We’ll provide you with a short film, and you get inspired! Work your magic, and send it back set to your amazing and creative music.
Our judges will evaluate all scores and select five nominees each in our Film/Media Scoring: Emerging and Film/Media Scoring: Youth divisions. A distinguished jury will select the winners, who will be announced at the Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards at Queens College, NY.
The winner will receive a prize package including software, gear, a $500 gift card courtesy of Hal Leonard Music AND your score may be published by our sponsor Concord — an industry leader in music publishing.
WEBSITE CLICK HERE : https://hamlischawards.org/filmscoring
REGISTRATION AND SUBMISSION
DECEMBER 12, 2019 — AUGUST 14, 2020: Registration
APRIL 2020: Film Released to Registered Composers
MAY 15, 2020 — AUGUST 14, 2020: Awards Entries Accepted
JURY AND PRIZES
JUNE 2, 2020: Distinguished Jurors Announced
JUNE 30, 2020: Prizes Announced
NOMINEES AND WINNERS
NOVEMBER 17, 2020: Marvin Hamlisch Award Finalists (Top 10) Announced
JANUARY 14, 2021: Marvin Hamlisch Award Nominees (Top 5) Announced
SPRING 2021: Marvin Hamlisch Award Winners Announced at Queens College
Dates and Deadlines
Eligibility
Any youth or emerging composer is eligible to compete. “Emerging composer” is defined as one who does not yet make a full-time living through composing.
Composers around the world are invited to participate.
Composers may register to participate in teams of no more than 2. If participating as a team, both composers must be eligible to compete under the guidelines below.
Composers may register for and compete in more than one category, but a separate registration form and fee must be submitted for each category.
ELIGIBILITY: YOUTH DIVISION
Composers under 18 years of age as the time of the registration deadline, MAY 31, 2020, must compete in the Youth divisions of their respective categories.
ELIGIBILITY: EMERGING DIVISION
Composers 18 years of age or older as of the time of the registration deadline, MAY 31, 2020, must compete in the Emerging divisions. There is no age maximum.
Undergraduate or graduate students in a music/composition (or unrelated) program are eligible to compete, but must complete compositions without the assistance of an advisor or professor.
Those who work in a musical profession but are not professional composers (for example, performers or music teachers) are eligible to compete.
Youth Division (All Categories): $50 (US)
Emerging Division (All Categories): $75 (US)
Registration fee may be paid via credit card or PayPal.
Registration Fees
Judging Process and Criteria
All submissions will be evaluated by a team of judges. The judging process is anonymous, with each submission assigned a code to ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation process. Judges will provide feedback on each submission’s strengths and weakness and evaluate it based on the criteria below.
Based upon scores and recommendations, a top 25 in each division will be identified and a panel of Hamlisch Awards Board and invited judges will select 5 nominees in each division, Youth and Emerging.
A Distinguished Jury will select the Youth and Emerging winner in their category, who will be announced at the 2020-2021 Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards at Queens College in New York.
Special honors or merit prizes may be bestowed by the jury or board panel for achievement, diversity, or other distinctions worthy of recognition.
CRITERIA
TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY (20% of score)
This score is effectively orchestrated and realized in a manner that displays musical proficiency.
CREATIVITY (25% of score)
This score is distinctive and demonstrates imagination.
TECHNOLOGICAL PROFICIENCY (10% of overall score)
Understanding the limited resources available, this score is of a high sonic quality and displays proficient use of technology.
DRAMATIC CONNECTION TO FILM (25% of overall score)
This score elevates the film, responds to the visuals, and enhances the emotional elements of the story.
OVERALL EXCELLENCE (20% of overall score)
This score displays musicality and makes a strong, memorable impression.
Please read this agreement carefully before registering. By registering to participate, you expressly acknowledge and agree that you shall be bound by the terms of this agreement.
ELIGIBILITY
Any youth or emerging composer is eligible to compete. “Emerging composer” is defined as one who does not yet make a full-time living through composing.
Composers around the world are invited to participate.
Composers may register to participate in teams of no more than 2. If participating as a team, both composers must be eligible to compete under the guidelines below.
ELIGIBILITY: YOUTH DIVISION
Composers under 18 years of age as the time of the registration deadline (MAY 31, 2020) must compete in the Youth divisions of their respective categories.
ELIGIBILITY: EMERGING DIVISION
Composers 18 years of age or older as of the time of the registration deadline (AUGUST 14, 2020) must compete in the Emerging divisions. There is no age maximum.
Undergraduate or graduate students in a music/composition (or unrelated) program are eligible to compete, but must complete compositions without the assistance of an advisor or professor.
Those who work in a musical profession but are not professional composers (for example, performers or music teachers) are eligible to compete.
FEE AND INSTRUCTIONS
Registration fees are due at the time of registration via credit card or PayPal. Upon receipt of payment, MHIMA will provide further information via email, including dates and deadlines, information regarding the receipt of footage, and instructions for submitting completed work.
