Opportunities

Evan Erickson Music Call for Scores

Seeks 2-5 minute excerpts of music and 500-word personal statements, from composers anywhere in the world who have had five or fewer of their works publicly performed. Three selected composers will each receive a $400 commission to write a new work for clarinet and effects pedals, a premiere performance in Memphis in spring 2025, a professionally recorded and mastered track, professional engraving, and access to free engraving software. Submission is free but a $5-10 donation is strongly encouraged.

IAWM Annual Concert Call for Works

Seeks electronic or electroacoustic works of any instrumentation, with or without performers, under 10 minutes long, from any composers who are members of the International Alliance for Women in Music (membership ranges from $30-125). Selected works will be performed at concert October 19, 2024, at University of Minnesota Duluth.

Composers Guild of New Jersey Programs

Seeks project proposals, and profiles of composers or presenters, from any composers who currently live and/or work and/or study in New Jersey, or organizations with an intent of commissioning, performing or recording work by a New Jersey composer. Selected projects will receive grants to help support the composition of new work or defray the cost of performing work. Recent grant amounts have been in the range of $500 to $3000.

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Wachtmeister Award

Seeks applications from established composers/sound artists using acoustic sources who have worked professionally for at least 15 years. The award winner will receive a fully-funded residency of up to 30 days in Amherst, Virginia, to be scheduled between May 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026; a $1000 honorarium; and a travel stipend of $750. The residency includes an individual studio, private bedroom/bathroom, and three prepared meals each day.

Seattle Festival Orchestra Call for Scores

Seeks orchestral works less than 12 minutes in length, completed since January 1, 2022, from any composers, especially composers who are local to the greater Seattle area or identify as female, Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. One selected piece will be performed twice by the Seattle Festival Orchestra during the 2024-25 season.

Barlow Prize

The Barlow Endowment and Brigham Young University seeks work samples and biographical information from any composers. The winning composer will receive $15,000 to compose a new work for the organ, which will be performed by a consortium of four performers.

Suncoast Composer Fellowship Program

Seeks applications from emerging composers ages 18+. Selected composers will attend festival October 2-7, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida, including repeat performances of already-completed works, high-quality recordings, mentorship, and public speaking opportunities. The program cost is $1500, which includes lodging, but not food or travel costs. Some waivers are available for the $30 application fee.

Alarm Will Sound Matt Marks Impact Fund

Seeks work samples and proposals for new works for Alarm Will Sound’s full instrumentation, especially experimental projects unlikely to be funded through more conventional means, from any composers. Selected composers will receive $7500 to begin development on proposed projects, and two workshops with Alarm Will Sound (including travel funding to attend the workshops), culminating in a premiere performance or public presentation of work-in-progress.

IAWM Search for New Music Competition

Seeks works or proposals in any of eleven categories (most categories require work to be unpublished and unawarded), from women & nonbinary composers who are current members of the International Alliance for Women in Music (membership ranges from $30-125). Winners will receive cash prizes ranging from $300-1000, and will be publicized in IAWM’s networks.

Sioux City Symphony Composer of the Year

Seeks 5-15 minute orchestral works which have not yet been read or performed by professional orchestras, from early-career US citizen composers. The winning composer will be named the Sioux City Symphony’s “Composer of the Year,” and will receive $5000, a performance, airfare to and from Sioux City, Iowa to attend the performance, and lecture opportunities at local universities and community outreach programs.

Gulf Coast Trumpet Ensemble Call for Scores

Seeks 1-10 minute works for 4-6 B-flat trumpets, designed for advanced high school or lower-level college students, from any composers. Selected works will be performed and recorded on May 26, 2024 in Mobile, Alabama.

Memorial Episcopal Church Call for Scores

Seeks sacred choral pieces, up to 4 minutes long, suitable for Episcopalian worship, unpublished or self-published, not previously recorded commercially or by a professional ensemble, from any composers in North America. Up to four selected works will be performed and recorded in a worship service in Baltimore during the 2024-2025 program year.

E126 Composition Competition

Seeks proposals for 5-6 minute works for seven flutists, or completed works that have never been performed, from any composers. One winner will receive a $3000 award, professional audio/video, and a live performance at the National Flute Association Convention in San Antonio, Saturday, August 3, 2024.

Suzanne and Lee Ettelson Composer’s Award

Seeks works of any length for 1-5 performers drawn from the core instrumentation of Ninth Planet (enclosed), from any composers. One winner will receive $1000 and a performance by Ninth Planet in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 2024-25 concert season. Works not awarded the prize will also be considered for programming. The $25 application fee is reduced to $15 for students.

Composer Showcase at 2024 Chorus America Conference

Seeks participants for hour-long networking and tabling event for composers, June 7, 2024, at Chorus America conference in Atlanta. Conference registration is $100-750 depending on membership and student status. Register by April 11 for Early Bird savings. The showcase event is an additional $100.

USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest

USA International Harp Competition seeks 6-8 minute solo harp works, unpublished, unawarded, and not commercially recorded, from any composers. One winning composer will receive $2000, inclusion in the required repertoire of the USA International Harp Competition at the Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, performance by the 2025 competition Gold Medalist, and score publication by Lyon & Healy Publications.

Towson University Call for Scores

Seeks applications from US composers of all ages, especially Baltimore-area composers from historically underrepresented communities, including work samples and a proposal for a new 8-10 minute piece for six parts, responding to DEI-related topics or issues. One winner will receive $1000 to create their proposed work, which will be performed in the fall of 2024.

American Mavericks Project Call for Scores

Seeks 4-10 minute solo piano compositions from Black American (US-based) composers. Winning applicants will have their compositions performed and recorded in NYC in Spring 2025.

Trans-Pacific Trio Call for Scores

Seeks up to 20-minute works for any combination of clarinet, piano, and bassoon or mezzo-soprano, from any composers. Selected works will receive live or remote coaching sessions, and performance/recording during the 2024-25 season, primarily in the Detroit area.

Wildflower Composers Virtual Mini-Courses

Seeks applications from early-career female, transgender, nonbinary, and/or genderqueer composers, ages 13+, for six-week online classes in video game, film and TV scoring. Enrollment is limited to 20 students for each course, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Each course is $200, and need-based financial aid is available.