Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program

Valerie Coleman

Jeff Scott

Chamber Music America writes:

Chamber Music America is currently going into the second year of its Composers Equity Project as part of its Classical Commissioning grant program.

We would appreciate your help in spreading the word about the initiative and our upcoming grant deadline.

Chamber Music America, the national network of ensemble music professionals provides grants through the Classical Commissioning Program 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.

Commission fees range from $5,000 to $20,000.  Applicants must be Chamber Music America members at the Organization level.  The new composition must be performed by the ensemble a minimum of three times in the U.S.

Since 1983, only 80 of the 216 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. 

In the 2018 cycle, 10 of the 11 grants were made to ensembles commissioning new works from women and ALAANA composers.  See the 2018 grants press release for the awardees.  Composers Valerie Coleman and Jeff Scott received commissions in this most recent grant round.

CMA has created the Composers Equity Project, a database of ALAANA, women and gender non-conforming composers that is accessible on CMA’s website.  Applicants are encouraged to use this resource and become familiar with potential composers for a commission. 

Composers will continue to be added to this list regularly. ALAANA, women, and gender non-conforming composers who wish to be included in future versions of this list may submit their information to CMA.

The Classical Commissioning deadline is April 5, 2019.  Applications must be submitted online.

Click here for program information.

Please contact Susan Dadian, program director, CMA Classical/Contemporary for further information.

CMA’s Classical Commissioning Program grants are made possible by generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.