Composition Award

Since 2018, the Charlie and Judy Zettek Carillon Fund has supported the development of the carillon repertoire through the Rochester Carillon Composition Award, an annual composition and arrangement competition. All University of Rochester students and alumni are eligible to participate.  See previous award winners.

2026 Competition

The Arthur Satz Department of Music on the University of Rochester’s River Campus is pleased to announce the 2026 Rochester Carillon Composition Competition. We invite submissions of pieces for the Hopeman Carillon, the 50-bell instrument atop Rush Rhees Library, by March 15, 2026.

Prizes - Up to two prizes may be awarded at the jury’s discretion:

  • First prize: $2,000 (if a composition) or $1,500 (if an arrangement)
  • Second prize: $1,000 (if a composition) or $750 (if an arrangement)
  • Performance award(s): $500 (if a composition) or $250 (if an arrangement) 

Eligibility

  • Only University of Rochester alumni and part- or full-time students (including those enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School) are eligible and may submit one piece each.
  • Pieces must have been composed or arranged after August 2024 and must not have been published or performed publicly.
  • Musical parameters:
    • Pieces may be original compositions or arrangements.
    • Arrangements of copyrighted works must either be available for licensing on ArrangeMe.com (use the song search function) or be accompanied by written permission from the copyright holder for publication of the carillon arrangement without royalties.
    • Scoring may be for solo carillon with one, two, or three players, or for carillon plus fixed electronic tracks.
    • Submissions for two-, three-, or four-octave carillon are welcome. Any notes exceeding a 48-bell four-octave range (C–C chromatic minus low C#) may only be included as optional substitutions in parentheses, while the primary notes should fit in the 48-bell range.

2026 Schedule

  • Two workshops/draft listening sessions will be held at the carillon in February 2026. Email Carson Landry by January 26 to schedule a session.
  • Submission deadline: March 15
  • Decisions announced by: May 1
  • Premiere of first prize winner by: October 1

Submission

  • By March 15, 2026, email both a PDF score and a sample MP3 audio file (using music notation software/MIDI instruments) to carson.landry@rochester.edu, with the subject “Carillon Composition Competition Submission.”
  • In the body of the email, please provide full name, address, phone number, title of piece, composer/origin if your piece is an arrangement, your affiliation to the University of Rochester, and optional program notes not exceeding 150 words.
  • By submitting a composition, you will maintain copyright to your work but agree to grant the University of Rochester permission to post your score online for free download in perpetuity, if awarded a prize. (Copyrighted arrangements licensed through ArrangeMe will be published through Sheet Music Plus.)

Jury

  • Matt Barber ‘15E (PhD)
  • Kayla Gunderson ’23 (freelance carillonist, Chicago)
  • Jennifer Kyker (Arthur Satz Department of Music)

Resources

Contact - Carson Landry, lecturer of music and University Carillonist

Previous Award Winners

Most of the prizewinning pieces below are available for free download.

 

Photo of Julianne Zhu, Judy Zettek, Charlie Zettek, and Carson Landry.

Left to Right: Julianne Zhu, Judy Zettek, Charlie Zettek, and Carson Landry.