Opportunities

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Call for Scores

Seeks existing works up to 20 minutes long for 2-14 musicians (available instruments within), written in the past 10 years, from US-based applicants. Up to five selected works will be performed on Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois at Symphony Center by members of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Composers who are selected will be invited to Chicago and provided hotel accommodations for three days to work with the Civic Orchestra in rehearsal and attend the final concert. They will also receive a $300 honorarium and a professional audio recording of the performance of their composition.

Hambidge Center Summer Residency Session

Seeks applications from experienced artists ages 18+, for 2-4 week residencies at remote location in the mountains of northern Georgia. Residency fee is $250/week, and some financial aid is available. One fellowship especially for musicians waives the fee for a two-week residency and provides a $700 stipend. Some communal meals are provided, while other meals and travel are the responsibility of participants. The $30 application fee can be waived if it presents a financial barrier to applying.

Newfound Chamber Winds Tidewater Composition Workshop

Seeks applications from any composers, for 12-person program June 9-17, 2025 in Norfolk, Virginia, including lectures, seminars, and workshops and performances of new works. Tuition is $1200, on-campus housing is available for $485, and some scholarships are available.

Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival Call for Scores

Seeks 7-15 minute string quartets from composers under the age of 30 who are US citizens or permanent residents. The two winning works will receive prizes of $1000 and $500, respectively, and performance at the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Colchester, Vermont between June 29 and July 27. Composers of the winning works will be invited to discuss their work with musicians the day prior to the performance for an internal audience. GMCMF would provide local transportation as well as 2 nights of accommodation and meals for composers should they opt to attend. The $25 entry fee can be waived if there is demonstrated financial need.

Flying Carpet Festival

Seeks applications from all artists, for the opportunity to create a storytelling production involving live music, dance, circus arts, puppetry, visual projections, lighting, and costume design, to be presented for children in seven locations around Mardin, Turkey, August 30-September 9, 2025. The festival will cover housing, food, transportation, and logistics, and some additional financial aid is also available for travel.

VIPA Festival Composition Program

Seeks applications from any composers enrolled at a college-level degree-granting institution or higher. Selected applicants will participate in program in Valencia, Spain, July 9-18, 2025, including private lessons, workshops, and rehearsals/performances of new work. Tuition is 1440 Euros, housing is 473-671 Euros, and participants are responsible for their own food. Late application is possible during February for a 30 Euro fee.

Altered Bodies Call for Piano Works

Seeks solo piano works of any length, composed during or after the 2020 lockdown, from any composers, for April 11, 2025 performance in Chicago. The application fee is $5 for each score, and can be waived if it presents a financial barrier to applying.

Arts Letters & Numbers Artist Residency

Seeks applications from any artists ages 18+, for seasonal artist residencies in rural Upstate New York, ranging from 1 to 12 weeks, including the opportunity to give a workshop and/or present work. Lodging prices range from $350-900/week depending on season and room size. One communal meal per week is provided in spring/fall, and three per week in summer. Local transportation is also provided.

Opera Lucca Composers Institute

Seeks applications from any composers. Selected applicants will attend program in Lucca, Italy, June 7-21, 2025, including private lessons, seminars, rehearsals and performances of new vocal works. Tuition is $1600-2000 and includes lodging but not food or travel.

Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition

Seeks musical works premiered since January 1, 2020, including documentation of the premiere, from composers of any age or nationality, or nominators on their behalf. One winning composer will receive an award of $100,000.

Walden School Young Musicians Program

Seeks applications from students ages 9-18. Selected applicants will participate in program June 28-August 3, 2025 in Dublin, New Hampshire, including daily instruction and improvisation/composition of new works. Tuition is $10,100 for five weeks and $6,800 for three weeks. Financial aid is available. The $60 application fee can be waived if it presents a financial barrier to applying.

Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat

Seeks applications from musicians ages 18+, for program June 14-22, 2025 in Dublin, New Hampshire, including courses, workshops, and rehearsals and performances of new music. Tuition is $3250 and includes room & board. Financial aid is available. The $40 application fee can be waived if it presents a financial barrier to applying.

Emerging Composers Intensive at Hidden Valley

Seeks applications from composers ages 18-31, for virtual workshops March-June 2025, culminating in in-person intensive in Carmel, California, June 27-July 7, 2025, including private lessons and rehearsals/performances of new work. Total program cost is $2250 and includes room & board.

Wildflower Composers Virtual Mini-Courses

Seeks early-career female, transgender, nonbinary, and/or genderqueer composers, ages 13+, for weekly online courses (five over the course of 2025) on home studio techniques, film and video game scoring, and building a career in composition. Each course is $200 and each additional course is $25 off. Need-based financial aid is available. All admissions are rolling.

Music Creators Forum Plymouth

Seeks independent/freelance composers, arrangers, orchestrators and songwriters based in Massachusetts, for opportunity to give a 10-minute presentation on their work at Plymouth Public Library, Plymouth, Massachusetts, January 11, 2025, 10am-12pm.

Cantus Commission Competition

Seeks applications from emerging composers of any age. One winner will receive $1500 to write a new work for Cantus (a low voices ensemble), several mentorship sessions, and a world premiere performance during the 2025-26 season.

MACRO Composition Competition

Seeks unpublished and unawarded works for 1-5 musicians featuring harp, up to 15 minutes long, that incorporate the principles of macro analysis in some way. Applicants must be members of MACRO (membership is free), and winners must have a US social security number. One winning composer will receive $1000 and will give a presentation at the 2025 MACRO Workshop in Madison, Wisconsin, June 6-7, 2025. MACRO will reimburse up to a maximum of $500 in travel expenses.

Inversion’s Sandra Fivecoat Memorial Composition Contest

Seeks unpublished 3-5 minute compositions for treble choir, from any composers who can accept payment in US dollars, especially BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ composers. One winner will receive $750 and a performance March 1 & 2, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Great Falls Symphony Second Performance Project

Seeks orchestra works that have received one and only one public performance, prior to Aug 31 2023, ideally 5-15 minutes in length, from any composers or nominators on their behalf, especially living composers outside major population centers. Selected piece(s) will be performed during the 2025-26 season of the Great Falls Symphony (Montana). Any winning composer who wishes to attend the performance will have lodging provided and travel paid for within the United States.

Boston New Music Initiative 15th Anniversary Celebration Commissioning Prize

Seeks work samples from any composers (membership in Boston New Music Initiative is required, the lowest tier of membership is free). Winners will each receive $50 and the opportunity to compose a new 1-3 minute work (available instruments within) for performance by The Boston New Music Initiative during a pop-up concert series in the Boston area in spring 2025.