About the Festival
The Emerging Composers Intensive in its entirety is a practicum of the complete cycle of a commission for a professional composer. Upon acceptance, composers will be assigned a chamber instrumentation to be workshopped, performed, and recorded by the performance faculty.
Spring Orientation, Workshops, and Lessons (Virtual; March-June 2025):
Participants will engage in:
A series of three workshops on the art of effective collaboration, including instrumental and repertoire studies led by the composition and performance faculty in preparation for their first-draft deadline on April 15.
Two private lessons with members of the composition faculty. These lessons will prepare composers to continue working toward the second draft submission on June 1.
Summer Activities in Carmel Valley, CA (In-Person; June 27 - July 6, 2025):
Three rehearsals/workshops of their work guided by the faculty.
Private lessons with each composition faculty member to revise their work in advance of a final deadline of their piece mid-week. Seminars with composition faculty members.
Drop-in sessions with performance faculty to get advice on their work from a performers' perspective.
Professional training workshops about presentation, public speaking, career preparation, and network building.
Final concerts of the composers' works paired with existing chamber music repertoire at Hidden Valley Music Seminars' concert hall that are professionally recorded
All participating composers will receive a professionally recorded video and audio of these performances.
Post-Intensive Exposure:
Video and audio recordings will be featured on ECI’s Youtube channel
All artistic partners will be reviewing the final performances of ECI and body of work of the participating composers to determine their own interest in exploring any potential programming and commissioning opportunities at their discretion.
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Now: Application Opens
Feb 15: Application Deadline
Mar 1: Admission decisions
Mar 11 - June 1: Three 90 minute online workshops of instrumental and repertoire studies
April 15: First draft submission to composition faculty
April 15 - May 1: 1-on-1 online lessons with composition faculty on the first draft (2 lessons)
June 1: Second draft submission to performing faculty
Jun 27 after 5pm: Arrivals at the Hidden Valley Music Seminars campus
Jun 28 at 9am: In-Person program at Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley begins
July 5 evening: Final Concert #1
July 6 afternoon: Final Concert #2
July 7 at 9am: Departures
Tuition & Room/Board:
The 2025 program cost is $2,250. This fee includes:
Tuition for the entire virtual and in-person program from March 1 – July 7.
Room and board for the evening of June 27 to July 7 at the Hidden Valley Music campus.
Professionally recorded video and audio of the final performance of the composer’s work written for the program.
Publication of the composer’s scores in the Proceedings of Emerging Composers Intensive at Hidden Valley.
Works to be reviewed by ECI’s artistic partners for potential professional opportunities
Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the program. Letters of invitation for visa applications are available for international applicants.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:
The program is open to young composers between age 18 and 31.
Applications are due February 15, 2025 at 11:59pm ET
Requirements:
2 pieces with contrasting styles. Please include both the score in PDF form and an audio file. For audio files, MP3 is preferred, but MIDI mockup is acceptable.
1-2 professional references and their contact information.
Short biography.
Curriculum vitae.
Optional: Artist statements describing short-term and long-term goals
Optional: A get-to-know-you video of under 60 seconds.