The English Department is set to collaborate with the Music Department for the 2023 Art Song Festival’s annual Poetry Competition. The theme for the festival is “Home.”
The competition is open to all currently enrolled Fresno State English and Creative Writing undergraduate and graduate students. To take part, please read the Poetry Competition Guidelines, then submit 1-2 short poems for consideration by completing this Google Form. The deadline for the submissions is Friday, May 13.
For reference, view the 2022 winning poem “Ascend to Heaven to hear these Songs and collect your Flowers here on Earth” by Brian Rojas.
2022 Poetry and Composition finals
An Art Song is a musical rendition of a poem performed by a pianist and a singer. The original music is composed in the classical tradition, set to poetry and performed by a vocalist in a three-tier competitive event. Every February, the cross-cultural event features performances and masterclasses by a guest artist, lectures, discussions and student competitions and showcases.
The Poetry competition adds the cherry on top by providing an opportunity that allows Fresno State student poets to write poems, have them set to music by student composers, and then sung by student vocalists.
The competition’s main aim is to promote the genre of contemporary art song and provide a unique collaborative platform for student poets and musicians.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 