A Commission to the South African Choral Community
The Brief
To mark 30 years of South Africa's Constitution, Mzansi Youth Choir, iPendoring, the ATKV, SABC Radio, Brand South Africa and BBA Liminal invite composers and the wider choral community to set the Preamble to music.
The winning work will be premiered by Mzansi Youth Choir at the iPendoring Awards, 26 November at the UJ Arts & Culture Centre, then released free of charge as new South African choral repertoire for choirs across the country to perform and make their own.
More than a ceremonial piece, this is a chance to give the Constitution's founding words a new voice, and a song that outlives the anniversary.
The Commission
The commissioned work should use the Preamble to the Constitution of South Africa as its source text and be written for mixed choir (SATB) with piano accompaniment, with a duration of four to seven minutes. It must incorporate all of South Africa’s indigenous languages, and should bring these voices together in a work that is celebratory, unifying and forward-looking. Reference audio recordings of the Preamble in each language are available here.
Register your interest
Thinking of entering the National Choral Composition Competition 2026 but worried you’ll miss the deadline? Register your interest here and we’ll keep you in the loop with key dates and updates, so you don’t miss your chance to enter.
Register hereKeep an eye on your inbox and we'll send you a reminder ahead of the 14 October entry deadline.
The Prize
The winning composer will receive a R6,000 cash prize.
What to Submit
Each submission must include a PDF score, a MIDI or digital audio mock-up of the composition, and confirmation that the work is original and unpublished.
How to Submit
Entries must be submitted via the official Google submission form:
Submit your entryPlease complete the form and upload all required submission materials before the deadline. The competition rules and the reference audio recordings for each indigenous language will be made available alongside the submission form.
Submission Deadline
Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Adjudication
Entries will be adjudicated by an independent panel drawn from choral conducting, composition, indigenous language and cultural expertise. Works will be judged on musical originality, choral practicality, emotional and artistic impact, multilingual integration, and alignment with this brief.
An Invitation to Composers
We invite composers from across South Africa to take part in this milestone and bring their own musical interpretation to the words that form the foundation of our constitutional democracy. The ambition is not simply to create a work for the constitutional anniversary, but to commission a choral piece that can be performed, shared and carried forward by South Africa’s choirs for years to come.