Registration for the NYC songSLAM is now FULL! Confirmation emails and more details will be sent to the 15 qualifying teams shortly. We are delighted and inspired by your enthusiasm and cannot wait to hear the new songs!

REGISTRATION OPENS MONDAY OCTOBER 12th at 6pm.

The Sparks & Wiry Cries songSLAM is a unique opportunity for up to 15 composer/performer teams to premiere new art songs and compete for cash prizes. Each team will present a new song of approximately 5 minutes or less for voice and piano in any language for the voting audience, who—in the poetry slam tradition—will then vote on their favorite and award $2,000 in prize money as follows: 

$1,000 for first place
$600 for second place
$400 for third place
 

The competition will run slightly differently this year, as all teams will have their entry professionally recorded by Sparks & Wiry Cries at no charge at the BLUE Building, NYC, on either Monday, November 16th, or Tuesday, November 17th. Instead of hosting the competition for one night, it will run virtually from January 11-22nd, 2021, and consist of one round, viewable online. There will be a text-to-vote function on the Sparks & Wiry Cries website via Give Lively, where audience members can participate for as little as $1/vote. Each team will have a unique text code linked to the account and the teams generating the most funds will win the prize money. 

This season will include two additional songSLAM prizes:

1.  Composer Tom Cipullo, our illustrious songSLAM MC in past seasons, will mentor the composer who earns the most unique votes for their team’s submission. This mentorship will extend over a period of time arranged between mentor and mentee.

2.  A panel of judges will choose their favorite composer from the pool of submissions to commission a 15 minute work for voice and piano. This work will be premiered during the 2022 songSLAM Festival. Judges will be: 

• Stephanie Blythe, mezzo-soprano 

• Reinaldo Moya, composer

• Eric Owens, bass-baritone

• Sparks Co-Artistic Directors Erika Switzer and Martha Guth

For their $20/team registration fee, ALL teams who successfully register on time will have their song recorded, premiered, shared, and have the possibility of publication! Those teams who do not register in time to be included will have their registration fee returned to them.

Click HERE for complete rules and information for the NYC songSLAM.