Classical Commissioning Program

The commissioned work:  

• must be a new concert-music piece written for 2–10 musicians and scored for one musician per part 
• if a conductor is used for the performance of the work, they are not considered one of the paid musicians in the ensemble 
• must be in the form of a notated score (the composer retains all rights) 
• must be at least 10-minutes in length 
• must be finished and one digital copy of the score submitted to CMA by September 30, 2026 
• must be booked for its premiere by February 1, 2027 (does not need to be premiered by this date) 
• must be premiered exclusively by the commissioned ensemble (including guest artists) in a venue accessible by the general public by June 30, 2027 (end of grant period) 
• may not include a greater number of guest artists than there are musicians in the applicant ensemble 
• If the work is to be written as part of a collaborative project involving other artistic disciplines, it must also be a stand-alone work for concert performance. 

Ineligible requests: 

• previously written works or arrangements of previously written works or works-in-progress 
• portions of works (such as individual movements or variations)  
• compositions that are soloistic in nature (such as concertos or works for soloist and accompaniment) 
• consortium commissions 
• music for dramatic works (staged or un-staged) 
• opera or choral works 
• incidental music for other media (such as dance or video/film) 
• fees for non-musician participants in the proposed work (such as a narrator) or for student musicians 

All projects must 

• take place during the grant period in the U.S. or its territories 
• be performed by the applicant ensemble (including any guest artists or conductor)  

An ensemble is eligible if: 

• it is a professional group with a commitment to Western European or non-Western contemporary classical music (as demonstrated on the submitted work samples) 
• it consists of fixed personnel and instrumentation or is part of a flexible roster or a collective that performs in varying configurations of no more than 10 musicians 
• in the case of a duo, performs as equal partners, rather than as soloist and accompanist, and consistently publicizes itself as a duo 
• the leader/primary member of the ensemble is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (non-profit status is not required of ensembles)  

The Ensemble must: 

• be based in the U.S. or its territories 
• have current CMA membership through June 2025 
• have no overdue reports or financial obligations to CMA 
• agree to acknowledge CMA, grant funders in all programs and press materials related to the funded project 
• have completed any previous CMA commissioning project before re-applying; current Artistic Projects grantee ensembles or presenters cannot apply  
• show proof of 501(c)3 status, or ensure that the primary contact on the application is able to receive grant funds  (fiscal sponsorship is not eligible) 
• Applicants that have received Classical Commissioning funding in the past three grant years (since 2022) are not eligible for 2025 funding.
• Current Artistic Projects, Classical Commissioning, or New Jazz Works grantee ensembles or presenters cannot apply

A presenter is eligible if it: 

• is a 501(c)(3) organization or otherwise eligible for charitable contributions for federal income, estate and gift-tax purposes 
• presents classical, contemporary, other music genres, and/or multi-disciplinary performing arts programs

The presenters must: 

• be based in the U.S. or its territories 
• have current CMA membership through June 2025 
• have no overdue reports or financial obligations to CMA 
• agree to acknowledge CMA, grant funders in all programs and press materials related to the funded project 
• have completed any previous CMA commissioning project before re-applying; current Artistic Projects, Classical Commissioning, or New Jazz Works grantee ensembles or presenters cannot apply  
• show proof of 501(c)3 status 
• Applicants that have received Classical Commissioning funding in the past three grant years (since 2022) are not eligible for 2025 funding.
• Current Artistic Projects, Classical Commissioning, or New Jazz Works grantee ensembles or presenters cannot apply

• must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident 
• may not have outstanding commitments to this commissioning program or to another active CMA commissioning project or grant 
• may be a member of the applicant’s ensemble 
• is an individual, not a group 

• Applicants that have received Classical Commissioning funding in the past three grant years (since 2022) are not eligible for 2025 funding. 
• Current Artistic Projects, Classical Commissioning, or New Jazz Works grantee ensembles or presenters cannot apply 

Commission Support Payment ($7,500) 

• The commission support amount is $7,500. 

Rehearsal Support  (up to $7,500) 

• This includes $750 per musician, including any guest artists. 
• The support payment represents: 
• Payment toward rehearsal and performance of the new work. 
• If the composer will perform or conduct the work, they are eligible for a rehearsal payment. 
• The total number of musicians may not exceed 10. 

Performance Support  ($1,000) 

• Supporting costs of transportation, lodging, and per diem basic programming costs and services or production costs. 

Administration/Copying Costs Support  ($500) 

• $500 to support copying or administrative costs.

Applicants must be a current CMA member through June 2025 in order to apply. 

Audio Uploads 

Audio files must be uploaded to the online application. Submissions are reviewed from the beginning, unless cue times are indicated; therefore, editing of each audio file is recommended. MIDI files are not accepted. 

