Solo Competition
Ensemble Competition
Mock Auditions
Penny Turner
Mentorship Program
Composition Competition
Competitions
Susan Slaughter Solo Competition
Ginger Turner Ensemble Competition
Penny Turner Young Artist Award
Mock Military & Orchestra
Mentorship Program
Composition Competitions
Susan Slaughter Solo Competition
Created by the IWBC Board of Directors, the solo competition has been held in conjunction with every IWBC Conference since the first in 1993. In 2006, the Board officially named it the Susan Slaughter Solo Competition. It is open to all brass musicians of all ages and gender; amateur, student, and professional alike. Brass instruments that are qualified to compete include the trumpet, horn, tenor trombone, bass trombone, euphonium, and tuba. Winners receive prize money which is fundraised in conjunction with the Holiday Brass Concerts that occur annually in St. Louis, MO and Baltimore, MD.
The solo competition has two age categories:
Category I: 23 years of age and younger
Category II: 24 years of age and older
Competitors will compete in the category at the age they are by the end of the registration period.
Competitors (solo, ensemble, mock) will be eligible to enter the lottery to participate in masterclasses with guest artists at the conference.
Check back for requirements closer to the 2024 Conference.
Check back for the 2024 Solo Competition Schedule
Ginger Turner Ensemble Competition
Created by the IWBC Board of Directors, the Ginger Turner Ensemble Competition premiered at the 2017 IWBC Conference at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. The current requirements of the competition include the following:
- Open to all ages and genders
- Only like instrument ensembles may participate
- Ensembles should have three or more members
- Selected ensembles will perform a prelude to a concert, master class or recital
- Selected ensembles from the preliminary round will advance and compete for a grand prize.
- All competition participants will receive a reduction in conference fees.
Competition winners will receive prize money which is fundraised in conjunction with the Holiday Brass Concerts that occur annually in St. Louis, MO and Baltimore, MD.
Check back for requirements closer to the 2024 Conference.
Mock Auditions
IWBC sponsors mock audition competitions for orchestra and military band. Competitors will receive feedback from the panel of judges and are eligible to win cash prizes. Open to all ages, gender, and experience level.
IWBC is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Bach Brass and Conn Brass for our mock orchestral competition. In honor of pioneering trumpet legend, Marie Speziale, the IWBC Mock Orchestra competition will now be known as the Marie Speziale Mock Orchestra Competition. Bach Brass and Conn Brass will be awarding a brand new instrument to the first place prize winners of the trumpet, french horn, and tenor trombone categories of the competition.
Penny Turner Young Artist Award
Penny Turner Young Artist Award, a scholarship competition created by IWBC Board Member Ginger Turner in honor of her late mother, Penny Turner. Ginger says of her inspiration to create the award:
“My Mom played the cornet growing up and was a band director for a few years. She never experienced anything like IWBC in her youth and she thought it was the coolest. We always tried to get her to a conference but her health and my schedule never made it happen. She was able to attend a number of the Baltimore Holiday Brass Concerts and really enjoyed the music and the community created through that experience. I thought a scholarship in her name would help keep her connected to the organization that she so loved.”
The competition is open to all women brass players between the ages of 12-18; their music teachers or private instructors may nominate competitors.
Mentorship Program
The IWBC Mentorship Program partners women with accomplished professionals in their field. Winners will receive two mentoring sessions that they can choose how to use (lessons, career advice, etc.) and receive assistance with their application materials. Winners will also be featured in IWBC’s social media, website, and Noteworthy Newsletter.
Composition Competition
The IWBC commissions works from women composers for its biannual conference. The competition is free and open to women composers of all ages and all nationalities. Past winners are not eligible.
Winning composers receive a $1,500 cash prize and travel and lodging for the International Women’s Brass Conference.
2019
Amparo Edo Biol, Foundations for Tuba and Piano
2017
Alyssa Weinberg, Night Music for Horn and Piano
Emerging Composers composition Competition
IWBC & Rising Tide Music Press are proud to partner and launch a new composition competition for BBIA early career composers!
Winning composers will be featured at the upcoming conference. Click below for more details.
This competition is open to all genders.
