Adjudication and Selection

Each submitted composition is stripped of composer name and any personal information submitted within program notes found in the score is redacted. File names are changed prior to being accessed by the jury so that they only include the title of the piece.

The jury consists of both wind band and orchestral conductors and composers from around the world.

Multiple rounds are considered where every jury member ranks each submitted composition. Each member of the jury is welcome to use their own criteria for adjudication but the YCI adheres to the following objectives in promoting new music for the wind band:

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• To recognize excellence in artistic merit

• To recognize excellence in craftsmanship

• To recognize creativity, ingenuity and originality 

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Once a consensus is reached considering the overall top 5 ranked pieces, the composition with the lowest score, based on rank, is selected as the winning composition. Therefore, a piece ranked as everyone's number one would receive the lowest score. 

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In order to officially be selected, the composition must be certified to meet all submission guidelines and a complete score with parts must be supplied to the NMSU Wind Symphony in order to prepare of the November premiere.

Depending on funding, one or more winners are announced each year on October 1. Each selected participant receives:

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• Travel and lodging to Las Cruces, NM for the dress rehearsal, premiere concert performance, and reception in November

• Recording of the live performance

• Recognition in the concert program

• $500.00 Honorarium