Young Composers Rules & Conditions
Age Requirements
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The Banksia Section is open to entrants aged 13 to 18 years who live or attend school in the Sutherland Shire or St George areas. Previous 1st place YMA Banksia Competition winners are ineligible to re-enter this section.
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The Waratah Section is open to entrants aged 19 to 21 years who live in the Sutherland Shire or St George areas, or have been previous entrants in our Youth Music Awards. Past 1st place YMA Banksia composition winners under the age of 19 years may also enter this section.
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Age is determined as at 30 June 2025. Entrants must be prepared to produce proof of age and address if requested by an Official. (e.g. copy of birth certificate, passport etc) or risk disqualification. Any protest based on age will be determined on the spot by Sutherland Music Club (SMC) Sessions Manager.
Composition
4. The composition must be the original work of the entrant.
5. Use of Artificial Intelligence is not permitted.
6. Composition length 2 to 5 minutes.
7. The work may be for any combination of instruments, from solo instrument/voice, up to large ensemble (not exceeding 20
performers) or choir (SATB or SSAA - texts must either be in the public domain or be used with permission).
8. A second entry is permitted.
9. A computer program may be used to make the recording.
10. If a live performance is recorded for the entry, any fees will be at the entrant’s expense.
Entry Form
11. Application should be made by completing the Official Entry Form. Entry forms are available via an on-line link.
12. Entry fees can be paid by Direct Transfer.
13. Fees are not refundable after Friday 16th May 2025. If the Competition is cancelled, all entry fees will be refunded.
Copyright & Music
14. Sutherland Music Club (SMC) will not be liable for any copyright infringement relating to the submission of
compositions. Entrants should be aware of the rules of copyright.
15. Each entrant is responsible for seeing that copyright is not breached. If any part of the composition is subject to
copyright, the entrant is responsible for obtaining permission from the copyright owner.
16. SMC does not countenance, sanction or approve of any infringement of the Copyright Act 1968 and has the right to
disqualify copied works.
17. The entrant confirms that if any part of their work is subject to copyright, any permission required has been obtained
from the copyright owners to perform the work in public.
Adjudication
18. A hardcopy of the work’s Score and Description must be delivered to 13 Blue Gum Avenue, Gymea Bay (phone Jill
McLelland at 0423381665 for drop-off enquiries). The Description includes an interpretation of the Work/Theme, with a
word limit of 150 words. A Recording can be submitted digitally or by USB. These hard copies will be used for the
Composition Display at the Finals Concert, and for the YMA archives.
19. Alongside submission of hard copies, the Score, Recording and Description must be uploaded to a provided Google Drive
accessed by the Adjudicator.
20. The Adjudicator(s) decision, made in accordance with the General Rules, is final.
21. SMC reserves the right to withhold any advertised prize where, in the adjudicator(s) opinion, an adequate standard has
not been reached.
22. Special additional awards may be given.
23. Should the selected Adjudicator(s) be unable to perform their function, SMC reserves the right to appoint substitute
adjudicator(s).
24. A comment sheet will be provided to each entrant.
25. Entrants are not permitted to discuss their compositions with the adjudicator(s) before results are announced.
Finals Award Concert
26. The Finals Concert will be held at 7pm on Friday 4th July 2025
Venue: Sutherland Arts Theatre, 25 East Parade Sutherland
27. If a work is suitable, Finalists may be contacted by the YMA Committee with the option of performing live at the Finals
Award Concert.
28. All Awards will be presented at the Finals Concert
Other Conditions
29. SMC reserves the right to cancel the Competition and the Finals Concert in the event of any circumstance necessitating
such action.
30. The decision of SMC in all questions or disputes arising out of or not provided for in these conditions, will be final.
31. The right is reserved to record, film, broadcast, telecast, videotape or photograph any entrant, item or event in the Young
Composers Awards without notification and any such photograph, recording or broadcast may be used at SMC’s
discretion for publicity or promotional purposes but shall not necessarily constitute an endorsement of any participants
and no remuneration or compensation whatsoever shall be attributable to any participants so featured.
32. In the Awards venue the use of tape/CD recorders, videos or cameras is not allowed. Mobile phones, pagers, alarms and
personal headsets must be switched off.
33. Entrants may obtain any official photographs taken during the event at their own cost.