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A competition by Sonarloft – Supported by Stiftung am Grunewald
Your music. Your ideas. Your future.
The Berlin Composition Prize 2026 (String Quartet) is looking for bold voices, fresh sounds, and new musical ideas. We want to hear music that crosses boundaries – stylistically, culturally, emotionally. If you compose because you have to – this is for you.
Berlin invites you. No boxes. No limitations. Just your art.
Main prize: 5,000 EUR
world premiere at the SONARLOFT concert at Kühlhaus Berlin
Two development prizes: 1,000 EUR each
Certificate and personal support
Access to the SONARLOFT network – a creative community
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You are 35 or younger (cut-off date: February 15, 2026)
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You compose – classical, experimental, electroacoustic, jazz, or genre-free
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You’ve written a piece for string quartet (violin, violin, viola, cello) that has not been performed or published
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You want your music to be professionally premiered in Berlin
The FULL SCORE (as PDF) of your work (10–12 min.)
Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola and Violoncello Part of your work
(as a joined PDF)A Short Bio (max. 1 page)
Application Fee: 50 EUR
Deadline: 15 February 2026
Jury-Deliberation: February/March 2026
Winner Announcement: 15 March 2026
Live-Concert & Award Ceremony: 31 March 2026 at Kühlhaus Berlin
An international jury of composers, musicians and artists will listen, read and discuss openly and attentively. The jury includes the artistic directors Konstantin Manaev (violoncello), Wojciech Garbowski (violin), Philipp Scheucher (piano) and, as an honorary member, the Greek composer Konstantia Gourzi. They will evaluate:
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Instrumental writing
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Originality and boldness of concept
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Form, sound, dramaturgy
Your biography is not part of the evaluation. The evaluation will be anonymous.
SONARLOFT GbR
📍 Luckenwalder Str. 3, DE-10963 Berlin
📞 +49 (0)176 721 65 198
📧 bkp@sonarloft.de
🌐 www.sonarloft.de