Bennington Young Musicians Awards
Part of the Bennington College Young Creators Awards
The Bennington College Young Musicians Awards celebrate exceptional high school students in grades 9-12 whose songwriting, composing, and musical innovation across genres and styles demonstrates originality, curiosity, and a distinct musical point of view.
Open to students worldwide, the awards are free to enter and offer cash prizes up to $2,000, recognition, publication, or showcase opportunities, and scholarships for students who enroll at Bennington College.
Submissions open September 1. In the meantime, sign up to receive updates.
About the Award
Songwriting, composing, and musical innovation across genres and styles have been at the forefront of the Bennington College education since its founding.
Electronic music got its start at Bennington in the early 1950s. In 1963, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan gave an historic concert here, where Dylan shared his handwritten lyrics of the now iconic song “The Times They Are a-Changin’” with Bennington’s student literary magazine, making it the first publication to ever print them. In 1974, visionary musicians Bill Dixon and Milford Graves founded the college’s pioneering Black Music Division, which championed free jazz and individual musical expression.
Bennington graduates like composer Joan Tower, Chris Barron of The Spin Doctors, Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso, Mountain Man, Dana Foote of Sir Chloe, and countless other songwriters, composers, bands, and performing artists got their start at Bennington College. Today, music creation and performance continue to be a staple of life at Bennington, where our students learn by doing in and beyond the classroom.
In celebration of this legacy of musical excellence and creativity, Bennington is hosting the inaugural Young Musicians Awards to honor outstanding composing and songwriting achievement at the high school level.
Why Bennington College?
At Bennington College, music is made, tested, performed, revised, and reimagined. Students work closely with faculty, collaborate across disciplines, and shape their own paths through composition, performance, sound, technology, improvisation, and creative risk-taking and expression.
The Bennington Young Musicians Awards invite high school students into that same spirit.
Submission Category and What to Submit
Category: Original Composition
Submit one original piece of music that you are excited to share.
Your composition may take many forms, including an electronic piece, a song, an improvisation, a piece for piano, strings, orchestra, voice, digital tools, a self-built instrument, or something entirely your own. It may be notated or not. It may have been performed or not. It may be created entirely on a computer. You may play or sing it yourself. It may be in any language, but a written translation to English is required.
What matters most is that the work speaks for you. We will listen with open minds and open ears.
Requirements and Submissions
Eligibility and Requirements
- There is no entry fee.
- Only one submission in this discipline award is allowed per student.
- Open to students in grades 9–12 worldwide.
- All entries must be original work and will be reviewed for authenticity.
- Entries must be reviewed and approved by a sponsoring teacher or mentor.
- Grade 12 students must submit through the Common Application or Coalition Application process (no application fees required, non-binding, no supplemental essays required). Once the application is complete, we will send a follow-up email with YCA submission instructions. Since so many YCA participants also apply to Bennington, this approach allows students to submit their college and YCA applications through a single process.
- Students who have already graduated from high school are not eligible.
Please review our FAQs for additional information.
Submission Guidelines
- Your entry should be one original composition.
- The submitted composition should be a maximum length of five minutes.
- Compilations of work will not be considered.
- A recorded performance or MIDI version of the composition is strongly recommended, but not required.
- Supporting materials may include: Scores, charts, lead sheets, and lyric sheets, provided they pertain to the submitted composition.
- Submission formats: Audio files: MP3, or .waveform files
All entries must be reviewed and approved by a high school sponsor teacher. We will use your sponsoring teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please contact a mentor to sponsor your music.
How Entries are Evaluated
A panel of Bennington music faculty and students will review every submission for originality, quality of work, and the strength of the musical perspective demonstrated. The pool will be narrowed to finalists.
Judging Criteria:
- Emotional and intellectual impact of the composition
- Craft of composition
- Skill of presentation (if score or charts are provided)
- Originality of music
- Quality of performance, in cases where the composer is also performing
Awards, Scholarships, and Recognition
Cash Prizes (per category)
- First place: $2,000
- Second place: $1,000
- Third place: $500
Distinguished Submissions
- Distinguished designation by category and grade level: $250
- Particularly strong submissions of original work may be selected for this designation. While these submissions may not have been selected for the top three composition prizes, students whose quality is distinguished amongst other entries will be recognized.
Scholarships
- First Place Winners who enroll at Bennington receive a full-tuition scholarship for four years
- Distinguished Designation Recipients who enroll receive a half-tuition scholarship for four years
- Finalists who enroll receive a $25,000 annual scholarship for four years.
Publication and Showcase
- Winning and distinguished entries may be featured on Bennington's website, social media channels, publications, and other showcase opportunities throughout the year.
- These entries will remain the property of the student.
Important Dates and Deadlines
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| September 1 | Submissions open |
| November 1 | Submission deadline |
| November - December | Round 1 judging (faculty / student panel) |
| January | Round 2 judging (external panel); winners selected |
| Spring | Award winners announced; press release; winning entries published and/or showcased |
Questions
If you have questions about eligibility, submissions, or awards, we’re happy to help.
