WSA Film Music Composition Contest 2022: Young composers to score an excerpt from Murnau’s ‘Nosferatu’

Young composers are the future of the film music industry, but rarely get the chance to showcase their talent to a (non-)professional (live) audience. Therefore, the World Soundtrack Academy each year offers screen composers under the age of 36 the chance to participate in the WSA Film Music Composition Contest and to win the Sabam Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer (worth €2.500) at the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert. This year’s contestants are tasked with writing a score for an excerpt from F.W. Murnau’s centenary silent classic Nosferatu (1922).

For its latest edition of the annual Composition Contest, the WSAcademy invites young composers for screen under the age of 36 to write a score for a scene from Nosferatu, Murnau’s timeless classic which celebrates its 100th birthday this year. For a century now, vampire Count Orlok sows fear among everyone who beholds this German Expressionist adaptation of the well-known story of Count Dracula, while he chases and startles people, projecting that iconic shadow of his long fingers and bald head onto the walls. The chosen excerpt shows Orlok on a ship haunting yet another victim by arising from his coffin. The clip offers opportunities for sound effects and the musical expression of fear and horror.

A professional jury, including WSA President of the Board and conductor Dirk Brossé, will select three finalists who will be invited to Film Fest Ghent 2022 in October where they will attend all film music events. These three composers will have the honour to be hearing their music performed live by Brussels Philharmonic, conducted by Dirk Brossé, at the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert on 22 October, after which the winner of the Sabam Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer will be announced. Previous winners include Dougal Kemp (excerpt from Nanook of the North), Ana Kasrashvili (excerpt from J’ai perdu mon corps), Pierre Charles (excerpt from Don’t Look Now), Logan Nelson (excerpt from Grave of the Fireflies) and more. Check all previous winners on the WSA website.

Registration
Composers can now register for the WSA Film Music Composition Contest on the WSA website. Upon payment of €75, participants will receive a confirmation email with more information and a link to the excerpt from Nosferatu. Deadline for submission is 17 May 2022.

Participants should carefully read the Rule Book before submitting. You can download the Rule Book below or check it on the website.