Supported by
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan
Japan International Choral Composition Competition
2025
第10回 日本国際合唱作曲コンクール
The deadline is 23:59 31st March 2025 (GMT)
Thank you for the big number of applications this year as well.
This year we received 130 great works from 35 countries worldwide.
Announcement of the 10th Japan International Choral Composition Competition Result
Date & Time; Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 10:00 am (EDT), 4:00 pm (CEST),11:00 pm(JST)
Venue; on our YouTube channel: International Choral Organization of Tokyo
In addition to the announcement of winners, we will also announce names of applicants who will receive ‘honorable mentions’.
Gorgeous International Jury panel!
We have managed to gather world renowned top-class choral composers as the jury panel of this competition, supported by the Artistic Committee. The Jury panel will evaluate your work to the full extent of their knowledge and experience.
Chief Jury: John August Pamintuan (Philippines)
John August Pamintuan is a renowned Philippine conductor, composer, singer, clinician, and adjudicator. Since 2007, John is recognized by the American Federation of Musicians as an artist of sustained international acclaim.
As a conductor he has given workshops, performed in concerts, and won in competitions in Asia, Europe, and North America. As a singer, he has sung in solo recitals at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and Moscow Glinka Hall. As a composer, John was awarded the composition prize in Tours (France), Tokyo (Japan) and has written around 450 pieces which have been performed by choirs from 30 countries.
In the last couple of years, John has been invited in the jury of international choir competitions in Hoi An, Cincinnati, Rimini and Cattolica Italy, Singapore, Penang, Hongkong, Taiwan, Chiang Mai and Bangkok Thailand, Jakarta and Manado Indonesia, Riga Latvia, and the cities of Takarazuka, Kobe, Karuizawa, and Tokyo in Japan. He is also a member of the panel of adjudicators for composition contests in Croatia (2011, 2012, 2014), International Federation for Choral Music (2013), Arezzo Italy (2020, 2021) and International Choral Composition Competition Japan (2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022).
Towards creating cross cultural ties and strengthening friendship and cooperation, John August Pamintuan has also organized many musical exchanges among conductors and choirs of Asian countries. He is the Artistic Director of the Asian Choral Masters, and also an honorary member of the Choral Directors Associations of Japan and Italy.
Ivo Antognini (Switzerland)
Ivo Antognini is a composer who has dedicated his career mainly to the composition of choral music. His works are performed worldwide by choirs of all levels. In 2023, the Trinity College Choir of Cambridge, conducted by Stephen Layton, released an entire CD featuring his compositions. Ivo Antognini has received numerous international awards, including the 2020 Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission and the Swiss Music Prize 2024. He regularly serves as a jury member in national and international choral and composition competitions and has been presenting his music in Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Bulgaria, United States, Japan and Taiwan. His choral pieces are published by Alliance Music Pub., Walton Music, Hal Leonard, Edition ICOT, Edition Peters, ECS Publishing, G. Schirmer, Colla Voce, Boosey & Hawkes, Carus-Verlag
and others. Ivo Antognini teaches ear training and piano at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano (Switzerland).
Rihards Dubra (Latvia)
Rihards Dubra was born on February 28th, 1964 in Riga. He studied music first in Jurmala School of Music, after that at the Emils Darzins College of Music. In 1989, he graduated from the Latvian Music Academy composition class under Adolfs Skulte (as an elective he learned symphonic conducting), and in 1996 earned his Master’s degree at the Latvian Academy of Music under Juris Karlsons. In 1985 he began to teach harmony and composition at the Jurmala School of Music, where he was working until November of 2015. Since September of 2016 Dubra is a teacher of composition and music theory at Ventspils Music College. His other sphere of work is involved with the organ and liturgy. Rihards Dubra was the organist at the Riga Our Lady of Suffering Church, and for now is the voluntary cantor of the Riga St. Mary Magdalene Church. From 1993 to 2005 he was a member of the vocal group Schola Cantorum Riga. As the side line over the last fifteen years Rihards Dubra regularly takes part in international choral and composition competition juries in various European and Asian countries.
André J. Thomas(The United States)
ANDRÉ J. THOMAS is an associated artist with the London Symphony Orchestra. Thomas is an Emeritus Professor of Music at Florida State University. He was visiting Professor of Choral Conducting at Yale University from 2020-2022. He previously served as a faculty member at the University of Texas, Austin.
He is a highly respected guest conductor, leading numerous prestigious orchestras and choirs worldwide, a testament to his extensive experience and reputation in the field.
Thomas has excelled as a conductor and distinguished himself as a composer/arranger, enriching the choral music repertoire with his creative contributions. Hinshaw Music and Gentry Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimons Company, Lawson Gould, Earthsong, Choristers Guild, and Heritage Music Company publish his compositions and arrangements.