The following actions are grounds for disqualification from the MHIMA with forfeiture of registration fee:
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Misrepresentation of a composer’s eligibility status. All entrants must be eligible under the above guidelines.
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Use of stock music, other sounds, other source materials or previously written or recorded music (whether by the composer or another source).
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Collaboration or assistance in composing with a teacher, professional composer, or anyone who does not meet the eligibility requirements stated above. All writing collaborators must receive full credit and be eligible to submit according to the rules of the contest.
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Dissemination or distribution of the copyright-protected footage received from MHIMA (with or without your score/music). If the filmmaker grants permission to allow composers to distribute the footage, MHIMA representatives will notify all composers and alert them to the requirements of publicly distributing the footage.
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Direct contact with judges, distinguished jurors, sponsors or the filmmakers who have provided their footage. All inquiries about judging, footage, submission or selection should be directed to the MHIMA Awards Committee at the contact information below.
COMMUNICATIONS
MHIMA will send notification and judging information for each score to the attention of the contact listed on the registration form. Please make sure all contact information — email address and phone number — is accurate. Change of contact information can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. MHIMA is not liable for emails delayed by spam filters, server rejections or outdated addresses. MHIMA staff can be reached by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or by phone at +1.202.257.3066.
SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION OF MARVIN HAMLISCH AWARD NOMINEES
Each submission to the Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards will be evaluated using the criteria of its category (please see specific category page for evaluation criteria). The judging process is “blind” to ensure the anonymity of entrants and an unbiased selection process.
Each composer will be notified via email of his or her status after nominees are selected. Upon request, composers may receive the feedback of the judges who evaluated their work. Composers will not be provided with the identity of the judges who evaluated their work or the contact information of judges, distinguished jurors or sponsors.
5 nominees will be selected in each category and division (ie, Film/Media Scoring: Youth Division). At their discretion, the MHIMA Awards Committee may also elect to award special citations or honorable mentions.
AWARD AND PRIZE INFORMATION
The winner of the Marvin Hamlisch Award in each division and category, as selected by the distinguished jury, will be announced at the annual Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards presentation in New York, NY, USA. A physical award will be presented to each winner and a plaque to each nominee.
Contest winners, runners-up and finalists may receive prize packages courtesy of our contest sponsors. Prizes will be announced at the discretion of sponsors and MHIMA. MHIMA will coordinate shipment and delivery with the prize recipients.
Any changes to the Marvin Hamlisch Award or prizes will be related to all entrants, award recipients and finalists.
PUBLICITY AND MARKETING
All selected scores may be excerpted for publicity purposes. MHIMA reserves the right to promote any contestant to print, broadcast or internet media as required to market the MHIMA.
COPYRIGHT AND CLEARANCES
Contestant does not have the right to assign rights to their version of the entry or the original film.
The individual submitting a composition to the MHIMA hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the score for consideration.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards, its Honorary Board of Trustees, its Board of Trustees, the estate of Marvin Hamlisch, Concord and its employees and directors, organizers, judges, additional sponsors, and partners, individually and collectively, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, breach of contract and loss of or damage to submitted material. The burden of determining that any material is not protected by copyright, trademark, rights of privacy, publicity or any other proprietary rights rests with the composer. The entrant shall bear the sole liability for any damage resulting from any infringement of copyrights, proprietary rights, or any other harm resulting from such a submission.
CONTROLLING LAW, VENUE AND SEVERABILITY
This License shall be governed by the laws of the United States and the state of New York without consideration of conflicts of laws provisions and principles. All claims between the parties, regardless of legal theory and whenever brought, shall be resolved in the state or federal courts of New York, USA, and you stipulate that you expressly submit to the personal jurisdiction of such state and federal courts, and you further agree that any judgment may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision, or portion thereof, of this Agreement to be unenforceable, the remainder of this License shall continue in full force and effect.
COMPLETE AGREEMENT
This License constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the use of productions and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous understandings regarding such subject matter. No amendment to or modification of this License will be binding unless in writing and signed by an authorized representative of MHIMA. Nothing in this Agreement constitutes a waiver of MHIMA’s rights under the United States of America patent and copyright laws or any other Federal or State law, nor of any of MHIMA’s rights under the rules or laws of any country, territory, republic, and/or province.
MHIMA reserves the right to remove a composition from consideration and rescind a nomination or award for any reason at any time and shall not be liable for any refund or claims of any kind arising out of such removal.
MHIMA may, at our discretion, transfer a portion of your submitted work to a compilation DVD or online video file for promotional purposes. This will be done if the production contact has not provided promotional material by an agreed-upon deadline.
You have read and agree to our general rules and terms and conditions. You agree that failure to adhere to any of the general rules or terms and conditions may result in disqualification for which no refund for registration fee(s) is due.
