PROCESS

Calendar Overview

The basic schedule is below. This will be updated as dates are solidified.

May 1, 2026

Registration Deadline

Late May, 2026

3-hour online faculty workshop (two dates to choose from)

Summer 2026

Curriculum planning - faculty mentors

Fall 2026

Instruction, project development, application submission

Nov 15, 2026

Applications Due

Dec 7, 2026

Semi-finalists announced

Feb - Apr 2027

Semi-final competitions at CMS regional conference (TBD, 8 regions)

Jun 2027

Virtual finals, winners announced

Fall 2027

Winning projects launched

Nov 4-6

Winning teams present progress at CMS National (Denver, CO)

Spring 2028

Projects completed

May 1, 2028

Final report due

Registration

We want participation to be easy and accessible.

Please reach out with questions.

Leadership Decisions

Participation requires approval from both a faculty mentor and a unit administrator. The faculty mentor agrees to integrate part of a course on the competition. While any class may be used, common options include:

Studio class
Ensemble (chamber or large)
Music business/industry
Music entrepreneurship/career perspectives
Community engagement
Anything else!

Registration Form & Fee

Submit the registration form by May 1, 2026 with details about your music program, the faculty mentor, and unit administrator. A $100 nonrefundable fee is required. This fee is paid by the sponsoring unit, not the faculty mentor.

We intentionally keep the cost low—despite the significant value provided—to encourage broad participation. If the fee presents a hardship, your program may request a waiver.

Preparation Phase

Between May - Aug, 2026, the faculty mentor prepares for participation.

Overview Video

At your convenience, watch a 30-minute video introducing the competition’s goals, structure, and frequently asked questions.

Online Workshop

In May 2026, faculty mentors must attend one of two three-hour online workshops. These team-based sessions guide attendees through each step of the competition. If you're unable to attend, a faculty colleague from your institution may participate in your place.

Plan Curriculum

Faculty mentors receive a recommended curricular outline that includes asynchronous videos and in-class lesson plans. For the in-class portion, 120 minutes are required and 180 minutes recommended. This instruction is flexible, deliverable in 2–3 longer sessions or shorter segments spread across the term.

Preliminary Round

Video Instruction

Four instructional videos are available to all programs. Preview these before related in-class sessions:

The Savvy Mindset
Problems & Solutions
Powerhouse Proposals
Project Budgeting

In Person Instruction

Faculty mentors lead sessions using the provided curriculum (120-180 minutes total). During this phase, student teams develop their project concepts and proposals. Additional collaboration outside of class may be required.

Application Form

Teams complete and submit the competition application by Nov 15, 2026. Full requirements are available here.

The preliminary round takes place during Fall 2026 at participating universities across the country.

Semi-Finals

Eight semi-final rounds will take place at

CMS Regional Conferences in Feb-Mar 2027.

Video Instruction

Three instructional videos will be available to all semi-finalist teams to support their preparation:

Art of the Pitch
Powerhouse PowerPoint
The Perfect One-Pager

Regional Competitions

Up to seven teams will compete in each pitch competition. Each region names one finalist and one runner-up (who advances if the finalist withdraws). Projects components include:

Pitch (4-minutes)
Q&A with judges (4-minutes)
Slide Deck
One Sheet
Budget

Finals

The final round takes place online in June 2027.

Video Instruction

Two instructional videos help finalist teams prepare:

Video Production
Budget Approval

Conultant

Each finalist team will be assigned an industry leader who provides project feedback and guidance.

Produced Video

Each finalist team creates a 90-second video trailer, features on our website. Audience voting counts as 20% of the final score, and the team with the most votes earns a $500 bonus award.

Online Finals

Eight finalist teams present their projects to a panel of judges and a virtual audience. Three winning teams each receive a $10,000 grant to bring their project to life. An additional $2,500 award is granted to each winning team's sponsoring university music unit. Pitch components include:

Project video (90-seconds)
Spoken pitch (3-minutes)
Q&A with judges (4-minutes)
One page
Budget

Prizes

Each winning team receives:

$10,000 project grant
National publicity through CMS
Ongoing project support
Presentation at the CMS National Conference

Project Execution

Three award-winning teams execute their project during the 2027-28 academic year.

Project Realization

Teams use Fall 2027 for detailed planning and Spring 2028 for full project execution.

CMS Presentation

Winning teams are invited to present their project vision and outcomes at the CMS National Conference (Nov 4-6, 2028; Denver, CO).

Final Report

A final summary report including activities, challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons learned is due May 1, 2028.