Europasinfonie launches composition competition

On 18 June 2027, Europasinfonie will offer audiences a new form of collaboration beyond the traditional concert hall. In a unique project, twelve symphony orchestras and choirs from across Europe will be brought together to form a single ensemble connected in real time. This is a powerful symbol for Europe and, at the same time, marks the dawn of a new era of artistic formats. An experiment under the motto ‘Twelve countries. One orchestra’.

At the heart of this visionary project is an international composition competition, which begins on 2 May 2026. The open call for entries is seeking works that artistically engage with the unique conditions of a distributed real-time performance, in which the participating ensembles are connected via a digital network. A large string orchestra will perform live in the concert hall, whilst all other sections will be present virtually on large LED screens.

Supporting European composers

An international jury will award a total of three composition commissions: two for orchestral works, and one for an orchestral work with choir. Composers from the 27 EU member states and other eligible countries may submit one 2-minute excerpt per category via www.europasinfonie.eu from 2 May until 31 July 2026. The three selected composers will have the opportunity to create a 15–20-minute work for the Europasinfonie concert. Each composition commission comes with a fee of €14,000.

A key priority of Europasinfonie is to support young artists. We therefore particularly encourage composers under the age of 35 to submit their proposals. At least one of the three commissions will be awarded to a representative of this age group, although there are no age restrictions.
The jury meeting will take place on 28 and 29 September 2026 in Dresden, Germany. The three selected composers will be announced at a press conference on 30 September 2026 at the Dresden Exhibition Centre.

Fact about Europasinfonie’s Composition Competition

Two categories:

One entry may be submitted in each of the two categories.
Entries may be submitted in one or both categories.

• Category 1: work for symphony orchestra
• Category 2: work for symphony orchestra and choir

Composition commission for winners:

• 3 works, 14,000 Euro gross each

Submission window:

• Start: 2 May 2026, 08:00 (CEST)
• End: 31 July 2026, 23:00 (CEST)

All entries must be submitted through Europasinfonie’s website, http://www.europasinfonie.eu, 
starting 2 May 2026.

Selection process, announcement and world premieres:

• Jury meeting: 28–29 September 2026 in Dresden, Germany
• Press conference: Announcement of the winners: 30 September 2026 in Dresden, Germany
• Concert: 18 Juni 2027, Messe Dresden, Hall 1, Germany

Conditions of participation:

• The ensembles are connected via a high-performance network. Due to physical constraints, very long distances result in latency that affects synchronised ensemble playing. This call for entries is therefore expressly aimed at composers who are willing to incorporate this condition into their musical language.
• Eligibility is open to residents of European countries: the 27 EU member states, as well as, for example, Iceland, Albania or Ukraine, among others.
• Submitted works must not have been previously published or performed.
• In addition to the score of an excerpt of at least 2 minutes, a concept text must be submitted.

Submissions are welcome from all individuals, regardless of gender, origin, religion, disability, age or sexual identity.