Pegasus: The Orchestra 2nd International Call for Works

Pegasus: The Orchestra invites composers of all nationalities and backgrounds to submit an original orchestral work for programming consideration during Pegasus’s 2026–2027 season.

The winning composition will receive its World Premiere during Pegasus: The Orchestra’s concert on March 12, 2027 at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center in New York City. The work will be professionally recorded, and the composer will receive permission to use the recording for professional and promotional purposes.

DURATION GUIDELINES
 

The composition must not exceed 8 minutes with minimum length of 5 minutes. 

AWARD

1st Prize -  $1,000 award, an award certificate, World Premiere performance and professional audio/video recording as well as up to $500 travel per diem* (if from out of state/country) to attend the World Premiere. 

2nd Prize – $500 award, a performance of a chamber work during Pegasus’s 2026–2027 season (instrumentation/length to be discussed with the composer), an award certificate, and special mention on Pegasus’s website and concert program.
 

3rd Prize - $200 award, an award certificate and special mention on Pegasus's website and Concert Program. 

JUDGES

Karen Hakobyan -  Head of jury, award-winning pianist and composer, founder and conductor of Pegasus: the Orchestra

Nicolas Namoradze - Piano virtuoso, composer, and first prize winner of the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition, artistic advisor of Pegasus: The Orchestra. 

Additional judges to be announced! 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The deadline to submit the score is December 15, 2026. Results will be announced by January 15, 2027. The winning composer must provide a complete set of performance-ready parts by January 25, 2027.

• The submitted works must meet the following criteria:
• be unpublished and unlisted,
• not have won a prize at a national or international composition competition,
• not have been recorded commercially, and
• not have been performed publicly prior to the March 12, 2027 Concert.

All scores must be submitted anonymously; only the title of this piece can be featured on the pages of the score. The name of the uploaded file must include the title, but there must be no reference to the competitor's name. Competitors will be assigned a number by competition administrator, Helena Mirzoyan.

• Competitors must submit by e-mail: a pdf of the score and one paragraph description of the piece. Midi Recordings are mandatory!
• Competitors must include date of birth*, e-mail, phone number and mailing address. 
• Competitors must also submit resume or biography. 

Submission e-mail: Manager: Helena Mirzoyan - helena.mirzoyan@gmail.com

*Accepted forms of age verification: passport, driver's license, green card, birth certificate. 
 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Open to composers of any nationality, background, or country of residence.

Age limit: 18 and up.

International applicants are welcome. There is no application fee.

AVAILABLE INSTRUMENTATION*

2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (2nd doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani plus 2 percussionists (triangle, cymbal/suspended cymbal, snare drum, tambourine, glockenspiel), strings (6/6/5/5/3)

* Maximum instrumentation, smaller variations will be accepted. 

PROCEDURES

The competition will be held in two rounds. Only 3 submissions will be accepted to the Final Round. 

APPLICATION FEE $0

CONTACT

Manager: Helena Mirzoyan - helena.mirzoyan@gmail.com