The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) announced details for its inaugural Scholarship Songwriting Competition in partnership with the Trombone Shorty Foundation.
An addition to the organization’s Annual Scholarship Art Contest, the Songwriting Competition will provide a platform for high school songwriters across Louisiana to showcase their work. Three young songwriters will be awarded $10,000 in college scholarships, a chance to record their winning songs in a state-of-the-art professional recording studio under the mentorship of Grammy winning producers and engineers, and the opportunity to perform their song on stage during the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual “Shorty Fest” benefit concert during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
To celebrate the addition of songwriting to GRFA’s annual scholarship art contest, the 2020 contest theme is “The Art of Sound,” showing the connection between music and visual art through an original work of art or song.
The award ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 21 at the Sheraton in New Orleans.
Confirmed judges for the inaugural Scholarship Songwriting Competition include Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, Jon Batiste, Tank Ball (Tank & Bangas), Lauren Daigle, Ben Ellman (Galactic), Alex Ebert (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), Erica Falls (Galactic), Samantha Fish, AJ Haynes (Seratones), Jim McCormick (staff writer, BMG Music), PJ Morton (Grammy Winning artist, Maroon 5), Anders Osborne, David Shaw (Revivalists), Aaron Wilkinson (Honey Island Swamp Band), Big Chief Juan Pardo, Reid Wick (The Recording Academy), and George Wilde (Trombone Shorty Foundation). Click HERE to see a full list of judges and bios. Art contest judges will be announced at a later date.
CONTEST RULES:
For both the art and songwriting competitions, GRFA asks students to explore the connection between music and visual art through an original work of art or song. Students may use the following questions below as inspiration in creating their work or can interpret the theme in their own unique way.
● What does sound look like?
● What do you feel and see when you listen to music?
● What role does music play in our life and culture?
● What do music and visual art have in common?
● How has the connection between music and art evolved over time?
SONGWRITING COMPETTION:
All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply.
A selection of three finalists will share $10,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon on March 21, 2020, the three finalists will have a chance to record their winning songs in a state-of-the-art professional recording studio under the mentorship of Grammy winning producers and engineers, and then perform their song on stage during the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual “Shorty Fest” benefit concert during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Song submissions will be judged on the following criteria:
1. Structure and Composition: Does the song have clearly identifiable sections (verse, chorus, etc.)? Is the song between 2-5 minutes? Does the song have a clear theme and cohesive structure? Does the music have an identifiable rhyme scheme or pattern? (1/3 score)
2. Melody: Does the song have continuity and coherence in melody, as well as tone and style?
Does the song offer something unique, different, and totally original? Does the music keep the listener interested and engaged? (1/3 score)
3. Lyrics: Are the lyrics creative and original? Do they inspire an emotional or visceral reaction from the listener? Do the music and lyrics fit together in a cohesive way? (1/3 score)
VISUAL ARTS COMPETITION:
All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Contest judges will select 15 finalists to share $45,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon on March 21, 2020, the 15 winning entries will travel on public view for one year as an exhibition at museums and cultural venues across Louisiana.
On average, we receive over 600 entries annually. Individual visual artwork will be judged on the following three criteria:
1. Concept/Design: Does the artwork address the theme in a clear and inventive way? (1/3 score)
2. Technical Skill: Does the artwork show an understanding of visual art principles such as use of color, shading, light, and form? (1/3 score)
3. Creativity: Does the artwork showcase an original point of view? Does it provide a fresh perspective on the theme? (1/3 score)
For visual artist George Rodrigue, music served as inspiration, a soundtrack and an outlet for his creativity. He was a lifelong fan of music; he used some of his favorite musicians as the subjects for, and inspirations behind several of his paintings, playfully used song lyrics as the titles of his works, and often listened to music as he painted. In 2007, when Rodrigue painted the “Rodrigue Steinway,” a 100-year-old Steinway piano, Rodrigue asked himself the question: “What does music look like?” The result was a series of swirling sound waves, combined with the iconic Blue Dog, creating a unique fusion of art and music.
Throughout history, music and visual art have shared many connections and similarities: Both require creative expression, the use of a chosen instrument or tool and the use of structure and composition. Through both mediums, the artist or songwriter expresses emotions, ideas and tells stories in a way which can be interpreted by the viewer or listener. From cave drawings of musical instruments, to renaissance portraits of musicians, to contemporary album covers and music videos, these two artistic genres have been intertwined since their inception.
For more information or to submit your original song or artwork, please visit http://georgerodriguefoundation.org/.
