S. Pietro a Majella Conservatory of Music (Naples/Italy) - Antonio Falconio Award

Antonio Falconio Award

You will win a one-off cash prize for composing a new piece of music. The first prize is 1,500 EUR. The second and third prizes are each 500 EUR. The competition is organised by the S. Pietro a Majella Conservatoire of Music in Naples, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Naples and the family of Antonio Falconio, a former president of the conservatoire. In each round, you will be given a poem or a text and must set it to music for one voice (male or female) and up to three instruments. The piece must be between 5 and 10 minutes long. The finalists’ pieces will be performed live at a public concert at the Conservatoire before the winner is announced.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled at the S. Pietro a Majella Conservatoire of Music in Naples for the current academic year.
• Field of study: You’re studying composition. In recent semesters, the course has also been opened up to students of choral composition, choral conducting and jazz.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality may apply, provided they are enrolled as students at the conservatoire.
• The task: You are to compose an original work for voice and up to three instruments, lasting between 5 and 10 minutes, based on the text specified for this edition.

How to apply

You enter through the conservatory by the deadline of 29 March. A jury of composition professors and Rotary members judges the entries anonymously. The shortlisted composers then perform their works in a public concert, and the winner is chosen there.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a competition with a limited number of entrants. Only students enrolled at this particular conservatoire in Naples may take part, and specifically only those studying composition or related subjects. This keeps the number of entrants small. Your chances depend less on your eligibility to enter and more on the quality of the piece you have composed, as the jury compares the finished compositions directly with one another.