APPLY TO CONNECTICUT SUMMERFEST
Application season for our 2020 Composition Program ends January 5th, 2020.
Festival Composers will receive
Live and live-streamed premiere of newly composed work by one of three professional ensembles-in-residence
High-quality, mastered audio of newly composed work in studio recording session
Concert video recording from live premiere, featured on our YouTube channel
Four private, 1-hour lessons with our world-class composition faculty members
Dedicated rehearsal time with our ensembles-in-residence
Attendance of guest lectures with leading music specialists
Housing and meals for the duration of the festival
Application Guidelines
- Applicants to Connecticut Summerfest's Composition Program will be asked to submit two (2) representative scores and recordings, which are to be no longer than 15 minutes in combined duration. Single movements or excerpted scores and recordings may be submitted. Both acoustic and electronic/electroacoustic submissions will be accepted for adjudication.
- Because this is a blind application, submitted scores and recordings must not include the composer's name, geographic location, or any information about commissioning parties. Submitted scores and recordings must not only omit this information in text on the score, it also must be omitted from file names and metadata. Failure to omit this information will lead to disqualification of application. Only mp3 audio files may be submitted; video files will not be accepted.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age on or before June 11, 2020.
Composers invited to the festival may choose to compose either an acoustic or electroacoustic work, as the festival will have access to a stereo sound system. Any additional equipment, software, or personnel the piece would need must be provided by the composer. Invited composers will be asked to give a presentation of their music at one of the daily composition seminars.
Application Timeline
Sunday, December 1, 2019: Early Bird Deadline
$30 Application Fee, Application due by 11:59PM EST
or
Sunday, January 5, 2020: Final Application Deadline
$45 Application Fee, Application due by 11:59PM EST.
Mid-February 2020: Initial Results
Notification of initial adjudication results sent to applicants via email.
$30 Application Fee, Application due by 11:59PM EST
or
Sunday, January 5, 2020: Final Application Deadline
$45 Application Fee, Application due by 11:59PM EST.
Mid-February 2020: Initial Results
Notification of initial adjudication results sent to applicants via email.
Q: Why does Connecticut Summerfest have an application fee?
A: When you apply to Connecticut Summerfest, five adjudicators are carefully listening to up to 15 minutes of your music. Every single submitted work is critically evaluated, scored, and given feedback, and we compensate our adjudicators for these professional assessments. In order to provide a fair evaluation to all applicants, we engage an independent board of adjudicators each year and require that all scores and recordings be anonymous.
One of the founding principles of Connecticut Summerfest was to create a summer composition program accessible to composers of all backgrounds. One of our primary ways of doing this is keeping our application fee as low as we can— in some cases, as low as 50% less expensive than other summer music festivals. No composer will be turned away due to an inability to pay the application fee.
Q: Who will be adjudicating these blind applications?
A: The final round application adjudicators for Connecticut Summerfest's 2020 Season are Alice Teyssier (flute and voice, ICE), Wendy Richman (viola, ICE), Joshua Rubin (clarinet, ICE), Dan Lippel (guitar, ICE), and Ryan Muncy (saxophones, ICE).
A: When you apply to Connecticut Summerfest, five adjudicators are carefully listening to up to 15 minutes of your music. Every single submitted work is critically evaluated, scored, and given feedback, and we compensate our adjudicators for these professional assessments. In order to provide a fair evaluation to all applicants, we engage an independent board of adjudicators each year and require that all scores and recordings be anonymous.
One of the founding principles of Connecticut Summerfest was to create a summer composition program accessible to composers of all backgrounds. One of our primary ways of doing this is keeping our application fee as low as we can— in some cases, as low as 50% less expensive than other summer music festivals. No composer will be turned away due to an inability to pay the application fee.
Q: Who will be adjudicating these blind applications?
A: The final round application adjudicators for Connecticut Summerfest's 2020 Season are Alice Teyssier (flute and voice, ICE), Wendy Richman (viola, ICE), Joshua Rubin (clarinet, ICE), Dan Lippel (guitar, ICE), and Ryan Muncy (saxophones, ICE).
Q: How much is Tuition, and what is included?
A: Tuition for those accepted is $2145, which includes lodging, a linen package, and meals for the duration of the festival. A non-refundable deposit of $429 is to be submitted within 10 days of acceptance to confirm a position on our roster.
A: Tuition for those accepted is $2145, which includes lodging, a linen package, and meals for the duration of the festival. A non-refundable deposit of $429 is to be submitted within 10 days of acceptance to confirm a position on our roster.
Instrumentation for new piece
Composers accepted to Connecticut Summerfest 2020 will have the opportunity to write for one of these subsets of ICE:
Ensemble 1 (acoustic):
guitar
harp
flute or voice
(this is sung or performed by Alice Teyssier who is a vocalist and a flutist)
Ensemble 2 (acoustic):
violin
viola
cello
Ensemble 3 (electro-acoustic):
saxophone
clarinet
small percussion or 2-channel direct-input performed electronics
electronics will be limited to:
Ensemble 1 (acoustic):
guitar
harp
flute or voice
(this is sung or performed by Alice Teyssier who is a vocalist and a flutist)
Ensemble 2 (acoustic):
violin
viola
cello
Ensemble 3 (electro-acoustic):
saxophone
clarinet
small percussion or 2-channel direct-input performed electronics
electronics will be limited to:
- direct-input sources (no live-processing of microphone inputs) performed/triggered live by performer using iPad (touch OSC), MIDI (Korg Nano or small chromatic controller), or fixed media via mouse/keyboard (qLab). The signal will be routed to a 2-channel mixer to 2 powered speakers.
- No click tracks.
- vibraphone
- low octave of crotales
- 1 mounted frame drum
- assorted small metallic instruments contained to a 2x3' table
- assorted small wooden instruments contained to a 2x3' table
- 1 ground-supported stand for hanging small instruments
Scholarships
We are thrilled to be offering three partial scholarships to 2020 festival composers: the Gender Diversity Scholarship, Composers of Color Scholarship, and the Long Distance Travel Scholarship.
Gender Diversity Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of marginalized genders. This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex, etc.
Composers of Color Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Long Distance Travel Scholarship
This scholarship supports composers who will be traveling a significant distance (greater than 1,000 miles) to attend Connecticut Summerfest.
If you would like to be considered for these scholarships, please check the appropriate boxes on your application form.
Gender Diversity Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of marginalized genders. This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex, etc.
Composers of Color Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Long Distance Travel Scholarship
This scholarship supports composers who will be traveling a significant distance (greater than 1,000 miles) to attend Connecticut Summerfest.
If you would like to be considered for these scholarships, please check the appropriate boxes on your application form.
Auditing Program
Interested composers may audit Connecticut Summerfest 2020. Auditors have the opportunity to observe rehearsals, attend lectures, and interact with our faculty, ensembles-in-residence, and festival composers. The Resident Auditor program is $595 and includes housing, meals, a linen package, and a parking pass. The Commuting Auditor program is $245, includes a parking pass and is ideal for local composers. Use our Contact Form to learn more or to reserve a spot!
Please note: all $ amounts are displayed in U.S. Dollars (USD)
Please note: all $ amounts are displayed in U.S. Dollars (USD)