Missouri Composers Project

The Columbia Civic Orchestra and Columbia Chamber Choir seek orchestral and choral works for the 2024 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) competition, with the goal of promoting music for larger forces written by Missouri composers. Works can be submitted in one of four categories:

Open Orchestral (up to 10 minutes in duration)
Open Choral (up to 8 minutes in duration)
High School Orchestral (up to 10 minutes in duration)
High School Choral (up to 8 minutes in duration)

The open categories include any composer, of any age, who is either a resident of Missouri or whose submitted work was written while the composer was living in Missouri. The high school categories include any composer enrolled in grades 9-12 in a Missouri high school. Instrumentation for orchestral submissions should not exceed: 2+pic, 2+EH, 2+B.Cl, 2, 4, 3, 3, 1, Timp+2 perc, strings.

One winner will be chosen from each of the four categories. The four selected composers will receive a performance and professional recording of their winning work by the Columbia Civic Orchestra (directed by Stefan Freund) or Columbia Chamber Choir (directed by Emily Edgington Andrews), as well as a $500 honorarium. Winning composers must be present during the premiere of the work in order to receive their cash award and MNMI is not responsible for travel costs.

Previous MOCOP winners are not eligible to apply.

To apply for the 2025 competition, please click here to fill out your information and upload your materials. Submissions are due by December 9, 2024.

The 2024 concert will take place at Broadway Christian Church on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 7:30pm. The concert is FREE and open to the public. A dress rehearsal with the composers present will take place in the church from 2:30-6:15pm that afternoon. Columbia Civic Orchestra Music Director Stefan Freund and Columbia Chamber Choir Artistic Director Emily Andrews, along with several guest conductors, will conduct the concert.

Missouri High School & Open Composer Categories

One piece will be selected from an open category in the state of Missouri. The piece must be a recent work for orchestra up to 10 minutes in duration. The piece must have been composed while the composer was living in Missouri. The winning composer will receive a $500 honorarium. The maximum instrumentation for submissions will be 2+pic, 2+ EH, 2+b cl,2 4,3,3,1 Timp+2 Perc Strings.

One piece for orchestra or string orchestra will be selected from a high school category in the state of Missouri. The maximum instrumentation for submissions will be 2+pic, 2+ EH, 2+b cl,2 4,3,3,1 Timp+2 Perc Strings. The piece must be a recent work for symphony orchestra up to 10 minutes in duration. The piece must have been composed while the composer was living in Missouri. The winning composer will receive a $500 honorarium.

We encourage High School applicants to be in touch with our distance learning instructor, Niko Schroeder (n.d.schroeder@mail.missouri.edu).

One piece will be selected from an open category in the state of Missouri. The piece must be a recent work for SATB choir (with or without piano) up to 8 minutes in duration. The piece must have been composed while the composer was living in Missouri. The winning composer will receive a $500 honorarium.

One piece will be selected from a high school category in the state of Missouri. The piece must be a recent work for SATB choir (with or without piano) up to 8 minutes in duration. The piece must have been composed while the composer was living in Missouri. The winning composer will receive a $500 honorarium.

We encourage High School applicants to be in touch with our distance learning instructor, Niko Schroeder (n.d.schroeder@mail.missouri.edu).

Application process

Complete the online application form
PDF score (with no name or other identifying marks)
Recording (MP3, WAV, AIFF) or MIDI Realization of the work
Brief biographical sketch (250 words or less)

The maximum instrumentation for orchestral submissions will be 2,2,2,2 4,3,3,1 Timp+2 Perc Strings. Only completed applications will be accepted.

*Please make sure there are no identifying marks other than the title of the composition on the submitted score. Do not put the name of the composer(s) or school on the score or recording. Recordings must include either a live recording or MIDI realization of the work.

MOCOP 2025

Winners will be announced soon.

Past Winners

The winners for 2024 are:

Choral High School: Blue Marble by Alina Hayden (Augusta, MO). Click here to listen.
- Honorable mention:
  - Tomorrow Shines by Matthew Hilger (Lee’s Summit, MO)
Choral Open: Dreamlike Lyric by Yun Li (Kansas City, MO). Click here to listen.
- Honorable mentions:
  - The Door by Carter Datz (Lake St Louis, MO). Click here to listen.
  - If I must go by Cory Brodack (St. Louis, MO)
Orchestral High School: Farewell by Matthew Kim (St. Louis, MO). Click here to listen.
- Honorable mentions:
  - Answering the Absurd by Yueheng Wang (Creve Coeur, MO)
Orchestral Open: It is, Isn’t It by Isaac Villaroya (Kansas City, MO). Click here to listen.
- Honorable mentions:
  - Beauty despite daylight by Oswald Huynh (Portland, OR, based in Columbia, MO at time of composition). Click here to listen.
  - Piano Concerto No.1 by Seda Balci (Columbia, MO, originally from Turkey)

2025 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) Application Form

Applications for the 2025 Missouri Composers Project open on October 7, 2024 and will close on December 9, 2024.

College of Arts and Science

Mizzou New Music Initiative

Missouri High School & Open Composer Categories

Application process

MOCOP 2025

Past Winners

2025 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) Application Form

MU Links

Incoming Students

Current Students

School of Music