At the heart of the Forum's work is providing services to professional members. In our chapters across the country and in our national office, staff members serve as a helpful and friendly resource to composers. In addition to consulting with you via phone and email, the Forum regularly convenes a wide range of workshops, covering such topics as financial management, artistic partnerships across disciplines, grant writing, and music copying.

A PDF (44 kb) of some tips to help your program application succeed prepared by Dr. Philip Blackburn, Ph.D., the Forum's Director of Artist Services.

Q & A sessions in chapter cities with guest composers

Encore acts as an incentive to build new partnerships between performers and composers and ensures new works continue to reach a variety of audiences. Please note: The guidelines and application process for this program have recently been revised.
October 1, 2010 postmark application deadline.

VocalEssence and the American Composers Forum (ACF) announce a call for scores for the ninth annual Essentially Choral reading session, a unique opportunity for talented, emerging composers to write for voices and instruments. Through this program, Essentially Choral seeks creative and innovative works in a wide range of styles and provides a unique opportunity for talented, emerging composers to work with a professional chorus.

Please note: Essentially Choral is open to composers from Minnesota and the five buroughs of New York only



See a complete list of Essentially Choral participants from 2001 - 2009. (PDF format, 76 KB)

Forum members can purchase Finale®, MakeMusic, Inc.'s music-notation software at a discounted price - considerably less than the normal retail price. Finale® is available in both Macintosh and PC formats

The American Composers Forum has partnered with the Amateur Chamber Music Players (ACMP) to create an online resource where chamber music lovers can find access to contemporary chamber music--with features tailored specifically to the needs of amateur players.

First Nations Composer Initiative (FNCI pronounced "fancy"), a program of the American Composer Forum, is dedicated to the encouragement and propagation of American Indian music and musical traditions in all its forms by increasing the appreciation, understanding, and facilitation of Native American music for future generations of Native Americans and for the enjoyment of audiences everywhere and in all media.

Featuring instruction by experienced film composers Sean McMahon and Christopher Young.

Co-sponsored by the American Composers Forum
and McNally Smith College of Music

Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18, 2010
McNally Smith College of Music
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Please note: Registration is now closed.

innova® is the label of the American Composers Forum, and one of the fastest-growing indie labels in the country.

PLEASE NOTE: This program replaces and expands on the Jerome Composers Commissioning Program (JCCP)

This program, funded by the Jerome Foundation, supports the creation of new musical works by emerging composers, composer/performers, improvisers and sound artists from Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York.

JFund helps cover the cost of the creator's commissioning fee and also provides financial support - Enhancement Funds - to help the project reach its maximum potential.

A composer applies in conjunction with a performing organization (which may be any soloist or group, not necessarily a non-profit organization). Alternatively, a composer/performer/improviser who plays in her/his own work applies in conjunction with a venue or presenter (e.g., school, theater, gallery, festival, radio station, etc.).

JFund welcomes applications in all musical genres, including jazz, experimental, classical, improvised, electroacoustic, sound-art and international styles, and seeks to expand new-music culture beyond the usual settings.

Application Deadline: Friday, August 20, 2010 (postmark).

ACF is partnering with McNally Smith College of Music to present Making Music Work, a two-day seminar focusing on career building essentials for the contemporary composer. As part of this, ACF will present a national showcase concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2009, at McNally Smith College of Music, 19 Exchange Street in downtown Saint Paul (it's in the same building as the History Theater and is directly across the street from the Fitzgerald Theatre). The salon concert is free and open to the public.

ACF is partnering with McNally Smith College of Music to present Making Music Work, a two-day seminar focusing on career building essentials for the contemporary composer. Workshop sessions will be led by panels comprised of industry professionals from the national as well as local music scenes. Panelists will also be available for one-to-one consultation (smART Bars) to answer specific questions of conference attendees.

McKnight Composer Fellowships are monetary awards given annually to four Minnesota composers. The award is $25,000 in unrestricted funds. Fellows can also apply for additional funds to perform a community residency project.

Application deadline: March 19, 2011 (postmark).

Each year, the McKnight Visiting Composer Program underwrites a Minnesota residency of at least eight weeks for two out-of-state composers. While in residence, the visiting artist collaborates on a project with a Minnesota performing, presenting, and/or community organization

Application deadline: March 26, 2011 (postmark).

Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute
& "Future Classics" Concert
October 25-30, 2010 at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis

Seven composers have been selected as participants in the Minnesota Orchestra's 10^th Annual Composer Institute. Chosen from a pool of 167 candidates through a competitive process, these seven composers hail from locations throughout the U.S., and their works represent a variety of musical styles. They are:

• Taylor Brizendine (Los Angeles, Calif.): Mandragora Officinarum
• Wang Jie (Phildelphia, Pa.): Symphony No. 1
• Polina Nazaykinskaya (Austin, Texas): Winter Bells
• Clint Needham (Bloomington, Ind.): The Body Electric
• Ben Phelps (Los Angeles, Calif.): Overture Maximus
• Narong Prangcharoen (Kansas City, Mo.): Namaskar
• David Weaver (Philadelphia, Pa.): Mutatis Mutandis

These seven composers will travel to Minneapolis for six days of rehearsals, seminars and tutoring sessions from October 25 to 30, 2010, culminating in a public "Future Classics" concert of their works with The Minnesota Orchestra led by the Orchestra's Music Director Osmo Vänskä. The concert will take place at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis on Friday, October 29.

A whole day of new piano music, new ideas and new music connections for piano students, composers, performers, teachers and all those excited by new music. The day will culminate in a concert of world premieres by Minnesota composers Kirsten Broberg, Paul Cantrell, James Marentic, Daniel Nass, Justin Rubin, and Adam Wernick played by pianist Matthew McCright.

Quick turnaround, career advancement grants for composers and new music performers/ensembles in California. Current application deadlines are: November 1, 2008; February 15, 2009; and June 1, 2009

This program has been discontinued due to lack of funding. Please note: This pertains only to Subito in Minnesota.

Small, career advancement grants for professionals in the field of new music. The fall 2010 Subito deadline is October 25, 2010.

(January 27, 2009) -- "Taking Note" is a new, jointly-published study by the American Composers Forum and the American Music Center that finds 75% of surveyed American composers are more successful now than 5 years ago; This study also reveals most composers are also performers and actively utilize technology.

A PDF booklet prepared by Dr. Krystal Banfield, Ed.D., designed to prepare composers for school residencies.

Please join us for the next Tuesday Salon on May 18, at 7:00 PM, at Studio Z.

The May Tuesday Salon will feature work composed by Justin Busch, James Holdman, Kathy McTavish and Bill Reichelt.

Tuesday Salons are free and open to the public. Click here for directions to Studio Z.

Tuesday Salons are an excellent opportunity to discover the works and art of some of the Twin Cities' most exciting music creators. Come and hear their music live, ask them questions, and hang with your fellow composers, performers, and sound artists.

This is the final Tuesday Salon of the season. Salons will begin again in September, 2010.