The Premio Sur de Música Nueva Latinoamericana is intended for young composers from Latin American countries. The project is an initiative of sur – editores de música contemporánea in collaboration with partner institutions.

The aim of the award is to support and strengthen the sound experimentation of young composers from Latin America, as well as to contribute to the creation of regional circuits for the promotion of contemporary music. This is the first edition of the award, which will be granted every two years and will feature a different instrumentation in each edition.

Below are the guidelines of the call. 

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Applicants 

1. Composers from any Latin American country, either by nationality or residence, may apply, as long as they were born on or after January 1, 1986. Both nationality and residence must be verified through official identity documents.

2. Each applicant may submit only one work.

3. Composers whose music is already published by sur, as well as those whose work is currently in the process of being added to the catalog, are not eligible to participate.

Works

4. Scores must be written for solo piano without electronics and must be performable by a single performer.

5. Works must be between 7 and 20 minutes long.

6. Works must be unpublished, meaning they must not have been performed publicly or published in any form.

7. Works must be original in all their elements. Scores that directly use material not authored by the applicant will not be considered; this includes musical, literary, visual, or any other type of material.

8. Applications must come with a signed statement from the applicant certifying that the submitted score is original and unpublished.

9. Scores must be submitted in PDF format, formatted for A4 size and in portrait orientation.

10. Scores must be anonymous. Applicants must remove their name from all parts of the document.

Awards 

11. The selection commission will award up to five works:

• One winning work will receive a monetary prize of 1,000 USD (one thousand US dollars). The work will be published by sur and premiered in the award concerts.

• Up to four selected works will be published by sur and premiered in the award concerts.

All awarded works will be promoted within the network of festivals, ensembles, and soloists associated with the publisher. The monetary prize is exclusively for the winning work; selected works will benefit from performance, publication, and dissemination.

12. The award concerts will take place during the second half of 2026, performed by Mexican pianist Diego Sánchez-Villa in Mexico City and by Cuban-Mexican pianist Ana Gabriela Fernández in Paris.

Application

13. The application fee is 15 USD (fifteen US dollars). Proof of payment is required to validate the submission.

14. Submissions must consist of only two files:

• A single PDF document containing the application form, proof of payment, authorship declaration, and official identity document.

• The score in PDF format.

15. Submissions must be sent directly to the email address sureditions@mail.com following our detailed submission guide.

16. The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM (Mexico City time). 

Selection and results

17. The selection commission will be appointed by sur and will consist of three relevant figures from Latin America's contemporary music scene. 

18. Results will be published no later than July 13, 2026 on the site www.sureditions.com/premiosur/resultados and all applicants will be notified directly via email.

19. The selection commission’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

General conditions

20. Any issues not covered by the terms of this call will be resolved by the organizing entity.

21. Applicants agree that, if selected, they will collaborate responsibly with sur in the edition, publication and performance of their scores. 

22. Submitting an application implies full acceptance of all guidelines and conditions of this call.

23. Questions about the call may be directed to sureditions@mail.com – interested applicants may also attend the online information sessions, the dates of which will be announced in due time.