INSTRUCTIONS
For 2026 Choral Work Applicants
ENDOWMENT MISSION
The Ariel Bybee Endowment at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts was established in 2021 to honor the legacy of vocal soloist Ariel Bybee and to foster the creation of new works by Latter-day Saint artists in disciplines that correspond to her varied career in music and related arts. Each year, the Endowment announces a call for submissions open to artists and scholars in one of nine, rotating categories: opera, dance, scholarship, art songs, music education, hymns, visual arts, collaborative arts, and choral music. We encourage LDS people from a variety of aesthetics, geographic locations, and diverse backgrounds of identity to apply.
Announcing the 2026 prize:
CHORAL MUSIC
In our fifth year, The Ariel Bybee Endowment is focusing on choral music. We are inviting composers to submit proposals for a new work for chorus, a capella or with piano accompaniment, 5-7 minutes in duration, appropriate to be programmed as an uptempo work to begin a concert program. The selected project is expected to meet the highest standards in music.
We are pleased to announce that the winning composition will be premiered by Salt Lake Vocal Artists with Dr. Brady Allred, conductor, in 2027, with the work professionally recorded and filmed to share with additional conductors. Salt Lake Vocal Artists (SLVA) is one of the premier choral ensembles in the United States. Artistic Director of the Salt Lake Choral Artists organization since 2004 and conductor of the 45-voice ensemble, SLVA, Dr. Brady Allred has led award-winning choral ensembles at major festivals and competitions around the world.
The duration of the piece should be approximately 5-7 minutes in length. Text for the work is up to you. All intellectual property arrangements are the responsibility of the composer with financial arrangements, if any, to be borne by the composer.
The winning entry will receive a $5,000 prize. $1,000 of that amount will be awarded upon the announcement of the prize. The winning composer will collaborate with Dr. Brady Allred throughout the composition process. The remainder of the prize will be received upon the delivery of the score, approved by Dr. Brady Allred, no later than December 1, 2026.
Applications for this prize call open November 5th, 2026 and will close January 16th, 2026.
In partnership with
Founded in 2010 under the direction of Dr. Brady Allred, the Salt Lake Vocal Artists (SLVA) have quickly established themselves as one of the premier choral ensembles in the United States. As the touring choir of the Salt Lake Choral Artists organization—which supports five choirs ranging from children to adults—they have earned acclaim for their versatility, precision, and artistry on stages around the world. See a short video here by the choir that showcases their technical expertise.
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Founded in 2010 under the direction of Dr. Brady Allred, the Salt Lake Vocal Artists (SLVA) have quickly established themselves as one of the premier choral ensembles in the United States. As the touring choir of the Salt Lake Choral Artists organization—which supports five choirs ranging from children to adults—they have earned acclaim for their versatility, precision, and artistry on stages around the world.
In their debut season, SLVA won First Prize in all four categories at the prestigious Tolosa International Choral Competition in Spain, along with the coveted Audience Prize. The following year, they were the only American choir invited to perform at the World Choral Symposium in Argentina, capping a successful two-week tour of the country. That same year, they were awarded five First Prizes at the Concorso Polifonico Internazionale in Arezzo, Italy and performed at the Concordia Vocis Festival in Sardinia.
Committed to innovation and excellence, SLVA actively commissions and premieres works by a wide range of composers, including Josu Elberdin, Ola Gjeilo, Dan Forrest, Ko Matsushita, Eriks Ešenvalds, György Orbán, John Høybye, Nancy Wertsch, Bernat Vivancos, Sergey Khvoshchinsky, Jake Runestad, Larry Nickel, David Bennett Thomas, Ambrož Čopi, Pär Olofsson, and Stephen M. Lounsbrough. Their diverse recording catalog includes Never a Brighter Star (featuring music by Dan Forrest), The Singing Heart, Circle of Life, Live in Spain, Canticum Novum (featuring music by Ivo Antognini), The Colors of Peace, and Unclouded Day. They are also featured on additional recordings with SLCA Choirs such as Dear Appalachia, Consider the Lilies, and six CDs of Christmas music.
