Attention Ragtime Composers

Compose the Sedalia Sesquicentennial and the 30th Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival Composition

The Scott Joplin Foundation is announcing a contest for a rag to be written commemorating the 150th birthday of Sedalia and the 30th Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival. Sedalia began as a train town when George R. Smith saw the potential as the railroad was crossing the state. The Missouri Pacific and Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT or Katy) Railroads housed machine shops in Sedalia creating a thriving population of workers. It was this atmosphere that brought Scott Joplin to the city and the rest is, as they say, history.

The Scott Joplin Foundation would like to commission “The Train Town Rag:” the title paying tribute to the railroad beginnings of the community. The composer of the winning rag will receive $500 and the 2nd place composition will receive $250.  The compositions will be judge in a live setting on Sunday, June 6, 2010 in the afternoon. Each composer interested in entering must have a pianist of their choosing available to perform the piece at that time. Judging will be scored by a panel of distinguished guests and a portion of the score will be determined by the audience members.

For more information contact the Scott Joplin Foundation - 660-826-2271, mail: Scott Joplin Foundation, 321 S. Ohio, Sedalia, MO 65301, email: ragtimer@scottjoplin.org or see the website: www.scottjoplin.org.