“Universal Design for Composer Equity: Statistical Trends”
This survey analyzes 500 hundred composition opportunities posted form 2019 to 2024, highlighting key trends and inequities in the field. Selections originated from opportunity listing websites including the Alternative Classical Newsletter, American Composers Forum, Canadian Music Centre, Canadian New Music Network, Composer’s Site, Composition Today, Musical Chairs, National Association of Composers/USA, New Music Engine, SCION (Society of Composers, Inc), Sound & Music, The Walden School, and Ulysses-Network.
The data includes percentage breakdowns of factors such as entry fees, financial accommodations, and instrumentation. An analysis of this data confirms many long-standing community concerns: namely, that structural barriers, often framed as merit-based selection, limit access. This report seeks to foster dialogue and support equitable practices across the music community.
About the Author:
Droki Ouro is an educator, sound designer, and composer whose music longs for the experiential allure of balance and introspection. Described as “lyrical, distant, [and] eerie” (EarRelevant) and “unsettling [yet] interesting” (Cycling ’74), Droki is the recipient of awards such as the MAP, New York, and Robert Avalon International Composition Competitions. His work is supported with fellowships and grants from Arraymusic, ensemble vim, and the Mellon Foundation, commissions from JoULE, MUSIQA, and Westminster University, and performances by Hypercube, Peridot Duo, and Jacob Mason, among others. Droki earned their DMA in Composition from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and is currently an Associate Professor of Music Technology in Knoxville, TN. Droki is a father, husband, amateur birder, and a former music library ghostwriter for two AAA video game companies.