The ensemble performs regularly in Utah including projects with Ballet West and Repertory Dance Theater, and has been featured internationally in tours across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Highlights include appearances at the Karuizawa International Choral Festival in Japan (2013), participation in the Chor Biennale in Aachen, Germany (2015) and the Netherlands, the inaugural World Choral Expo in Macau, China (2015), the Word Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain (2017), a return to Tolosa, Spain to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Tolosa International Choir Competition (2018), the Cantemus Festival, Nyiregyháza, Hungary (2022) and the Montana International Choir Festival in Missoula, Montana, USA (2023). SLVA will participate in the Taipei International Choral Festival (2025).
With a strong online presence through YouTube, iTunes, and other streaming platforms, the Salt Lake Vocal Artists continue to inspire global audiences with their dynamic performances and commitment to choral excellence.
DEVELOPMENT
of the selected work
CONDUCTOR. The winning composer will communicate with conductor Dr. Brady Allred regarding the development of the composition and will deliver the completed PDF score to the Ariel Bybee Endowment and to Dr. Brady R. Allred by December 1, 2026.
REHEARSAL. The composer will travel to Salt Lake City for rehearsals mutually agreed upon. The costs of travel and accommodations, if necessary, will be provided.
PREMIERE. The premiere of the winning composition will be premiered by Salt Lake Vocal Artists with Dr. Brady Allred, conductor, in 2027, at a place and time determined by Dr. Brady Allred, SLVA, and in coordination with the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts.
RIGHTS. The composer will retain ownership of the work and will grant permission to the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts and Salt Lake Vocal Artists to use its digital image on its website and communication platforms. SLVA will be granted first option of recording (video and audio) the new work for distribution on YouTube (the ensemble’s channel has 2 million views) and all the streaming platforms the organization presently uses. If the composer and SLVA determine that the work will enter the company’s repertory, the two will negotiate performance royalties between themselves. SLVA will retain exclusive performance rights for one year following the premiere.
APPLICATION
Summary & procedures
DEADLINES. People may submit proposals beginning November 5, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Please read ALL the guidelines thoroughly.
ELIGIBILITY. We reiterate that we encourage applicants from a variety of aesthetics and diverse backgrounds of identity to apply. There are no restrictions nor preferences regarding the person’s nationality, age, race, or gender. Regarding religious affiliation, the sole limitation is that the artist be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The prize is not eligible to: members of the jury; The Endowment’s and the Center’s boards and committees; winners of Center grants in the previous three years; composers currently affiliated with the Salt Lake Choral Artists choirs.
BLIND SUBMISSIONS. A blind jury process will be used to choose the winner. For purposes of the submission platform, names of the applicant and contact information are required, but the composer’s name and all other identifying information are to be removed from scores and recordings before submission. Before adjudication, the moderator will replace the artists’ names on the application with a numerical system to retain anonymity.
JURY. The Ariel Bybee Endowment at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts - 2026 Prize will be adjudicated between January 15 and March 1, 2026. The announcement of the winner will be no later than March 14, 2026. The 2026 Prize jury will be announced at a later date.
PROPOSAL. Note that the application requires only a proposal of the product, not a finished score. We are inviting composers to submit proposals for a new work for chorus, a capella or with piano accompaniment, 5-7 minutes in duration, appropriate to be programmed as an uptempo work to begin a concert program. The selected project is expected to meet the highest standards in music.
WARNING. Please finalize all materials before submitting the application and note that all submissions are final and may not be altered once the application is complete and submitted. Failure to comply with the instructions above will result in disqualification of the application.
QUESTIONS? For questions about the call for submission, eligibility, or requests for assistance and clarification, email us: bybee@centerforlatterdaysaintarts.org.
The application form contains:
1. A narrative description of the new and original work
2. Text of the proposed work
3. Samples of previous work
4. Statement about your approach to writing choral music
