Chamber Music America announces the Composer Equity Project as part of its Classical Commissioning grant program

Chamber Music America’s Classical Commissioning Program provides grants to professional U.S.-based presenters and ensembles whose programming includes Western European and/or non-Western classical and contemporary music. Grants are provided for the commissioning and performance of new works by American composers. The program supports works scored for 2–10 musicians performing one per part, composed in any of the musical styles associated with contemporary classical music.

Since 1983, only 70 of the 205 commissions made through CMA’s Classical Commissioning program have been composed by women or ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) composers. The Board of Directors of Chamber Music America has made diversity, inclusion, and equity a primary focus of the organization’s work. (Please read CMA’s Statement of Commitment.) CMA’s goal in this program is, through the panel review process, to award a majority of the grants to applicants who apply with women and ALAANA composers.

Therefore, CMA has created the Composer Equity Project, a database of women and ALAANA composers that will be accessible on CMA’s website.  Applicants will be encouraged to use this resource and become familiar with potential composers for a commission.

Women and ALAANA composers are encouraged to contact CMA by March 15 to be included on the list for this round of applications. The initial listing will be available here on February 15, 2018 and updated on March 15, 2018.  Composers will continue to be added throughout the year, even after this particular deadline has passed.

Composers are also encouraged to pursue an ensemble for which they might like to create a new work through the Classical Commissioning program. A list of CMA member ensembles can be found at the following link.

The Classical Commissioning deadline is April 29, 2018. 

For any program-related questions, contact:

Susan Dadian, Program Director

CMA Classical/Contemporary

(212) 242-2022, ext. 102

sdadian@chamber-music.org

Chamber Music America, the national network for ensemble music professionals, was founded in 1977 to develop, support, and strengthen the chamber music field. With a membership of nearly 6,000, including musicians, ensembles, presenters, artist managers, educators, music businesses, and advocates of ensemble music, CMA welcomes members representing a wide range of musical styles and traditions. CMA provides its members with grant programs, consulting services, a national conference, professional development seminars, access to instrument and other insurances, and several publications, including Chamber Music magazine; the weekly Accent e-newsletter; and a member-driven website, www.chamber-music.org.