Radio 3 Carol Competition 2015

1. This competition is open to UK residents only (including residents in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). Overseas entries will not be considered. Entrants must be 16 years old or older at the closing date and not previously had a composition commercially published or made available for sale on a third party website. The competition is not open to employees, or the close relatives of employees of the BBC or anyone else connected with the creation or administration of this competition.

2. Each valid entry must include:
(1) A completed entry form. Entry forms are available to download from bbc.co.uk/radio3.

AND
(2) Two copies of a notated identical scores of your piece: Entrants must use traditional music notation and scores should be presented on single-sided, A4 paper, unbound and in a clear plastic sleeve using as many sheets as are necessary.

OR
Two copies of a graphic score with instructions on how to perform the work presented on single-sided, A4 paper, unbound and in a clear plastic sleeve using as many sheets as are necessary.

OR
If the work is not notated, two audio CD copies of a recording of the composition.

3. Entries will not be returned. Entrants should keep a copy for their own records.

4. Entrants should set the text for the competition to be found on the Radio 3 website for SATB choir either a cappella or with piano accompaniment. The duration of the work should be no more than 4 minutes.

5. Only one entry per Entrant will be accepted. If an Entrant should submit more than one entry, only the first entry registered will be judged and any subsequent entries will be disregarded. Joint entries (entries from two or more Entrants) are not eligible and will be disregarded.

6. Entrants must warrant that their entries are original, entirely their own work and do not infringe copyright or other third party rights. The BBC reserves the right to contact Entrants to verify this. Entries must not contain defamatory, obscene, violent or any other material that would deem the entry unsuitable for broadcast by the BBC. The BBC accepts no liability if entrants ignore these rules and entrants agree to fully indemnify the BBC against any claims by any third party arising from any breach of these rules.

7. The deadline for receipt of entries is Tuesday 3rd November 2015. Complete entries must be submitted by standard post only to: BBC Radio 3 Carol Competition, Room 1015, Broadcasting House, London W1A 1AA.

8. The judges will assess each valid entry in relation to the following criteria:

Compositional idea
Originality
Creativity
Suitability for choir
Word setting
Appropriate technical ability

9. Entries will undergo the following judging process:

All entries will be verified by a member of BBC production staff to ensure that they are compliant with the terms and conditions of this competition. Any invalid entries will be removed from the judging process at this point.

Each valid entry will be assessed using the criteria set out above by the two Lead Producers of the BBC Singers. Each will submit a shortlist of up to 20 entries to the final round of shortlisting by the judging panel.

The final round of shortlisting will involve a panel of at least 5 judges. They will meet and consider the shortlisted entries. They will shortlist six entrants by agreement, based on the criteria outlined above. If the judging panel require any clarification in relation to an entry, the Entrant will be contacted at this stage.

10. The BBC's decision in the selection of shortlisted entrants is final. No correspondence will be entered into. Unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.

11. The shortlisted entrants will then be contacted by the BBC production team by e-mail, telephone or post by 25th November 2015. If, after reasonable attempts to contact a shortlisted entrant, the communication has not been acknowledged, the BBC reserves the right to replace them on the shortlist with another selected entrant.

12. The six shortlisted entries will be performed live by the BBC Singers on Radio 3’s Breakfast programme (subject to technical and operational circumstances) between 8.00 and 9.00am on Tuesday 15th December 2015. Between 15-22 December 2015, recordings of the carols will be played in Breakfast and In Tune, and trails including excerpts of the shortlisted entries will be broadcast across the station. The carols will be available to listen to on the Radio 3 website.

13. The audience will be directed to the Radio 3 website to vote on their favourite carol.

14. Voting will close on the evening of 22nd December 2015, and the winner with the highest number of votes will be announced in the Breakfast programme on 23rd December 2015.

15. The shortlisted entrants will be expected to take part in pre and post-competition publicity, if required.

16. The winning entrant will have their carol performed live on the Breakfast programme on 23rd December 2015 and a recording played across the day on Radio 3 on 25th December 2015.

17. The prize is as stated and cannot be deferred or transferred. There will be no cash alternatives.

18. Entrants supplying scores and those who receive commissions from the BBC agree to grant the BBC an exclusive licence to use such entries and commissions in all media for the purposes of the competition including without limitation transmission on radio and streaming on the internet and making copies or new recordings, if required. In connection with BBC's planned usage of the entries and commissions, Entrants must ensure that works submitted are original.

19. The BBC will only ever use an Entrant’s personal details for the purposes of administering this competition and will keep them only for as long as is necessary to fulfil these purposes, and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, will not publish them or provide them to anyone without permission. The names of the contestants, winners and commended entrants may be made public. Please see the BBC Privacy Policy: bbc.co.uk/privacy

20. Entrants must supply full details as required above and comply with all of the terms and conditions of this competition in order to be eligible for the prize. The BBC does not accept responsibility for ineligible, incomplete or fraudulent entries.

21. The BBC reserves the right to cancel this competition at any stage.

22. Entrants are reminded that their participation in BBC competitions (including winning or receiving an award of high commendation) cannot be used in commercial advertising or promotions, to attract external funding, to lobby or campaign, or to attract donations.

23. The BBC does not accept responsibility for any technical failure, malfunction or any other problem with any server, internet access system, programme software, the postal service or otherwise which may result in any entry being lost, late or not properly registered or recorded. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.

24. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them when entering this competition. Entries that deviate from the terms and conditions of this competition will be disqualified.

25. The promoter of this competition is the British Broadcasting Corporation and these terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

26. This competition accords with BBC’s Code of Conduct for Competitions and Voting, details of which can be found in the BBC Competitions Policy: bbc.co.uk/competitioncode