The Azrieli Music Prizes have officially opened their 2028 Call for Proposals, inviting composers from around the world to submit new chamber music works. Created in 2014 by Sharon Azrieli, CQ, DMus for the Azrieli Foundation, the program has grown into one of the most significant composition competitions anywhere, celebrating bold ideas and exceptional craft in contemporary music.
Three major commissions are available for the 2028 edition. The Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music asks composers to explore the question, “What is Jewish music?” The Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music invites Canadian composers to reflect the realities and complexities of creating music in Canada today. The Azrieli Commission for International Music welcomes proposals rooted in cultural experiences connected to a composer’s lived identity.
Each laureate receives a prize package valued at $250,000 CAD. That includes a $50,000 cash award, a premiere performance in Montreal, two additional international performances, and a professional recording. The program continues to stand as the largest competition for music composition in Canada and among the most substantial anywhere in the world.
Applications for the 2028 Azrieli Music Prizes opened February 4 and remain open until May 6, 2026. Winning composers will prepare new chamber works to be performed in fall 2028, continuing a program that has already produced acclaimed premieres, international concerts, recordings, and award-winning releases.
Through more than a decade of commissions and performances, the Azrieli Music Prizes have built a powerful platform for composers. The program continues to elevate new music, amplify diverse voices, and place composition at the center of the global cultural conversation.