Franco Carillon Composition Contest

The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA) invites composers to expand the carillon repertoire by entering the biennial Franco Carillon Composition Contest. The goal of this contest is to grow the carillon repertoire with new works of high quality and innovative musical language. Since the first contest in 1988, the GCNA has awarded over US$21,000 for more than 40 compositions.  

What we're looking for

• Type: Entries must be an original carillon composition for a solo performer. Please note that any composition that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not eligible for entry.
  Length: Entries of any length are allowed. Five to six-minute pieces are generally considered standard for the carillon unless there are multiple movements.
  Range: Entries must be playable on a 4-octave carillon (C–D–chromatic–C4; low C♯ omitted), with a 2-octave pedalboard (C–D–chromatic–C2). Notating outside of this range is permitted provided that substitutions are given in the 48-bell range. Contestants may wish to limit their pedalboard range to 1.5 octaves (C–D–chromatic–G1) as many carillons (particularly European standard) have that reduced range. Entries for 3- and 2-octave carillon are welcome (again with low C♯ omitted).
  Prior history: Entries that have already been published, performed, or won a prize are ineligible. Public performance of any winning composition prior to the 2027 GCNA Congress is grounds for disqualification.
  Open to: Everyone, except 1st and 2nd prize winners of the 2025 Franco Composition Contest and members of the Franco Committee. Composers who are less familiar with the carillon might consider entering the Franco Carillon Composition Proposal Contest.
  Quantity: Only 1 entry is allowed.
• Submission deadline: November 1, 2026
  No entry fee

Prizes

One 1st prize and one 2nd prize will be awarded. Compositions earning special recognition from the jury may receive Performance Awards. All prize winners are entitled to have their entries premiered at the 2027 GCNA Congress and promoted on the GCNA website.

• 1st prize: US$2,000, world premiere at the 2027 GCNA congress, promotion
  and publication by the GCNA
• 2nd prize: US$1,000, world premiere at the 2027 GCNA congress, promotion
  and publication by the GCNA
• Performance award: US$150, world premiere at the 2027 GCNA congress,
  promotion and optional publication by the GCNA
   

How to enter

• Anonymize your score by removing your name and any identifying information.
• Declare your AI use, if any, according to the following 2 options. If option 2 applies to your entry, please complete all 4 parts of the declaration.
  1. Option 1: No AI tools/technologies were used in the completion of this composition.
  2. Option 2: I acknowledge the use of [insert name(s) of AI system(s) and link(s)] to [description of your usage of generative AI]. The prompts used include [list of prompts]. The output from these prompts was used to [explain use].

• Email your contact information and AI declaration (in the body) as well as your anonymized score (in the attachments) to franco@gcna.org.

  Questions? Email franco@gcna.org or visit https://gcna.org/music/contests/composition.