Preisner announced the contest at a news conference this week in Bielsko-Biała, southern Poland.
Participants are expected to submit a 10- to 15-minute piece inspired by The Tower of Babel, the famous 16th-century painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
"The Tower of Babel," oil painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1563; Vienna Museum of Art History. Image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A selection panel will choose 10 finalists, who will be invited to Bielsko-Biała in June for open rehearsals of their works.
An international jury chaired by Preisner—and including Lisa Gerrard, Fernando Trueba, Michel Duval and Matthew Sweet—will pick the top three entries.
The winner will receive EUR 25,000 in prize money and offered career-development opportunities.
"Dear composers from around the world, I invite you to take part in the Preisner Scoring Competition," Preisner wrote on Facebook. "I am sure that this competition will be helpful to you."
Preisner is best known for his collaborations with Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski.
Preisner marked his 70th birthday in September with a concert at London’s Barbican Centre featuring music from Kieślowski's Three Colours trilogy, The Decalogue and The Double Life of Veronique, along with excerpts from Requiem for My Friend, his musical tribute to the late director.
He has also composed scores for other leading European filmmakers and created large-scale concert works.
(mk/gs)