McKNIGHT COMPOSER FELLOWSHIPS

McKnight Composer Fellowships are monetary awards given annually to four Minnesota composers. The awards are $25,000 in unrestricted funds and an optional $5,000 to carry out a community residency of their own design.

Funded by the Minnesota-based McKnight Foundation, these prestigious fellowships are intended to reward artistic excellence and to support composers who have reached a critical point in their career development. The unrestricted portion of the grant may be used for any purpose, such as "buying" compositional time, acquisition of equipment, travel, and private study.

Funds for the optional, self-designed community projects enable composers to work outside the conventional new-music orbit for at least 25 days. Residencies in schools and rural areas, with neighborhood organizationsor in any other setting where the composer acts as facilitator and educator are especially encouraged.

McKnight Fellows are selected by a three-member panel consisting of nationally recognized composers and other musicians familiar with a wide spectrum of musical styles.

For further information on McKnight Composer Fellowships contact Wendy Collins at wcollins@composersforum.org or (651) 251-2824.

Established: 1982
Composers served to date: 98
Average number of applicants: 60
Fellowship amount: $25,000 (plus optional project grant of $5,000)
Who may apply: all composers residing in Minnesota for at least 12 months. Students may apply only if they have completed all coursework. Composers who have received a McKnight Composer Fellowship within the past three years may not apply.
Application deadline: March
Announcement date: July