The Tech chapter of the Collegiate Music Educators National Conference will host the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Competition next month in the Bryan Fine Arts Building in Wattenbarger Auditorium.”The contest is open to every Tech student,” Holly Sanders, CMENC chapter president, said. “If you’re into songwriting and performing, it’s a really good opportunity to show your talent and to potentially win a scholarship.”
Songs must be original work written in verse-chorus format and submitted with a $5 entry fee by 3 p.m. Nov. 1. The entrant must also include his or her name and the song title. In cases of a collaborative entry, such as a band, all the members’ names must be included.
Once the entries are collected, the entrants must perform the song at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 in Wattenbarger Auditorium. Winners will be selected by a judging panel comprised of music department faculty members.
“All genres are welcome,” Sanders said. “From alternative to blues to rock to indie, any song with a verse-chorus [format] is welcome.”
The winner and runner-up at the University level will have each of their songs recorded and submitted to the state competition. From there, the winner at the state level will move on to the national level, and the national winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship. The two runners-up at the national level will each earn a $5,000 scholarship.
To enter or seek more information about the contest, e-mail Judith Sullivan, music education professor, at jasullivan@tntech.edu.
The competition pays tribute to the late Lennon, one of the founding members of The Beatles. Tomorrow marks the day Lennon would have turned 70.
