Fourth Coast Ensemble and Sparks & Wiry Cries present the FIFTH annual Chicago songSlam on May 14, 2024, at 7:00pm at The Promontory in Hyde Park. Team registration opens on Thursday, March 21st, 2024 at 5pm Central. Click HERE to register when the link is live.
songSLAM, is a unique and energizing community event for composer/performer teams to premiere new art songs and compete for cash prizes. Fashioned after poetry slams and storytelling events, teams will premiere a new song of no more than 5 minutes for voice and piano and compete for $3,000 in audience-awarded cash prizes. Expanding upon the success of the last three years’ virtual component, this year all teams will:
Have their entry professionally recorded on April 21 or 27, 2024, at Lyriq Music School in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood,
AND perform their entry in the Live songSLAM on May 14, 2024, 7pm, at The Promontory in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.
This event will be emcee'd once again by Chicago composer Stacy Garrop!
Composers will be interviewed on stage prior to their team’s premiere, and the LIVE voting audience will vote on their favorite to award $2,000 in prize money as follows:
$1,000 for first place, $600 for second place, $400 for third place
The new Virtual Chicago songSLAM opens on Fourth Coast Ensemble’s website on May 14th at 10pm (featuring the professional studio recordings captured on April 21/27) and remains open through May 31st at 5pm. Online audience members will vote with their dollars, starting at just $1, for their favorite team to win. The winning team’s composer will receive the first ever Chicago songSLAM commission prize:
$1,000 commission from Fourth Coast Ensemble
The funds that each team raises during the virtual event will be split 50/50 with the team and Fourth Coast Ensemble, who will use their portion to reinvest in future competitions and new art song initiatives. On May 31st, total funds raised will be announced on our website and social media, including the $1,000 commission prize.
View the complete rules for the 2024 Chicago songSLAM HERE.
Team registration opens on Thursday, March 21st, 2024 at 5pm Central. Click HERE to register when the link is live. Visit Fourth Coast Ensemble's website for more info!