The Canadian Chamber Choir (CCC) is inviting submissions from composers living in or based in Nova Scotia for our Choral Incubator Project, taking place in conjunction with our August 2025 tour of Nova Scotia, commemorating the CCC’s 25th anniversary.

This initiative is designed to support works that are in or near completion, offering composers a unique opportunity to refine their music with guidance from CCC Artistic Team and to workshop their composition with a professional choir comprised of singers from coast to coast to coast.

We strongly encourage submissions from composers of diverse backgrounds, identities, and musical perspectives.

Two composers will be selected by CCC Artistic Director Dr. Julia Davids and Associate Conductor Dr. Joel Tranquilla. Submissions should demonstrate careful attention to singability, appropriate SATB vocal ranges, and thoughtful text setting.

Submission Deadline: July 1^st, 2025

The selected composers will each meet in person with Dr. Joel Tranquilla in the Halifax Regional Municipality in July to discuss their work and collaborate on edits. They will also participate in a one-hour workshop with the Canadian Chamber Choir in Dartmouth on August 7, 2025, working directly with professional singers and CCC conductors to refine their piece.

Each composition will be performed and recorded as it stands at the end of the workshop, with the potential for a final version to be recorded on a future CCC tour.

Submission Guidelines

• Only composers living in or based in the province of Nova Scotia are eligible to apply.
• Submissions must be original, unpublished, and unperformed. Arrangements or previously commissioned works will not be considered.
• Submissions must be a single piece, 2–4 minutes in length. Multi-movement pieces will not be accepted.
• The piece must be for a cappella SATB chamber choir (with or without divisi parts).
• Texts must either be in the public domain or legally cleared by the composer prior to submission.
• The composer’s name must not appear anywhere on the score to ensure anonymous review.
• Scores must be submitted in PDF format only. No paper manuscripts will be accepted.
• There is no application fee for this competition.
• The in-person workshop will take place in Halifax on the morning of August 7, 2025. Composers living outside the city are responsible for their own travel to attend.

For more information, please email [email protected].

To submit a piece for the competition, please email the submission to [email protected].

Project Background

This marks the fourth composer mentorship initiative presented by the Canadian Chamber Choir, building on and evolving from our previous Composition Competition models. The CCC’s mission is to celebrate and champion Canadian choral music by fostering a diverse musical narrative that strengthens and connects the choral community. Our 2020 competition winner, Halifax composer Edward Enman, was recognized for his piece Unimagined Light, which was recorded virtually during the pandemic and has since been featured in CCC performances across Canada.

About the Canadian Chamber Choir

The JUNO-nominated Canadian Chamber Choir (CCC) is Canada’s only professional choir with national representation. Led by Julia Davids (Artistic Director) and Joel Tranquilla (Associate Conductor), it is comprised of singers from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia to the Northwest Territories. The CCC creates, celebrates and communicates Canadian identity through choral performance and education, and it is passionate about building community through choral singing. Their Summer 2024 tour celebrates the release of a new album, Where Waters Meet, in collaboration with Cree-Dene artist Sherryl Sewepagaham – a unique musical reflection of a multi-year journey together.