2024 ‘Comp Comp’ October 1 - October 31 and open to everyone, everywhere!

Thanks everyone for submitting your compositions - 2023 RESULTS BELOW!

The UME Composition Competition (aka ‘Comp Comp!’) is an opportunity for young creatives to showcase their music writing talents, receive written feedback from industry professionals and be in the running for exceptional educational prizes.

2023 Results

Reports and Certificates have now been sent to all entrants.
Select pieces have been added to the ‘Featured Compositions’ page.
and the ‘UME 23 Comp Comp’ playlist is now on streaming services.
Congratulations everyone.

Piano Solo 12 & under

1st Kemith Kalutara ‘The Great Battle’ Age 9, Rockhampton QLD, Teacher: Christina Bond, Christina’s Music Studio

2nd Aaliiyah Arumugam ‘Field Wonder’ Age12, Perth WA, Teacher: Agnieszka Michor, Mega Music Academy

3rd Elijah Pao ‘Hip Hip Hippo Horray’ Age10, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Sylvia Chiu

Highly Commended:
Lara Selby ‘Nature’s Lullaby’ Age 8, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Anna Lapinski, Australian Music Schools
Martin Jornada Leite  ‘Voyage’  Age 11, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Karen Harris, Jamm Music
Derek Scott ‘Low Sky’  Age 7, Brisbane QLD, Teacher: Zichxyna Mikol, Creative Sounds Music Lessons
Zoe Hill  ‘Echo’ Age 9, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Karen Harris, Jamm Music

Piano Solo Ages 13-18

1st Andrew Dharma ‘The Aster’ Age 14, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Heva Chan

2nd Lachlan Brady ‘Impromptus’ Age 15, Perth WA, Teacher: Tammy van der Nest

3rd Soo Jan Puk-nor ‘Windy Roads’ Age 16, Singapore, Teacher: Melody Bri

Song with Lyrics 18 and under

1st Julia Rozenkova ‘It’s Snowing in the North Pole’ Age 12, Melbourne VIC, Teacher: Irina Cherkasski

2nd Eloise Ambrey ‘Don’t Worry’ Age 17, Ipswich QLD, Teacher: Madeliene Ambrey

3rd Isabella Wadham ‘Rainy Day’ Age 11, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Jessica Kung, Australian Music Schools

Highly Commended:
Robert Aidan Stanley ‘River’ Age 17, Adelaide SA, Teacher: Mary Ashenden

BlitzBooks Rote Repertoire 18 and under

1st Stephen Chen ‘Static Electricity’ Age 9, Sydney NSW, Teacher Anna Lapinski, Australian Music Schools

2nd Amelia Hawkins ‘Little Blue Bird’ Age 10, Adelaide SA, Teacher: Mary Ashenden

3rd Victoria Wulff ‘The Unknown’ Age 10, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Anna Lapinski, Australian Music Schools

Highly Commended:
Annabel Nguyen ‘Museum Robbery’ Age 8 Sydney NSW, Teacher Sylvia Chiu
Joshua Szalai ‘A Spy’s Holiday’ Age 9, Sydney NSW, Teacher Karen Harris, Jamm Music

Any Instrument or Combo 18 and under

1st Andrew Dharma ‘Spirited’ for Violin and Piano, Age 14, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Heva Chan

2nd Jacob Howard-Taylor ‘Grapefruit’ for Electric Piano, Bass Guitar, Tambourine, Drum Kit, Age 14 Brisbane QLD, Teacher: Zichxyna Mikol, Creative Sounds Music Lessons

3rd Ren Cher Chia ‘Variance’ for String Quartet, Age 17, Singapore, Teacher: Tan Chan Boom

Highly Commended:
Hwangsung Ryu ‘A Lonesome Moon’ for Piano, Bass Guitar and Drum Kit, Age 17, Tucson AZ, Teacher: Young Kim
Amelia Woodyatt ‘Nebula’ for 2 Pianos, Age 15, Sydney NSW
Elijah Pao ‘The Very Good Song’ for Flute, Piano, Electric Bass, Drums, Age 10, Sydney NSW, Teacher: Sylvia Chiu

Prizes: All entrants receive a detailed written report and 2023 certificate.

Kemith will receive a 45 minute online lesson with Australian Composer and UME Director, Michelle Madder. Winners of all other sections will receive 2 x 45 minute online lessons with one of the 2023 UME Comp Comp Composers: Bradley Sowash, Leila Viss, Paul Myatt or Daniel McFarlane.

Select pieces from the competition will shortly be added to the UME Spotify / Apple Music / other streaming services playlists and will appear on our ‘Featured Compositions’ page. (Thanks for your patience while this happens - will be completed by the end of May).

Congratulations students, parents and teachers!

2023 Prizes

Your Music On Spotify!

Select Compositions are featured on
Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services.
Search for ‘2023 UME Comp Comp’

Educational Prizes - Lessons with Renowned Composers
Live online private lessons with internationally respected
composers, arrangers and teachers.

