SOCAN Foundation awards emerging Canadian musical and audio-visual composers and songwriters producing high-quality original works that deserve to be recognized. A wide variety of awards are available to recognize the remarkable talent we call Canadian music-creators across genres.
SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Canadian Songwriters, Sponsored by SiriusXM
Deadline: July 31st, 2023
The Award for Young Canadian Songwriter was created through a joint partnership with Sirius XM Canada Inc., and is designed to celebrate emerging and talented songwriters in Canada. Submissions to the talent competition must be from genres of popular music, such as: folk, blues, rock and roll, hip-hop, R&B, etc. Songwriters that are age 21 or younger, Canadian citizens, and the original creators of the musical submission are eligible to apply to the talent competition. Five awards valued at $5,000 each will be granted to the finalists. All submissions will be reviewed by a jury.
Criteria
The competition is open to songwriters who are 21 years of age or under on the application deadline.
Candidates must be Canadians and SOCAN members or Canadians who are not members of any performing rights organization.
Submissions must be original, composed within tow years of the application deadline. Arrangements are not eligible.
Entries that were award winners in previous SOCAN Foundation Awards are not eligible.
SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation board members and employees are not eligible.
Process
Candidates may enter only one submission per deadline.
Candidates are required to complete an applicant and upload recording into the data management system. Candidates are also required to upload a lead-sheet and/or lyrics (if available) into the data management system.
Candidates must be the original creator of the submission.
Candidates must ensure that required supporting material is uploaded into the Data Management System by the deadline.
TD Indigenous Songwriter Award
Deadline: October 15th, 2023
Criteria
One prize of $10,000 will be offered to the award recipient.
Entries submitted will be examined by a jury of prominent songwriters selected by the SOCAN Foundation. Excellence will be an overriding factor in adjudication. The jury’s decisions are final.
All compositions must be submitted by applicants who are of Indigenous decent. Applications must be submitted by the songwriter by the deadline (TBA).
Eligibility
The competition is open to songwriters who are of Indigenous decent, and may be of any age.
Candidates must be Canadians and SOCAN members or Canadians who are not members of any performing rights organization.
Works submitted must be original, composed within three years of the application deadline. Arrangements are not eligible.
Entries that were award winners in previous SOCAN Foundation Awards are not eligible.
SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation board members and employees are not eligible.
Process
Candidates may enter one work per deadline into the competition through the SOCAN Foundation Data Management System (application portal). Candidates must complete an application form and verify Indigenous status to be considered for the award.
Candidates must provide a brief biography and photo, which may be used for promotional purposes if selected as a finalist and/or award recipient.
Candidates are required to upload a recording into the SOCAN Foundation Data Management System for judging purposes. Recordings of live performances are preferred to synthesized realizations but both are acceptable.
Each MP3 must contain one work only.
Candidates submitting works with texts or lyrics must enclose information as to the source of the text or lyrics, if in the public domain, or proper written permission from the copyright owner to use the text or lyrics in a musical composition.
Candidates must ensure that required supporting material is uploaded into the SOCAN Foundation Data Management System by the deadline.
If Candidates have questions, they may contact foundation@socan.ca for further information, prior to the deadline.
Notices
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to review and modify its programs and processes, to terminate any program at any time, or to decline any application submitted, and is thus held harmless from all damages, direct or indirect, consequential or incidental.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to publish a list of its grant recipients.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to share with SOCAN the names and contact information contained in the application form, for SOCAN’s internal use.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to promote the Award Recipient through various external platforms
SOCAN Foundation is committed to handling your personal information responsibly. View our Privacy Policy page.
Award Recipient must be able to provide a pre-recorded performance session (3 songs minimum/30 minute maximum) for the Indigenous Music Awards Performance Series that will be streaming on the IMA Facebook and YouTube channel in September 2020, as well as provide a photo and short bio that will also be posted on the IMA website.
SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards
Deadline: September 1st, 2023
The Black Canadian Music Awards is made possible through a joint partnership with SiriusXM Canada and SOCAN Foundation. This award is designed to celebrate extraordinary Black music creators that are Canadian.
