Breaking Barriers – 2024 Call for Scores – Orchestral Reading Opportunity for Midwest-Based Women, Non-Binary, and Transgender Composers

New Music USA is pleased to partner with Highland Park, IL’s Ravinia Festival to offer a unique orchestral reading opportunity for three Midwest-based women, nonbinary, and transgender composers to receive invaluable support and experience at the 2024 Breaking Barriers Festival. 

Following 2022’s successful inaugural Breaking Barriers Festival focused on women conductors and last year’s Festival focused on women composers, Breaking Barriers returns this year with a focus on women leaders in music and science. This summer, New Music USA is pleased to support a collaborative workshop for three Midwest-based women, nonbinary, and transgender composers during Breaking Barriers 2024. The three selected composers will have their music rehearsed by Taki Alsop conductor fellows, Marin Alsop, and the Chicago Philharmonic. Mentorship opportunities by Augusta Read Thomas and others will also be included. Through this endeavor we hope to encourage collaboration and future partnerships between composers and conductors who are historically underrepresented in classical music.

Breaking Barriers Festival at Ravinia 

Ravinia launched its annual Breaking Barriers Festival in 2022 to spotlight and celebrate women in classical music, particularly in areas where they are radically underrepresented, such as conducting and composing.  This year’s festival, which takes place July 26-27, 2024, features a Pavilion concert, panel discussions, roundtables, a composer workshop, and more, presented in collaboration with New Music USA, The Chicago Network (TCN), and the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. Featured composers during the Breaking Barriers weekend include Amanda Lee Falkenberg and Augusta Read Thomas.  

What we are offering to Midwest-based composer applicants:

• One work played and workshopped by the Chicago Philharmonic. 
• One-on-one mentorship with composers participating during the weekend. 
• Travel honorarium including hotel stay for two nights. 
• An opportunity to collaborate and establish longer term connections with Taki Alsop Fellowship conductors and Marin Alsop. 

Eligibility
Applicant must:  

• Be based and working in one of the 12 following Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin. 
• Identify as woman, nonbinary, or transgender. 
• Be at an early stage in their professional careers with fewer than 2 works performed by a professional orchestra (collegiate and festival orchestras are allowed); there is no age restriction. 
• Only submit one work for consideration. 

The submitted work must:  

• Be 5 minutes or less in duration; sections or movements of a larger work will be considered. 
• Not exceed the orchestration parameters of 2(II=picc/afl).2(II=corA).2(I=EbCl,II=bcl).2(II=contra)-2.2.1.brtbn.1-timp+2 perc+hp+pn; strings 8/6/5/4/3 max players 
• Additional parameters 
  • Trumpets in C 
  • Timpani = 4 drums (32”, 29”, 26”, 23”) 
  • Percussion set-up should follow the attached parameters  
  • No de-tuned instruments or scordatura  
• Not be a concerto or include vocalists 

Selected applicants will be required to supply a professional quality score and set of instrumental parts upon acceptance.   

Review
Review of submitted applications will be made by Breaking Barriers mentor composers, Marin Alsop, and members of the Taki Alsop Fellowship program. Applications will be reviewed by the following criteria: Artistry and Impact.  

Deadline and Awards
The application deadline will be March 28, 2024. Three (3) composers will be selected to participate. Notification will be made via email in April 2024. Scores and parts will be due in June 2024.   

Application Requirements
The application can be completed and submitted online here: Application Form. Please be sure to provide working links to work samples and any documents/media for download.  

• Information about the composer 
  • Contact information 
  • Brief bio (150 words for use on our website if awarded) 
  • Link to resume/CV  
• Information about the work 
  • Title 
  • Duration 
  • Instrumentation 
  • Program note (500 words or less)  
  • A link to the score of the submitted work 
• Work Samples demonstrating artistic quality of the composer 
  • Please provide a link to a recording of the submitted work (MIDI is acceptable)  
  • Please provide links for up to 2 additional work samples demonstrating the composer’s work  
  • You may provide links to YouTube, Vimeo, or Soundcloud, or a link to download