Harps Aotearoa Foundation

Harps Aotearoa Foundation, together with the Margaret Neutze Memorial Fund and Perpetual Guardian, invite composers (under 30 years) to submit an entry for the Harp Composition Competition 2025.​

​Closing 1 September 2025
Our Aims:
To encourage and support the composition of more harp music by young NZ composers, to make it easily available, to get more harpists engaging in music by New Zealand composers.
 
Prizes: First $750, Second $500, Third $250
 
Conditions of Entry:
  • Resulting works should be suitable for competitions, exam pieces, background music or school performances and need to show an appropriate level of harp techniques and be 2-4 minutes in duration.
  • Harp techniques expected at Grade 4/5 for solo pedal or lever harp -  glissandi, pres de la table, simple lever and pedal changes (not more than one per bar with adequate left hand availability for lever changes), harmonics, xylophonics, dampening effects, four finger chords in each hand, simple lever/pedal slides, thumb or 4th finger slides.
  •  Submitted works should not have been published or publicly performed. No arrangements of existing works will be considered.
  • Composers may submit ONE WORK to the competition. 
  • The competition is open to NZ citizens and NZ residents only, and must be under the age of 30 on 1 September 2025.
  • Copyright on the music is retained by the composer.
  • The prize winners of the competition shall grant Harps Aotearoa Foundation the right to premiere the winning works within 12 months of announcement of the winners, and record the piece (audio or video) within one year of that premiere performance. 
  • Harps Aotearoa Foundation  will have the non-exclusive rights to perform the works in perpetuity. 
  • All entries should be marked with “composed for Harps Aotearoa Foundation Composition Competition 2025″ on the music score .
  • Works must be submitted as PDFs and MP3’s. The score should be laid out using conventional notation and an MP3 audio file of a computer realisation also needs to be submitted.
  • Harps Aotearoa Foundation reserves the right to award no prizes if scores do not reach satisfactory standard. The decision of the judges is final and not contestable.
  • All entries submitted must be available for purchase from an easily accessible website (of the composer’s choice) or be gifted to Harps Aotearoa Foundation to sell (profits go to HAF fundraising with all credit to composer).
  • Submit your entry via the entry form (see button at top and bottom of the page)   Deadline 5pm 1 September 2025.
 
Related resources: These pieces show good examples of technique, range and ability expected at these grades.
Grade 4 awesome compositions:
Gecko Dance (Lauren Scott), Skegness Rock (Eleanor Turner), Hometime (Skaila Kanga) Ragtime (Jakez Francois) Flight (Harriet Adie), Damselfly (Elizabeth Volpe Bligh),
Grade 4 awesome arrangements:
Flower Duet (Delibes, arr. Elizabeth Volpe Bligh), Sosbhan Foch (Trad. arr. Meinir Heulyn)
Grade 5 awesome pieces:
Carribean Dreams (Lauren Scott), Dance of the Sandpiper (Monika Stadler) Noche de Fiesta (Alfredo Ortiz) Soupir (Tournier) Moving House Rag (Tamsin Dearnly) Au Bord du Ruisseau (Henriette Renie) Preludes (Bernard Andres)
Grade 5 awesome arrangements:
Carol (Trad. Springthorpe)  Petite Sonate (Handel arr. Bouchaud), Sleepers Awake (Bach arr. Elizabeth Volpe Bligh)

Tips on Composing for the harp:
https://composingforharp.com
https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-today/fall-2004/writing-for-harp
https://www.harpinsideout.com/for-composers
https://www.15secondharp.com
https://www.harpspectrum.org/harpworks/composing_for_harp/composing_for_harp.shtml
 
Helping Hand
Composers can ‘check in’ with a HAF harpist for a 15 minute harp technique related session.
Contact [email protected] to book
 
Harps Aotearoa Foundation