Submissions to the talent competition can be from all genres of music, such as folk, blues, rock, hip-hop, R&B, etc. Candidates must be Canadian citizens, identify as Black, and the original creators of the musical submission are eligible to apply to the talent competition. In the case a collective use for the Award, all music creators must meet the eligibility criteria.
Up to Five awards valued at up to $10,000 each and five special distinctions valued at $1,000 each will be granted to the finalists. All submissions will be reviewed by a jury composed of Black artists/industry leaders in the Canadian music industry.
What is Black Music? It is music created, produced, or inspired by Black people, people of African descent, including African music traditions and African popular music as well as the music genres of the African diaspora, including Afro-Caribbean music, Afro-Latino music, Afro-Brazilian music and African American music.
Criteria
The competition is open to music creators who are of Black descent.
If the applicant is a collective/band, all members must meet the eligibility criteria.
Candidates must be Canadian and SOCAN members or Canadians who are not members of any performing rights organization.
Submissions must be original, composed within two years of the application deadline. Arrangements are not eligible. The applicants must submit musical examples in which they have contributed towards the creation of the work meaningfully, and have a share of ownership in the work.
SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation board members and employees and jury members of the Black Canadian Music Awards are not eligible.
Process
Candidates may submit one application per deadline into the competition through the SOCAN Foundation Data Management System (application portal). Candidates must complete an application form and identify as Black artists to be considered for the award.
Candidates must provide a brief biography and photo, which may be used for promotional purposes if selected as a finalist and/or award recipient.
Candidates are required to upload recording(s) into the SOCAN Foundation Data Management System for judging purposes.
Candidates submitting works with texts or lyrics must enclose information as to the source of the text or lyrics, if in the public domain, or proper written permission from the copyright owner to use the text or lyrics in a musical composition.
Candidates must ensure that required supporting material is uploaded into and submit the SOCAN Foundation Data Management System by the deadline.
If Candidates have questions, they may contact foundation@socan.ca for further information prior to the deadline.
Notices
SOCAN Foundation and SiriusXM Canada reserves the right to review and modify their programs and processes, to terminate any program at any time, or to decline any application submitted, and is thus held harmless from all damages, direct or indirect, consequential or incidental.
SOCAN Foundation and SiriusXM Canada reserves the right to publish a list of their grant recipients.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to share with SOCAN and SiriusXM Canada the names and contact information contained in the application form for internal use only.
SOCAN Foundation and SiriusXM Canada reserves the right to promote the Award Recipient through various external platforms.
SOCAN Foundation is committed to handling your personal information responsibly. View our Privacy Policy page.
Award recipients agree to acknowledge the support SOCAN Foundation and SiriusXM Canada in the form of a video.
SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers
Deadline: July 15, 2023
This annual competition is designed to recognize Canadian composers who are 30 years of age and under, for original concert music works in the following five categories: large ensemble, chamber ensemble, solo or duet, vocal, and electroacoustics.
Criteria
Four prizes will be offered in each of five categories: 1st prize — $3,000; 2nd prize — $2,250; 3rd prize — $1,500; Young Composer Prize — $1,500 (21 years of age and younger). The Grand Prize of $5,000 for the best overall work may also be awarded.
Entries submitted will be examined by a jury of prominent composers selected by the SOCAN Foundation. Excellence will be an overriding factor in adjudication.
The jury may, but need not, award all prizes in each category. The jury reserves the right, where deemed beneficial to the entry, to move an entry to another category. The jury’s decisions are final.
Categories
The Large Ensemble Awards (formerly known as the Sir Ernest MacMillan Awards), for compositions requiring no fewer than 13 performers up to full symphony orchestra, which may include vocal participation and may be scored to include electroacoustics.
The Chamber Ensemble Awards (formerly known as the Serge Garant Awards), for compositions requiring a minimum of three performers to a maximum of 12 performers with or without voice and/or electroacoustics.
The Solo and Duet Awards (formerly known as the Pierre Mercure Awards), for solo or duet compositions, with or without voices and/or electroacoustics.
