later than May 18th, 2017.