NCCO8 Composer Fellowship Program

Objectives

1. To encourage and support undergraduate and graduate student composers who wish to refine their ability to write choral music.
2. To hear one's music performed in a workshop setting by a collegiate choir and receive feedback from the singers, the conductor, and a professional composer mentor.
3. To provide professional networking opportunities with contacts from the publishing world, especially through the possible publication in the NCCO Choral Series with ECS Publishing Group.
4. To encourage undergraduate and graduate student activity at the NCCO National Conference.

Applicant Criteria

1. Applicant must be actively pursuing an undergraduate, master's or doctoral degree in composition or a related area and should indicate where they are in their degree program, including their anticipated date of graduation.
2. Applicant must submit a complete application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
3. Applicant does not need to be a student member of NCCO at the time of application. If accepted, they will be expected to join NCCO as a student member.
4. All accepted fellows are expected to attend the NCCO 8th Biennial Conference at the University of Maryland, November 7-9, 2019.

Application Material Requirements

(Due September 15, 11:59PM; September 30 notification)

1. Short resume highlighting the applicant's compositional history (i.e. list of works, performances, awards, etc.)
2. A PDF score of a composition (or excerpt from a composition) for SATB chorus (limited or no divisi) no longer than 3 minutes.
   1. This is the piece that the choir will perform at the conference. Once the application is submitted, the composer will not be able to make any further changes until the workshop itself, as the score must be shared with the demonstration choir for rehearsal preparation.
   2. Recordings are not required, but a link to a recording (Soundcloud, YouTube, etc.) may be submitted if available. Please include a link to the recording on the first page of the PDF score.
3. One letter of recommendation from a current faculty member (ideally a choir director) with whom the student has worked. The faculty member should be familiar with the student's compositions or composing history, and may comment on any or all of the following:
   1. Progress in their academic degree
   2. Compositional skill and experience writing for the voice/choruses
   3. Potential for a successful career as a composer
   4. Experience working with the composer as a choral singer, if applicable
   5. Collegiality

There is no application fee. All application materials are to be uploaded online to the Composition Fellows application page. Applications will not be accepted via e-mail or by any other means.

Summary

Below is a summary of what the Composer Fellows will experience during and after the 2019 NCCO National Conference:

1. Participation in the NCCO Choral Series Reading Session and Workshop, with the Wingate University Singers (Kenney Potter, director) and guest composer Dale Trumbore
2. A 45--60 minute pre-conference mentoring session with Dale Trumbore via Skype, Zoom, etc.
3. Conversation and mentoring session at the conference with Mark Lawson (President and CEO, ECS Publishing Group)
4. Evening mixer event with conducting fellows, mentor faculty members, and other leaders
5. $500 stipend + student conference registration fee waived

*Note: No more than two Composer Fellows will be selected