CALL FOR PROPOSALS: NEW GENERATION FILM COMPOSITION PROGRAM
Composing Music for Animated Film
Deadline: November 26, 2025
The Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) invites early-career and advanced student composers to apply for this exciting opportunity to compose original music for an animated short film.
Selected composers will score a short film created by former students of Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Animation program. Each participant will be paired with an experienced film composer-mentor for guidance on:
- spotting the film
- choosing virtual instrumentation and sound libraries
- composing and synchronizing music to picture
- recording and synchronizing the score
Participants will also receive advice from SPO Music Director Ronald Royer, who will lead an orientation on film scoring logistics.
Completed films will be featured on the SPO YouTube Channel between April and July 2026.
Note: Applicants may also apply to the New Generation Composers Project, which involves writing a concert piece for clarinet and string quartet. However, composers can participate in only one of these programs per year.
ELIGIBILITY
- The project is open to early-career and student composers who are Canadian citizens and permanent residents, aged 18 to 35. Occasionally older applicants are considered where financial or life circumstances delayed the applicant’s access to higher education.
- The program is focused on Canada-based composers. Composers can be involved in-person or online.
- Composers are not required to have prior film scoring experience.
- Composers must be equipped with a suitable computer, scoring software such as a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) or notation software, and sample libraries or software synthesizers.
- Examples of suitable software include:
- DAW – Cubase, Logic, Digital Performer, FL Studio, Reaper
- Notation: Sibelius, Finale, Dorico, MuseScore
- Sample Libraries: Spitfire BBC Orchestra, Vienna Symphonic Library, Orchestral Tools Layers, etc.
About the SPO New Generation Film Composer’s program:
- Results will be announced before January 1, 2026.
- An important aspect of this project is to involve the selected composers in musical collaboration with their composer mentors through attending at least two mentorship meetings and five group workshops via Zoom.
- Workshops (via Zoom) will run from mid-February to mid-April 2026, dates TBA.
- Each composer receives an animated film to score, between 2 and 4 minutes in length. The films have been previously completed as thesis projects by students from Sheridan College.
- Scores may include orchestral, electronic or experimental sounds.
- Once completed, the scored films may only be shared publicly through the SPO YouTube channel.
- Participants will be chosen based on the quality of work, diversity/equity, effective instrumental writing, and other criteria.
- The co-ordinator for this project is Bruno Degazio, SPO Composer-in-Residence Emeritus. SPO Music Director, Ronald Royer, current Composer-in-Residence and other film/TV composers and media professionals will be involved.
View previous films on the SPO’s Animated Films Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnNaA-kDVr4LxxbF15gXvxtYuG0CIfYGR
APPLICATION PROCESS:
- Completed Online Application Form (see below)
- CV or Resumé: Focus on your composition experience and include contact information.
- Two examples of your music:
- Preferably scored to picture, but concert works are also accepted.
- Live performance or MIDI recordings are both acceptable.
- Acceptable File formats are:
- MP3 recordings (audio only).
- MP4 video files (for audio and video).
- PDF for notated scores.
- Streaming links (SoundCloud, YouTube, etc.) must be valid for at least one month after the deadline. Please ensure that the link is valid for at least one month following the deadline.
Deadline for Submissions: November 26, 2025
Attention: Bruno Degazio, SPO New Generation Film Composer Workshops Coordinator
Email: spo@spo.ca
Website: www.spo.ca
Apply Now:
SPO New Generation Artist and Composer Programs are made possible through the generous support of The City of Toronto (Film and Entertainment Industries, Music Office), The Gooder Foundation and the SOCAN Foundation.
About the SPO:
The SPO is a community orchestra, dedicated to enriching our community through high-quality musical performances. The orchestra also presents a series of professional chamber music concerts.
An important part of our mandate is supporting, encouraging and mentoring new generation performers and composers. The SPO has produced nine professional commercial albums, including Canadian Panorama (the winds of the SPO), Canadian Expedition (various ensembles from the orchestra), Journey Through Night (Odin Quartet, ensemble-in-residence), Jamaican Quartets (Ted Runcie, composer, Odin Quartet), Between the Lines (Odin Quartet), Night Music, Chamber Music of Ronald Royer (various ensembles), Everything Waits for the Lilacs (Alexander Panizza, piano), Mystic Journey (The Ezra Duo) and Songs of Hope (mezzo-soprano Danielle MacMillan and the SPO chamber ensemble). These recordings feature music by Ontario composers and were designed to help promote Canadian composers and performers worldwide. Two more albums will be released during the 2025-2026 season.
For More Information – Links:
SPO website: https://spo.ca/
SPO YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/@SPOGreatMusic
Odin Quartet Website – http://www.odinquartet.com/