The winner of each section will have 2 x 45 minute lessons online.
We are thrilled to announce our ‘Educational Prize’ Composers for 2023:

Daniel McFarlane

Daniel is an Australian composer who is well known for inspiring students and teachers with his contemporary style. In addition to composing he also teaches piano, theory and composition.
Bradley Sowash

Well known for making jazz accessible to ‘the rest of us’, Bradley is USA based and is a pioneer of teaching jazz online. He’s also a recording artist of 9 albums.
Leila Viss

Leila inspires pianists to nurture their creative voice through composition. She is the past coordinator for the University of Denver’s Piano Preparatory Program and co-founder of 88 Creative Keys.
Paul Myatt

Paul is an Australian composer who specialises in educational piano music and creating new resources for 21st century piano teachers. He is passionate about making music more fun for teachers to teach and for students to learn.

Piano Solo
A piece for solo piano in any style.
All entrants receive a detailed report and a certificate.
Ages 12 and under
Prize: The winner of this section will receive a 45 minute online lesson with Australian Composer and UME Director, Michelle Madder
Ages 13-18
Prize: The winner of this section will receive 2 x 45 minute online lessons with one of the fabulous renown composers for 2023: Daniel, McFarlane, Bradley Sowash, Leila Viss, Paul Myatt.
Submission Format:
- Video or MP3 submission
- No time limit
- PDF required (score optional)
Conditions:
- Entry into this section is either by MP3 or VIDEO submission - the choice is yours. Please see our recording guidelines.
- Pieces must have a title.
- The piece may be performed by the composer, by another performer or generated by computer.
- Performance quality is not specifically assessed but good performances clearly have an advantage in presenting your work.
- A notated score is preferred but not compulsory. A PDF is required for entry, however if a score is not available, the PDF may be a description or outline of the piece, or a basic scaffold of the elements used.
- Entrants will receive a written report and certificate.
- Maximum 2 entries per composer, a different piece is required for each entry.
- 12 and under and 13-18 sections may be combined at the jury’s discretion.
Enter Section
Any Instrument or Combination
A piece for any instrument or combination of instruments in any style.
All entrants receive a detailed report and a certificate.
Ages 18 and under
Prize: The winner of this section will receive 2 x 45 minute online lessons with one of the fabulous renown composers for 2023: Daniel, McFarlane, Bradley Sowash, Leila Viss, Paul Myatt.
Format:
- Video or MP3 submission
- No time limit
- PDF required (score optional)
Conditions:
- Piano solos may not be entered in this section but piano may be one of the instruments in an ensemble of any type.
- Entry into this section is either by MP3 or VIDEO submission - the choice is yours. Please see our recording guidelines.
- Pieces must have a title.
- The piece may be performed by the composer, by another performer or generated by computer.
- Performance quality is not specifically assessed but good performances are clearly an advantage in presenting your work.
- A notated score is preferred but not compulsory. A PDF is required for entry, however if a score is not available, the PDF may be a description or outline of the piece, or a basic scaffold of the elements used.
- Entrants will receive a written report and certificate.
- Maximum 2 entries per composer, a different piece is required for each entry.
Enter Section
Song with lyrics
A song with words in any style.
All entrants receive a detailed report and a certificate.
Ages 18 and under
Prize: The winner of this section will receive 2 x 45 minute online lessons with one of the fabulous renown composers for 2023: Daniel, McFarlane, Bradley Sowash, Leila Viss, Paul Myatt.
Submission Format:
- Video or MP3 submission
- No time limit
- Co-writing is permitted up to 2 people - must both be 18 or under.
- PDF required (sheet music optional)
Details:
- Entry into this section is either by MP3 or VIDEO submission - the choice is yours. Please see our recording guidelines.
- Pieces must have a title.
- The song may be performed by the composer or by any other performer/s. (No age restriction on performers)
- Performance quality is not specifically assessed but good performances are clearly an advantage in presenting your work.
- Sheet music is preferred but not compulsory. A PDF is required for entry, however if a musical score is not available, the PDF may be a lyric sheet with chords.
- Entrants will receive a written report and certificate.
- Maximum 2 entries per composer, a different piece is required for each entry.
Enter Section
BlitzBooks Rote Repertoire
A ‘level 4’ composition based on any original BlitzBooks Rote Repertoire piece by Samantha Coates.
Ages 18 and under
All entrants receive a detailed report and a certificate.
Prize: The winner of this section will receive 2 x 45 minute online lessons with one of the fabulous renown composers for 2023: Daniel, McFarlane, Bradley Sowash, Leila Viss, Paul Myatt.
Submission Format:
- Video submission required
- No time limit
- No sheet music required
- PDF required, outlining the ideas and alterations used to create level 4
Details:
- Entry into this section is by VIDEO submission only. Please see our recording guidelines.
- Level 3 of the chosen BBRR piece must be announced and performed, followed by the announcement of the NEW title and the performance of the students own version (level 4).
- The composer must perform the piece.
- A notated score is not required for this section. Entrants are to submit a PDF outlining the changes and alterations they have used to create their ‘level 4’ piece.
- Entrants will receive a written report and certificate.
- Maximum 2 entries per composer, a different piece is required for each entry.
Enter Section