Dr. Thomas has produced two instructional videos.
His book “Way Over in Beulah Lan’…Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual” has quickly become a significant source in this area of study.
In March 2017, ACDA presented Thomas with its highest honor, the Robert Shaw Award and Yale University School of Music presented Thomas with the Samuel Simons Sanford Medal. It is the most prestigious honor conferred by the Yale School of Music.
He is a Past National President of ACDA.
Toyotaka Tsuchida(Japan)
Born in 1981 in Tokyo, Japan. Graduated from Toho Gakuen College Music Department, College Diploma Course. Received the 21st Asahi Composition Award for Chorus.
He has composed many choral works commissioned by well-known choirs such as The Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo, Mixed Choir “Ai” , and the Batavia Madrigal Singers. He was in charge of production of the set piece “Kanata no Knock” for High School Division of the 88th NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition and the set piece “Ave Maria” for Youth Choir category of the 3rd Tokyo International Choir Competition.
He has also served as a judge for competitions such as the
NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition and JCA choral competition. He has studied composition under Masaki NORIKURA and Teruaki SUZUKI, and conducting under late Morihiro OKABE and Ken TAKASEKI, and piano under Iku MIWA.
Winner Prizes
We have prepared awards to the winning composers for this composition competition specialized in choral music. Especially, we trust that the guarantee of publishing and premiere performance in an international choral event would be appealing to composers.
Publishing of the winning piece guaranteed! Also possible for awarded pieces!
The winning piece will be published by Edition ICOT.Following recommendation by the jury, there may be a possibility that works of the 2nd and 3rd prize winners and the honorable mention winners will also be published.
An Extra Prize: becoming the set piece of the 7th Tokyo International Choir Competition (to be held in 2025)
The set piece of Tokyo International Choir Competition will be selected from the award winning works. It means your works will be performed by various international choirs!
World Premiere conducted by Ko Matsushita and globally broadcasted live on internet!
There are multiple choirs which Ko Matsushita is the Artistic Director, and most of them has been awarded prizes including grand-prix in international choral competitions.
The Metropolitan Chorus of Tokyo is a joint choir consisted by these skilled choirs. The awarded pieces will be world premiered by this choir in the Tokyo International Choir Competition. Of course, this will be conducted by Ko Matsushita.
Furthermore, this performance will be globally broadcasted live on internet via YouTube LIVE.
100,000 JPY to the winner!
We award 100,000 JPY for your future composing activities and further studying.
Easy application!
1. Fill the entry form by clicking the paper-plane icon at the top of this page.
2. Send your piece and documents by e-mail to icccjapan-apply@icot.or.jp.
3. Pay the entry fee from the Paypal button at the top of this page.
Please refer to the regulations & FAQ for further detail.
Archives
2024
Awarded Works
2023
Awarded Works
2022
Awarded Works
1st Prize
The Dreams of the Dreamer
/ David Walters
Purchase from here
2nd Prize
PSALM 66
/ Jakub Szafrański
Purchase from here
3rd Prize
Nonsense Alphabet
/ Ayu Uchigaki
2021
Awarded Works
1st Prize
Under the Sea / Juyoung Choi
2nd Prize
Jubilate! / Chris O’Hara
3rd Prize
Ave Mundi Domina / Carlos Cordero
2020
Awarded Works
1st Prize
The Pilgrim Soul / Sebastian Androne-Nakanishi
2nd Prize
Exsultate Justi / Salvo Gangi
3rd Prize
The Chant of Witches / Daniel Espen
2019
Awarded Works
1st Prize
Salve Regina / Matteo Magistrali
2nd Prize
O sacrum convivium / Gabriele Taschetti
3rd Prize
Tota pulchra es, Maria / Akihito Yamaguchi
2018
Awarded Works
1st Prize
Ave, Regina Caelorum / Carlos Cordero
2nd Prize
Dies irae / Kentaro Shuto
3rd Prize
O salutaris Hostia / Simone Campanini
3rd Prize
The Rainbow / Kotaro Watahiki
2017
Awarded Works
1st Prize
Not applicable
2nd Prize
Jesu dulcedo cordium/Giorgio Susana
3rd Prize
Corde natus/Francisco Carbonell
2016
Awarded Works
1st Prize
Ave Regina/Rudi Tas
2nd Prize
Ave Maria/Ruben Garcia-Martin
3rd Prize
Requiem Aeternam/Matthew Lyon Hazzard
2015
Awarded Works
1st Prize
Ave Maria on the Enigmatic Scale/Raffaele de Giacometti
2nd Prize
Tota Pulchra/Matteo Magistrali
3rd Prize
Agnus Dei/Chris Artley
Premiere Performance (Digest)