The Electroacoustic Awards (formerly known as the Hugh Le Caine Awards), for live or recorded electroacoustics, where the intended performance is, at least in part, through loudspeakers. Works in this category may be multi-media and may include acoustic instrument(s) or voice(s), live or recorded. The principal element in the work must be electroacoustic.
The Choral Awards (formerly known as the Godfrey Ridout Awards), for works of any number of voices with or without instrumentation and/or electroacoustics.
All compositions submitted by applicants 21 years and under compete first for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes in the Emerging Composers Competition. Compositions written by applicants who are 21 years of age or younger by the deadline of the competition, and have not been awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes in their respective category will then be considered for the Younger Composer Prize. There is not a separate entry procedure for the Young composer Prize.
The Grand Prize (formerly known as the John Weinzweig Grand Prize) for best overall work submitted to the competition does not have a separate entry procedure and may or may not be awarded at the discretion of the jury
Eligibility
The competition is open to composers who are 30 years of age or under on the application deadline.
Candidates must be Canadians and SOCAN members or Canadians who are not members of any performing rights organization.
Works submitted must be original, composed within three years of the application deadline. Arrangements are not eligible. There is no minimum duration for compositions submitted.
Entries that were award winners in previous SOCAN Foundation Awards are not eligible.
Recipients of the John Weinzweig Grand Prize are not eligible to reapply in subsequent years.
SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation board members and employees are not eligible.
Process
Candidates may enter no more than one work per category. In cases where a work may appear to be eligible for two different categories, the candidate must choose a single category. Each work may be entered only once per deadline.
Candidates may enter no more than three works per deadline.
Candidates must complete a separate application form per entry.
Candidates must upload a score that is complete and legible in all categories except for the Electroacoustic Awards (formerly known as the Hugh Le Caine Awards) if no acoustic instruments are used.
Candidates must provide a brief biography and photo. (For internal use only; jury members will not see this.)
Candidates should provide program notes about the entry. Jury members will see this text; make sure that the name of the candidate does not appear here.
Candidates are required to upload score(s) and/or recording(s) into the data management system for judging purposes. Recordings of live performances are preferred to synthesized realizations but both are acceptable.
In cases where a recorded version of the work does not exist, and the work includes a pre-recorded electroacoustic element, candidates must provide the pre-recorded electroacoustic element.
Works are judged anonymously, therefore the candidate’s full name must appear only on the application form and biography. The candidate’s supporting material shall not include the name of the candidate. The candidate’s names or schools must not appear anywhere on submitted documents. Entries may be disqualified if identifying information is visible. Once the applicant completes the submission through the data management system, a form ID will be assigned to the candidate. The same form ID will be used to identity the candidate during the jury process.
Scores must be clearly labeled with the following information: Title of work; Duration of work; Year of composition.
Each MP3 must contain one work only.
Candidates submitting works with texts or lyrics must enclose information as to the source of the text or lyrics, if in the public domain, or proper written permission from the copyright owner to use the text or lyrics in a musical composition.
Candidates must ensure that required supporting material is uploaded into the Data Management System by the deadline.
Notices
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to review and modify its programs and processes, to terminate any program at any time, or to decline any application submitted, and is thus held harmless from all damages, direct or indirect, consequential or incidental.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to publish a list of its grant recipients.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to share with SOCAN the names and contact information contained in the application form, for SOCAN’s internal use.
SOCAN Foundation is committed to handling your personal information responsibly. View our Privacy Policy page.
The SOCAN Foundation/NYOC Emerging Composers’ Mentorship Program
Within the works submitted to the Sir Ernest MacMillan Category, up to three (3) orchestral compositions (without soloist(s) and/or choir) will be selected to participate in the SOCAN Foundation/National Youth Orchestra of Canada Emerging Composers Mentorship Program. The composers of the selected works will be invited to attend an NYOC rehearsal reading of their orchestral composition. The selected composers could be eligible to apply for the Travel Assistance Program to attend the reading session.
