Application season for our 2021 Composition Program is now closed.
Thinking about applying to Connecticut Summerfest in a future season? Check out our online concert series this June!
Thinking about applying to Connecticut Summerfest in a future season? Check out our online concert series this June!
Submit Two Representative Works
Applicants to Connecticut Summerfest's Composition Program will be asked to submit 2 representative scores (including graphic, aleatoric, and/or written performance instructions) and audio 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.
Anonymous 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, and video files will not be accepted.
Age Requirement
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age on or before June 10, 2021. There is no upper age limit for composer applicants.
Acoustic and/or Electroacoustic
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 and/or artistic interests at one of the daily composition seminars.
Applicants to Connecticut Summerfest's Composition Program will be asked to submit 2 representative scores (including graphic, aleatoric, and/or written performance instructions) and audio 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.
Anonymous 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, and video files will not be accepted.
Age Requirement
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age on or before June 10, 2021. There is no upper age limit for composer applicants.
Acoustic and/or Electroacoustic
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 and/or artistic interests at one of the daily composition seminars.
Connecticut summerfest encourages applications from composers...
- of racial and ethnic minority groups
- of marginalized genders (i.e. trans men, all women including trans women, non-binary folks, etc.) and marginalized sexes (i.e. cisgender women, intersex folks, etc.)
- who love to collaborate and build lasting artistic relationships
- who are curious and kind
- who are open-minded to different musical styles and backgrounds
- who will contribute to a supportive and collaborative environment
The application fee for the Connecticut Summerfest 2021 Composition Program is pay-what-you-wish! We suggest contributing $30 (our former Early Bird Application fee), and you can learn how your application fee is used by our organization in our Application FAQ. No composer will be turned away for an inability to pay an application fee. Please email applications (at) ctsummerfest.org or use our contact form with any questions you may have.
festival composer benefits:
Web premiere of newly composed work by one of three professional ensembles-in-residence
High-quality video of newly composed work
Four private, 1-hour lessons with our world-class composition faculty
Dedicated rehearsal time with our ensembles-in-residence
Enriching guest lectures with leading music specialists
One-on-one consultation with Joshua DeVries, Founder and Creative Director of Just a Theory Press, to discuss possible publication of composers' works
Feedback from composition faculty and other Connecticut Summerfest composers at composition seminars
Join a growing network of artists, composers, performers, and sound artists
application timeline and schedule
Friday, January 8, 2021 by 11:59PM EST: Application Deadline
Pay-What-You-Wish Application Fee (Suggested: $30)
Mid-February 2021: Initial Adjudication Results
Notification of initial adjudication results will be sent to applicants via email.
Pay-What-You-Wish Application Fee (Suggested: $30)
Mid-February 2021: Initial Adjudication Results
Notification of initial adjudication results will be sent to applicants via email.
Time Zone Note: Most festival days will begin at 10:00AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and end around 9:00PM EDT, with approximately four to six events per day for festival composers. All Connecticut Summerfest events will take place in EDT (US), and breaks are scheduled throughout each day. If a festival composer is joining us from a distant time zone and will have difficulty virtually attending certain events, we will work with them to explore asynchronous options where possible.
new piece written for connecticut summerfest 2021
Composers accepted to Connecticut Summerfest 2021 will have the opportunity to write for one of our three ensembles-in-residence! We are proud to engage only professional, active chamber music ensembles who regularly commission and perform contemporary music and love working with living composers. Connecticut Summerfest values the spirit of collaboration and fosters meaningful relationships between composers and ensembles. Therefore, ensembles are not randomly assigned; composers may express their preference for their ensemble collaborators on their application.
Learn more about each of our 2021 ensembles-in-residence:
Front Porch
violin, bassoon, piano, percussion
Hub New Music
flute, clarinet, violin, cello
ZOFO
piano four-hands
Festival composers' new pieces will be written February through April 2021, and composers will be able to communicate with their ensemble during the compositional process with any questions they may have. Festival composers' piece delivery deadline will be April 23rd, 2021 and some rehearsals may occur in May, before the start of Connecticut Summerfest 2021.
Learn more about each of our 2021 ensembles-in-residence:
Front Porch
violin, bassoon, piano, percussion
Hub New Music
flute, clarinet, violin, cello
ZOFO
piano four-hands
Festival composers' new pieces will be written February through April 2021, and composers will be able to communicate with their ensemble during the compositional process with any questions they may have. Festival composers' piece delivery deadline will be April 23rd, 2021 and some rehearsals may occur in May, before the start of Connecticut Summerfest 2021.
Scholarships
In support of our mission to amplify the voices of composers of color and gender diverse composers, Connecticut Summerfest offers two types of scholarships to accepted 2021 festival composers: the Gender Diversity Scholarship and Composers of Color Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded in both partial and full amounts. 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 (i.e. trans men, all women including trans women, non-binary folks, etc.) and marginalized sexes (i.e. cisgender women, intersex folks, etc.)
Composers of Color Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Gender Diversity Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of marginalized genders (i.e. trans men, all women including trans women, non-binary folks, etc.) and marginalized sexes (i.e. cisgender women, intersex folks, etc.)
Composers of Color Scholarship
This scholarship is open to composers of racial and ethnic minority groups.
connecticut summerfest auditing program
Our 2021 Auditing Program is now closed.
Thinking about applying to Connecticut Summerfest in a future season? Check out our online concert series this June!
Thinking about applying to Connecticut Summerfest in a future season? Check out our online concert series this June!
The Connecticut Summerfest Auditing Program allows composers to expand their creative community while engaging in many meaningful educational and artistically exploratory sessions. This program is meant for composers who cannot afford our current tuition cost, add a new piece to their winter/spring compositional schedule, or cannot attend our entire week-long festival. Accessibility is important to us, which is why we have recently embarked on our long-term Tuition Free Initiative as well.
The Auditing Program is limited to 6 total composers. 3 of these slots are specifically reserved for BIPOC composers with a pay-what-you-wish model. The remaining 3 slots are $250 per composer and are open to emerging composers of any background.
Auditing composers will have the opportunity to attend all composition faculty presentations, composition seminars, guest lectures, concerts, and community-building events with festival composers, ensembles-in-residence, composition faculty, guest lecturers, and staff. Auditing composers will also have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Joshua DeVries, Founder and Creative Director of Just a Theory Press, to discuss possible publication of their music, if desired. Auditing composers will not present their music at composition seminars, have private lessons with composition faculty, or write a new work for one of our ensembles-in-residence.
The Auditing Program is limited to 6 total composers. 3 of these slots are specifically reserved for BIPOC composers with a pay-what-you-wish model. The remaining 3 slots are $250 per composer and are open to emerging composers of any background.
Auditing composers will have the opportunity to attend all composition faculty presentations, composition seminars, guest lectures, concerts, and community-building events with festival composers, ensembles-in-residence, composition faculty, guest lecturers, and staff. Auditing composers will also have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Joshua DeVries, Founder and Creative Director of Just a Theory Press, to discuss possible publication of their music, if desired. Auditing composers will not present their music at composition seminars, have private lessons with composition faculty, or write a new work for one of our ensembles-in-residence.