The Gabriela Ortiz Composing Studio at OAcademy is a six-month lab, open to 12 innovative early-career composers. Fellows receive mentorship from a diverse roster, including Du Yun, Andrew Norman, Missy Mazzoli, Marcos Balter, Tyshawn Sorey, Vanessa Rose, Ted Hearne, Tonia Ko and many others. Lead composer Gabriela Ortiz mentors fellows directly during a residency in Maryland, workshopping compositions with professional performers.

The Studio meets bi-weekly for 90-minute sessions and runs from January through June. Fellows graduate with a high-quality recording of a new work for professional musicians, a portfolio of self-marketing materials, an international network of composers and change-making artists, and the resources to take the next step in their composition journey.

Tuition
  • $3,500 USD
  • $3,350 USD (Apply by July 15)
Application Requirements
  • Must be 18 years or older
  • CV or Composing resume
  • Short biography (150 words maximum)
  • Statement of interest (300 words maximum): Why would being part of this program be meaningful to you?
  • Portfolio
  • Scores: Maximum of 3 scores that you would like the committee to consider;
    • Audio files: Maximum of 3 audio files that correspond to your submitted scores. Live recordings are preferred, but MIDI realizations are also acceptable. Your portfolio should include at least one live recording.
    • Videos/audios should be uploaded to Google Drive, YouTube, SoundCloud, or a similar streaming service and should be available to access without a password or login (choose either public or unlisted in the privacy options for your video on YouTube).
Schedule

Bi-weekly sessions from January to June 2026. Fellows also have the opportunity to work in person with Gabriela Ortiz over a 5-day period. All in-persons costs minus airfare are covered.