In addition to a live performance of the commissioned piece (planned for summer 2022), NYO Canada is providing the opportunity to create a virtual performance for 2021. This virtual performance involves instrumentalists individually recording audio and video of their respective parts and edited into a final video performance. A composition for a virtual performance should be approximately 5 minutes. Due to duration and instrument restriction of a virtual performance, NYO Canada will accept an arrangement of your commissioned piece or another suitable composition. This is not a requirement of the award and further details will be discussed between the successful candidate and NYO Canada.
More details regarding the date and location will be shared with selected participants.
Process
Candidates may enter no more than one work per category. In cases where a work may appear to be eligible for two different categories, the candidate must choose a single category. Each work may be entered only once per deadline.
Candidates may enter no more than three works per deadline.
Candidates must complete a separate application form per entry.
Candidates must upload a score that is complete and legible in all categories except for the Hugh Le Caine Awards if no acoustic instruments are used.
Candidates must provide a brief biography and photo. (For internal use only; jury members will not see this.)
Candidates should provide program notes about the entry. Jury members will see this text; make sure that the name of the candidate does not appear here.
Candidates are required to upload score(s) and/or recording(s) into the data management system for judging purposes. Recordings of live performances are preferred to synthesized realizations but both are acceptable.
In cases where a recorded version of the work does not exist, and the work includes a pre-recorded electroacoustic element, candidates must provide the pre-recorded electroacoustic element.
Works are judged anonymously, therefore the candidate’s full name must appear only on the application form and biography. The candidate’s supporting material shall not include the name of the candidate. The candidate’s names or schools must not appear anywhere on submitted documents. Entries may be disqualified if identifying information is visible. Once the applicant completes the submission through the data management system, a form ID will be assigned to the candidate. The same form ID will be used to identity the candidate during the jury process.
Scores must be clearly labeled with the following information: Title of work; Duration of work; Year of composition.
Each MP3 must contain one work only.
Candidates submitting works with texts or lyrics must enclose information as to the source of the text or lyrics, if in the public domain, or proper written permission from the copyright owner to use the text or lyrics in a musical composition.
Candidates must ensure that required supporting material is uploaded into the Data Management System by the deadline.
SOCAN Foundation Awards for Emerging Screen Composers
Deadline: June 1st, 2023
This annual competition is designed to recognize Canadian composers who are 30 years of age and under, for original musical themes or scores created exclusively for audio-visual support (TV, film, Internet, etc.).
Criteria
Two prizes will be offered in each of four categories: 1st prize — $3,000; 2nd prize — $2,250.
The Grand Prize of $5,000 for the best overall work may also be awarded.
Entries submitted will be examined by a jury of prominent composers selected by the SOCAN Foundation. Excellence will be an overriding factor in adjudication.
The jury may, but need not, award all prizes in each category. The jury reserves the right, where deemed beneficial to the entry, to move an entry to another category. The jury’s decisions are final.
Categories
Best Original Theme (opening or closing)
Best Original Score — Fiction
Best Original Score — Animated
Best Original Score — Non-Fiction
Eligibility
The competition is open to composers who are 30 years of age or under on the application deadline.
Candidates must be Canadians and SOCAN members or Canadians who are not members of any performing rights organization.
Entries that were award winners in previous SOCAN Foundation Awards are not eligible.
SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation board members and employees are not eligible.
Process
Candidates must complete a separate application form per entry.
All music must have been created exclusively for an original audio-visual production (TV, film, Internet, etc.).
Commercials (advertisements) are not eligible.
All music must be wholly original and created by one composer, or, in the case of Best Original Theme, by no more than one composer and one lyricist. Arrangements are not eligible.
Entry may be for any instrument(s) and may feature performers other than the composer.
Entries in this competition will not be judged anonymously since composer credits will often appear in audio-visual materials submitted.
Music must be synchronized to images and may originate from professional or student productions.
Candidates may enter no more than one work per category. In cases where a work may appear to be eligible for two different categories, the candidate must choose a single category. Each work may be entered only once per deadline.
Candidates may enter no more than two works per deadline.
Each entry may include up to three cues, along with a brief description of the context for each.
Each entry may be no longer than five minutes in duration and originate from only one audio-visual production.
