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The 13th annual ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition launches on 13 January 2011, as the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms once more begins its search for the nation's brightest young composers.

The competition is open to composers aged 12 to 18 years old and offers winners the unrivalled opportunity to reach wide audiences on world-class platforms for classical music, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3 and have their music performed by professional musicians. They also receive a coveted ´óÏó´«Ã½ commission.

Entries to the competition are judged by a panel of top composers, this year including Fraser Trainer, Stuart MacRae, Anna Meredith and Gabriel Prokofiev, who will be looking for music that is original, unique and inspiring.

The judging panel have been chosen to reflect the wide variety of music played at the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms each year and is made up of musicians, broadcasters and music-industry professionals who are passionate about finding and developing new young talent. The deadline for entries is 27 May 2011.

All entrants are invited to attend an Inspire Day on 6 August 2011. The day provides an opportunity for young composers to meet professional musicians, leading composers and key music industry figures to participate in creative workshops and attend a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms concert.

The Young Composers' Competition is the culmination of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms' annual Inspire scheme, which aims to give the broadest range of young talent across the UK the opportunity to explore their musical boundaries, new ways of composing and get a taste of what it means to be a composer in the 21st century.

The scheme offers a series of acclaimed Composer Labs, taking place in London, Exeter, Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester between February and April 2011.

Composer Labs are free and offer young composers the opportunity to work alongside established composers and professional musicians from the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s six performing groups in a day of music-making, exploration and discovery.

The Labs are not compulsory for entering the competition, or vice versa, but provide an opportunity for young composers to share ideas, meet each other, get feedback on their music and develop their musical creativity. Sign up to the labs opens on 13 January 2011 and all details can be found on the .

Composer Labs dates and venues

Sunday 6 February
London, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Maida Vale Studios
In partnership with the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra

Sunday 13 February
Exeter, St Luke's
In partnership with the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Concert Orchestra

Saturday 26 February
Cardiff: ´óÏó´«Ã½ Hoddinott Hall
In partnership with the ´óÏó´«Ã½ National Orchestra of Wales

Sunday 3 April
Glasgow, City Halls
In partnership with the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Sunday 10 April
Manchester, New Broadcasting House
In partnership with ´óÏó´«Ã½ Philharmonic

Key dates for Young Composers' Competition

Thursday 13 January
Competition opens

Friday 27 May
Closing date for entries to competition

Saturday 6 August
Inspire Day: including workshops, talks, the Young Composers' Concert at Royal College of Music and an evening ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms concert.

Terms and Conditions

Entries must be sent by post to: ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition, 14 Lakeside, PO BOX 105, Rochester, Kent ME2 4BE.

Entries must include two identical CD recordings of the piece along with two copies of either a notated, graphic or tabbed score, or a written description.

A completed entry form (which can be downloaded from the ) must also be included.

Entries should last no longer than five minutes and scores or written descriptions should be submitted on single-sided A4 paper, unbound and in a clear plastic folder.

There are no restrictions on instrumentation, which may include acoustic and/or electronic instruments and computer-generated sounds. Recordings can be taken directly from notation software packages or sequencing software or can be live recordings of your work. Entries cannot be returned, so please remember to keep a copy.

Entrants may enter only one composition and it must be entirely their own work.

Entries composed with someone else will not be accepted.

Entry forms are available from the , by calling 020 7765 0643 or by emailing promslearning@bbc.co.uk.

The deadline for entries is 27 May 2011. Any entries received after this date will not be entered in the competition.

For full rules, terms and conditions please visit the .

MC