Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors

NewMusicBox talks to three composition competition judges about the inner workings of the awards process.

Written By

NewMusicBox Staff

Produced and edited by NewMusicBox

Anonymous

 

Ed. Note: Many jurors who adjudicate the various composition competitions serve anonymously, and even the ones who don’t are instructed to be confidential. So, in order to present a realistic and informative look at the judging process through interviews with people who have served on important panels, we decided to conduct a series of anonymous interviews. By not identifying our three panelists (and even going to the extreme length of hiding their faces and altering their voices), we hope to offer a real insider’s look at the evaluation process.

What we have unearthed is not earth shattering—there is no smoking gun or exposé of rampant foul play—but rather, these conversations will hopefully reveal the mindsets of some key people who have been involved in the process and help us to understand what leads juries on various panels to the decisions they ultimately make.

 

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