Each entry must be uploaded into the Data Management System. A link to view the submission through YouTube or Vevo is acceptable. Entries not complying with those technical requirements will be rejected. Audio-only submissions will not be considered.
Candidates must ensure that the application and required supporting material is submitted through the data management system by the deadline.
Notices
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to review and modify its programs and processes, to terminate any program at any time, or to decline any application submitted, and is thus held harmless from all damages, direct or indirect, consequential or incidental.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to publish a list of its grant recipients.
SOCAN Foundation reserves the right to share with SOCAN the names and contact information contained in the application form, for SOCAN’s internal use.
SOCAN Foundation is committed to handling your personal information responsibly. View our Privacy Policy page.
Her Music Awards
Deadline: November 15th, 2023
The Her Music Awards are designed to celebrate and support female-identified Canadian mid-career music creators who are on the verge of taking their creative careers to the next level.
Applicants must submit an application through SOCAN Foundation’s application portal by the deadline.
Value
Award Recipient(s) will be selected to receive a grant prize of up to CAD$5,000.00 each.
Selection Process
All genres of music are welcome. Eligible applications will be considered by a jury of prominent Canadian music creators selected by SOCAN Foundation, in consultation with Bandzoogle. Excellence demonstrated through Artistic Merit will be an overriding consideration in the adjudication, in addition to thoughtful demonstration of how the Award would help advance the applicant’s career. The jury’s decisions are final.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to be considered for the Award, an applicant must:
- Self-identify as female;
- Be a citizen, landed immigrant or legal resident of Canada;
- Submit a complete application with all required supporting materials by the deadline, which includes, among other things, the following components (see application form in the online portal for more details):
- One original musical work written/composed entirely by the applicant within 3 years prior to the application deadline. Note: Works that were winning entries of past SOCAN Foundation awards, and arrangements, covers, mash-ups, remixes, adaptations and reinterpretations, etc., are not eligible for consideration.
- Proposal for how the grant prize would be used to advance their career or support the development of their career;
- Not have previously won any awards from SOCAN Foundation;
- Be a SOCAN member, or be eligible to become a SOCAN member if selected as a finalist for the Awards (that is, the applicant is not a member of any music performing rights organization at the time they are selected as an Award finalist).
- Not be a past or current board member or employee of SOCAN, SOCAN Foundation, Bandzoogle or any of Bandzoogle’s member organizations; and
- Have their parental/legal guardian sign the application and agree to the below Application Terms and Conditions on the applicant’s behalf, if the applicant will not have reached the legal age of majority in their province or territory of residence by the application deadline.
A group of individuals (such as a duo or a band) may apply for the Awards together as one applicant, but all individuals in the group must meet all the eligibility criteria above for the group to be eligible to be considered for the Awards. If selected as an Award recipient, the group will receive one award prize.
Submission of Musical Work(s)
In the application, an applicant must provide a URL link to recording(s) of their original musical work(s) that they are submitting for consideration, as well as the text of any lyrics in their work(s). If the applicant is not the author of the lyrics, the applicant must also provide in their application: (a) information regarding the source of the lyrics, if it is in the public domain and not subject to copyright; or (b) written permission provided by the copyright owner of the lyrics for the applicant to incorporate and use the lyrics in their work(s).
Application Terms and Conditions
By submitting this application for the Her Music Awards (“Awards”), the applicant (hereinafter “You”):
- Acknowledges and agrees that:
- SOCAN Foundation has the sole discretion to verify the eligibility qualification of each applicant, application, and musical work submitted for consideration for the Awards, to determine which applications are eligible to be considered by the Awards’ jury, and to decline any application for any reason;
- SOCAN Foundation also has the right, in its sole discretion, to require proof of identity and/or eligibility, in the form acceptable to it, for the purposes of verifying eligibility qualification and administering the Awards. Failure to provide such proof to SOCAN Foundation’s satisfaction within any specified timeline may result in disqualification;
- SOCAN Foundation and Bandzoogle (collectively, the “Organizers”) have the right (but not the obligation, as applicable) to:
- Cancel the Awards at any time without awarding any of the award prizes;
- Make changes to the Awards and any component or process thereof, including the application deadline, any timeline and the amount of the grant prizes, or suspend the Awards, at any time, including after the Awards finalists or recipients are selected or confirmed;
- Publish the names of the Awards finalists and recipients on their respective websites, accounts on social media platforms and any other channels; and
- Promote the Award recipients through various platforms and channels that are not within the control of either Organizer, including but not limited to social media platforms,
all without any lability, compensation or obligation whatsoever to any applicant.
