We are grateful for the feedback and responses we have received with respect to this year’s Barlow Prize, General, and Latter-day Saints
commissions winners. We acknowledge the winners’ abilities and talents (as well as those of the performers) to fulfill these
commissions during these tenuous times.

Over the years the Barlow Endowment rules have stated that for our calls for submissions we can impose no restrictions
“with regard to musical style, nationality, age, gender, race, religion, or political persuasion” and as such, we do not collect that information
on the application. As the paths of this year’s application deadlines and judging unwittingly paralleled the raising of discrimination issues
across the world, we sympathize with those injustices directed toward Black, Indigenous, and people of color at any time in our communities.
Subsequently, the decision was made that, based on these no restrictions parameters, we could not account for any of those specific factors
in this particular funding cycle without compromising the fairness—as laid out in our rules—of the entire competition.

We recognize that addressing the structural inequities in our field requires more than a single funding opportunity or commission.
Change comes as we strive to find ways to be better, more inclusive, more helpful, and more aware of composers that we might assist.
In addition to a specific funding opportunity in the coming competitions cycle, we look forward to engaging in conversations with
members of diverse communities to understand how our organization can support professional composers, ensembles, and include
even more diverse adjudicators.

As we engage in this process, we welcome constructive suggestions for consideration. If there is a way we can advocate for
under-represented composers more vociferously through our funding competitions, we are committed to this enterprise.

2020 Barlow Competitions Winners Announced

In 1983 Milton A. and Gloria Barlow established the
Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at
Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
The Endowment has subsequently been dedicated to
promoting excellence in music composition with over
403 total commissions awarded.

Mission Statement

The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University
encourages and financially supports composers who demonstrate
technical skills and natural gifts for the composition of great music.
The Endowment achieves this through its Barlow Prize,
commissioning programs, and support of student composers.