We offer an opportunity for young local poets to hear their words put to music
by renowned composer Maria Thompson Corley and
performed by Schola Cantorum under the direction of Schola’s Artistic
Director, Buddy James. Schola is one of the Bay Area’s premier choirs, now in
its 63rd season. The contest is a contemporary venture of artistic collaboration
and community, open to high school students who live or attend school in Santa
Clara County.
2026–2027 theme: Belonging – finding your place in the world.
Prizes: $600 First Place; $350 Second Place; $250 Third Place. While only the
first place poem will be set to music and performed at a live concert, all
prize winners will be featured in Schola Cantorum’s publicity materials,
programs, and on our website.
The contest will be judged by a panel including the Santa Clara County Poet
Laureate, experienced Schola Cantorum members, and the composer. The
submission deadline is November 16, 2026. Finalists will be announced in
January 2027. The three winning poems will be announced at Schola’s spring
concert on Saturday, May 23, 2027. The title of this Schola concert is The
Poet Speaks, and it will feature significant choral compositions inspired by
the poetry of William Shakespeare, Dylan Thimas, Sara Teasdale, Rainer Maria
Rilke, among others.
We recommend all entrants read the rules carefully before entering. Entry in the
competition will be deemed to be acceptance of these conditions.
Important Dates
Deadline for entries: November 16, 2026, at 11pm Pacific time.
Finalists notified: January, 2027.
Winners announced: At Schola Cantorum’s Spring concert The Poet Speaks,
on May 23, 2027.
Entry Conditions and Guidelines
The contest is free and open to all students attending 9th, 10th, 11th, or
12th grades in the fall of 2026, who live or attend school in Santa Clara
County, California.
There is a maximum of 2 poems per entrant. All poems must be in English, be
the original work of the author and not have been previously published or won
another competition at the time of entry. For the purpose of this contest,
the following definition of “published” will apply: intentionally distributed
to the public in any format “accepted for publication or broadcast in any
format including self-publishing for monetary gain.” Poems may have been part
of a school assignment and reviewed by a High School teacher.
No entrant may win more than one prize.
All poems must have a title (which will be the title of the newly
commissioned choral work) and be 20 lines or less — title and spaces between
stanzas do not count. Any rhyme scheme is allowed except free verse. The
evaluation of the poems will be partially based upon their ability to be
adapted into a choral composition.
All entries must be submitted online, through
this form. No late entries will be
accepted. Entries received after the deadline will be disqualified. No postal
entries are accepted.
Each entry must be the entrant’s/author’s original work. Should an entry be
found to contain any plagiarized content it will be automatically
disqualified from the competition, along with any additional work by that
poet.
The author agrees to grant Schola Cantorum an irrevocable, royalty-free,
non-exclusive license of unlimited duration to publish, perform, display,
broadcast, reproduce, distribute, transmit, display, and create derivative
works, in part or in whole, award-winning or commended entries and photographs
on the Schola Cantorum website, in an anthology and/or in media publications or
broadcasts.
Schola Cantorum also reserves the right to give winning entrants’
contact details to the media.
Judging and Notifications
Poems for this contest will be judged anonymously by a panel that includes
the Santa Clara County Poet Laureate, experienced Schola Cantorum members,
and the composer.
Finalists will be notified in January, 2027. The judges’ decision is
final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
The three winners will be announced at Schola’s May concert. The
first prize winning poem (or an excerpt of the poem) will be used in a choral
performance at that concert. Prizes will be presented at this event. Prizes
will be mailed if the winner cannot attend in person.
Submissions that do not fulfill the requirements will not be judged.
Prior Contest Winners
2016: “Love Poem in Blue” by Sonnet Phelps, set to music by Dawn Reyen.
2017: “Starry Night” by Albert Zhao, set to music by Marjorie Halloran.
2020: “Gilded Land” by Sophia Smith, set to music by Eric Tuan.