- If selected as an Award finalist, prior to being confirmed as an Award recipient:
- You will be required to provide to the Organizers (or agree to obtain for the Organizers, if necessary) certain licences, warranties and indemnities relating to the rights in Your song(s) and express consents for certain uses by the Organizers of all information about You and the musical work(s) collected in connection with the Awards, all without any additional payment or restrictions, for the purposes of administering and promoting the Awards. SOCAN Foundation will provide You with the relevant form to give such licences, warranties, indemnities and consents;
- If not already a member of SOCAN, You will be required to become a member, and register the musical work(s) submitted in the application, within 30 days of being informed that You are selected as an Award finalist. Bandzoogle will receive information about the applicants and may contact you to become a member.
- If selected as an Award finalist, prior to being confirmed as an Award recipient:
The completion of all of the above actions as applicable is condition precedent for a finalist to be confirmed as an Award recipient and to receive the grant prize. If the finalist consists of more than one individual, the completion of all of the above actions by all individuals as applicable is condition precedent for the finalist to be confirmed as an Award recipient and to receive the grant prize;
- If confirmed as an Award recipient, You will submit a final report to SOCAN Foundation, in the form provided by SOCAN Foundation, detailing Your use of the grant prize by no later than 18 months after receiving the grant prize; and
- If the Award recipient consists of more than one individual, the grant prize will be awarded to one individual of the recipient, and it is the responsibility of the individuals to decide how to use the prize (including to allocate the prize among the individuals as they see fit). The Organizers have no responsibility to ensure that any such use (including allocation) is made or is equitable and have no liability whatsoever in this or any other regard.
- Represent and warrant that the musical work(s) submitted in this application are original work(s) and that You are the sole creator/author of the work(s).
- Consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal and personally identifiable information provided in the application (collectively, “Personal Information”) as follows:
- The smartsimple.ca application portal is operated by SOCAN Foundation. After the application deadline, all Personal Information collected will be submitted to SOCAN Foundation;
- SOCAN Foundation may use the Personal Information to contact You in connection with its administration of the Awards and to provide the grant prize if You were confirmed as an Award recipient;
- SOCAN Foundation will not give, rent or sell any Personal Information to any third party, except SOCAN Foundation will share the Personal Information with Bandzoogle and SOCAN, who may use the Personal Information to contact You regarding becoming their members and to provide You with information about them and their services, and will share the Personal Information without Your consent if required to do so by law; and
- Confirm that you have read and understood the Eligibility Criteria above and these Application Terms and Conditions, and agree to be legally bound by these Application Terms and Conditions.
- If You will not have reached the legal age of majority in Your province or territory of residence by the application deadline, Your parental/legal guardian hereby:
- consents on Your behalf to the submission of this application for the Awards and to the collection, use and disclosure of Your Personal Information as described above; and
- confirms that they have read and understood the Eligibility Criteria above and these Application Terms and Conditions, and agree to be legally bound by these Application Terms and Conditions.
How Are Awards Applications Reviewed?
SOCAN Foundation hires renowned Canadian composers to serve as jury members, who meet over several days to review applications submitted for the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers, Emerging Screen Composers, and Young Canadian Songwriters (Sponsored by SiriusXM Canada). Juries for each competition are balanced to ensure diverse representation. Each jury comprises between three and five members, who report their results in meetings with the SOCAN Foundation manager.
Applications for the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers are reviewed anonymously. Applications for the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Emerging Audio-Visual Composers and for Young Canadian Songwriters, Her Music Awards, and the TD Indigenous Songwriter Award are not reviewed anonymously.