Barlow Endowment

The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition is a scholarship established in September 1983 through the generosity of Milton A. and Gloria Barlow. Motivated by their love of music, the Barlows presented a substantial gift to Brigham Young University, engendering and supporting excellence in musical composition through the university and the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications.

The Barlow Endowment Board of Directors and Board of Advisors have subsequently been engaged in employing the proceeds of the Endowment to support four programs: The Barlow Prize, General Commissions, LDS Composer Commissions, and Education Grants.."

Every year, the Endowment hosts an international composition competition. Applications from across the globe are accepted and reviewed by a panel of musicians. The winners are selected and commissioned to compose new works during the next year.

Each year, the Barlow Endowment selects a genre for the Barlow Prize. Arrangements are made for a piece to be composed for and performed by ensembles who specialize in that genre.

The 15- to 20-minute work is expected to meet the highest artistic requirements for the medium. Additional specifications for the work will be negotiated among the Barlow Endowment, the composer, and the performing consortium.

Any composer, (or agent, artist or ensemble applying on behalf of a particular composer) may submit an application for a general commission. The only requirement is that all requested application materials be submitted together.

Composers applying for a general commission are to submit a request as to how much funding their piece will require, and for whom it will be written.

Composers seeking General or LDS commissions may not apply for both types of commissions during the same year and should submit no more than one proposal to any program.