The predecessor of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music（SHCM）, the National Conservatory of Music, was founded in 1927. As China’s first independent institution of higher musical education, the Conservatory will mark its centenary in 2027. In celebration of this occasion, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music hereby launches “Echoes of a Century — 2026–2027: The 15th ‘Rivers Awards’ International Composition Competition,” calling for orchestral works from composers worldwide.

The competition aims to:

· promote broad musical exchange in China and internationally;

· encourage exploratory composition integrating Chinese and Western instruments; and

· provide a high-level platform for the presentation and promotion of outstanding original works.

Host: Shanghai Conservatory of Music（SHCM）

Organizer: The Composition and Conducting Department at Shanghai Conservatory of Music

Jury: The jury will consist of renowned domestic and international composers, conductors, performers, and scholars.

1. Content Requirements

Submitted works should reflect the spirit of the times and combine intellectual depth, artistic quality, and listenability, featuring innovative compositional technique and strong expressive impact.

To celebrate the Conservatory’s centenary in 2027 and foster the creation of exemplary new works, each submission must incorporate pitch material drawn from the following designated works (see table below, scores in Appendix I).

Number Composition Title Composer

Appendix I-1 Anthem of the National Conservatory of Music《国立音乐院院歌》

(1927–1929) XIAO Youmei 萧友梅

Appendix I-2 In Memoriam《怀旧》(1929) HUANG Zi 黄自

Appendix I-3 Buffalo Boy's Flute 《牧童短笛》(1934) HE Luting 贺绿汀

2. Eligibility and Entry Rules

· No application fee is charged.

· The competition is open to composers of all nationalities and regions.

· Applicants must be under 40 years of age (born on or after January 1, 1986).

· A composer is allowed to enter one (1) work.

3. Work Specifications

1.The work must be the applicant’s original creation and must not have been published in any form, including performance, awards, or publication.

2.The method of using pitch material from the designated works must be explained in the work description on the title page of the full score.

3.Duration: 10–15 minutes. The exact duration must be indicated on the title page.

4.Instrumentation: the work must be written for a double- or triple-woodwind orchestra (concertos permitted). If submitting a concerto, it must be for one Chinese traditional instrument soloist (dizi 笛子, also xiao 箫, pipa 琵琶, erhu 二胡, guzheng 古筝, or sheng 笙; see Appendix II) and orchestra.

5.Works employing pre-recorded audio or electronic music are not accepted.

a. Maximum orchestra size:

· Woodwinds: 3.3.3.3

· Brass: 4.3.3.1

· Percussion: Timpani (1 player), standard percussion (4 players)

· Harp (1)

· Piano (1)

· Strings: 14.12.10.8.6

4. Application Materials (by email)

Before the deadline, submit the following electronic files to the designated email address:

1.Clearly legible and anonymous PDF score;

2.Completed application form, signed by the applicant;

3.A clear ID photo;

4.Photocopy of a valid ID card or passport (page showing the applicant’s photo and date of birth).

Please send the composition (PDF) plus aforementioned materials to: racc@shcmusic.edu.cn

5. Deadline

All application materials must be emailed by 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 9, 2026.

For inquiries, applicants may contact the Competition Office.

6. Additional Notes

Applicants who do not meet the above requirements will be disqualified. (Members of the Organizing Committee and Jury may not submit works.) All submitted materials will be properly archived by the organizer and will not be returned.

Contact Address & Email

Address: Room A212, Third Teaching Building, Composition and Conducting Department, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, 20 Fenyang Road, Shanghai City, People’s Republic of China

15th “Rivers Awards” International Composition Competition Office

Email: racc@shcmusic.edu.cn

Rivers Awards website: https://www.riversawards.cn

Postal code: 200031

Contact person: Wang Chen 王琛

1.To ensure fairness and impartiality, all submissions will be assigned codes and judged anonymously.

2.Schedule:

· October 9th, 2026: Submission deadline

· Before October 18,2026: Round 1 (10 shortlisted works selected)

· During the Shanghai Contemporary Music Festival in November 2026: Round 2 (orchestra reading; 6 finalist works selected)

· September-November 2027: Final round (final concert; six award categories)

3.Awards and commissions:

The competition awards: 1 First Prize, 1 Second Prize, 1 Third Prize, 3 Excellence Awards, and 1 Orchestra Award.

(1) Official awards (granted as a commission fee):

· First Prize: USD 12,000.00

· Second Prize: USD 5,000.00

· Third Prize: USD 2,000.00

· Excellence Award: USD 1,000.00

(2) Special award:

· Orchestra Award (granted as a commission fee): USD 1,000.00

This award is granted by a jury consisting of the orchestra’s conductor and musicians.

(All commission fees are tax-inclusive. To maintain the seriousness and authority of the competition, certain prizes may be left vacant depending on circumstances.)

The Rivers Awards Organizing Committee will sign a commissioning contract with each prizewinner.

1.Finalists must attend the final concert. The organizer will cover travel expenses and accommodation in Shanghai during the competition period.

2.Results will be decided immediately after the final concert, followed by an on-site award ceremony.

1.Rights:

i.Prizewinners retain the copyright to their works.

ii.Prizewinners must agree to provide the organizer, free of charge, with the following rights:

a) the right to make non-commercial use of the score and any audio-visual recordings in any form;

b) the organizer holds the premiere right, as well as priority rights for performance and publication.

iii.Whenever an awarded work is performed anywhere, the score cover or concert program must indicate the prize, for example:

“This work won First Prize in the 15th (2026-2027) ‘Rivers Awards’ International Composition Competition.”

2.The Jury’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.

3.The competition includes additional appendices; see the bottom of the webpage (downloadable):

· Appendix I: Scores of the three designated works

· Appendix II: Introduction and range charts of the designated Chinese instruments

· Appendix III: Application form

4.The right of interpretation of these regulations belongs to the Organizing Committee.