The Composer’s Audio Work Samples: 

• should provide high quality performances. 
• two selections, preferably chamber music, consisting of up to 5 minutes of a single work, or excerpt from a work on each file (the panel will listen to 2 minutes of each sample, see Panel Review Procedure below) 
• must include work[s] written within the past 25 years. 
• may be re-recorded from a commercially released studio recording. 
• Additionally, if a work includes narration, the compositional element must be strong enough for panelists to adjudicate the composer’s artistry and technique) 
• Only mp3 and/or m4a file types are accepted. 
• Label and upload audio samples as: Composer Files: C1 – Applicant Name – Composer Name; C2 – Applicant Name – Composer Name  

The Ensemble’s Audio Work Samples 

• small ensemble works (2-10 musicians), consisting of up to 5 minutes of a single work or an excerpt from a work on each file (NOTE: the panel will listen to 2 minutes of each sample, see Panel Review Process below.) 
• should show the group’s ability to perform contemporary music at a high level. 
• two selections (contrasting works are recommended) 
• must include at least one work written within the past 25 years (Audio File 1 or 2) 
• must include at least one unedited audio recording from a live concert or from an online performance (either Audio File 1 or 2); the remaining sample may be from a commercially released or studio recording. 
• Only mp3 and/or m4a file types are accepted. 
• Label and upload audio samples as:  Ensemble Files: E1 – Applicant Name; E2 – Applicant Name 

 The ensemble files may not include works: 

• performed by soloists or that contain extensive solo passages 
• that prominently feature guests/soloists not involved in the proposed commission 
• with orchestra 
• that are scored for more than 10 musicians 
• that are performed by more than one musician per part 
• If the ensemble is a subset of a larger collective or roster, at least 50 percent of the musicians that will perform the commissioned work must appear on each work sample. Include, if possible, at least one work with the same (or similar) instrumentation and size as the work to be commissioned. 
• The number of musicians on the ensemble files, however, should not exceed the commissioned instrumentation by greater than 50 percent. 
• If a duo, both ensemble members must be included in the application and audio samples. 
• If the new work is for a small group, such as a duo or trio, do not include audio performed by a larger ensemble. 

Score Uploads for Composer and Ensemble Audio Samples

One Composer Score Sample and one Ensemble Score Sample must be accompanied by a relevant section of the printed score or graphic notation. Score Samples must be uploaded to the online application.  

Please remove or delete any identifying information about the composer or work title in each upload. Acceptable file type: pdf only. 

Label and upload: 

• Score Samples: Label Score Sample pdfs as “C1 Score” or “C2 Score” and “E1 Score” or “E2 Score

Memorandum(s) of Understanding
Memorandum(s) of Understanding from the Composer and, if a Presenter applicant, between the Ensemble and Presenter

• Sample MOU (Word Doc)
• Sample MOU (PDF)

Composer’s bio or résumé 

Applications are due to Chamber Music America by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Award notifications are made in June 2025. 

CMA uses the online application platform Submittable. Go to cma.submittable.com to create a free Submittable account if you do not already have one.  

• CMA recommends that you save your draft in an offline document as backup.  
• To save the work you have done on your application, you must click SAVE DRAFT at the bottom of the form before exiting.   
• You can return to your saved application to continue working on it by following the log-in instructions.  
• The application will close promptly at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least 24 hours in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications. 

To submit an application:  

• Go to cma.submittable.com and click on “New Jazz Works”  
• Complete all required fields, including text boxes, the Funding Request, and Audio Sample information.   
• Prepare your audio samples and score sample.  
• Save audio files as using the name: [Applicant Composer Name]-Audio 1 for the composer audio and [Applicant Ensemble Name]-Audio 2; acceptable file types: mp3, m4a.   
• Upload the audio file and score sample  
• When complete, sign and date your application.  
• Click “Submit” to send application to CMA; you will receive a confirmation email. 

Classical Commissioning applications are reviewed by an independent panel of chamber music professionals versed in current classical compositional trends and performance practices. The panel does not include members of the CMA staff or board. (Representative list of panelists) 

 Important note: 

• Applicants may submit samples of up to 5 minutes 
• Panelists listen to 2 minutes of each Audio Sample 
• Applicants may indicate cue times to target the panelists’ audio review in the application 
• Unless otherwise indicated with cue times, the panel will listen from the beginning of the audio sample 
• Submissions are reviewed anonymously (without identifying information) in all panel rounds 

CMA contracts with and makes grant payments to the applicant entity—either the ensemble or presenter. It is the grantee’s responsibility to compensate the composer and, if the grantee is a presenter, the ensemble and the composer. CMA does not make grant payments to fiscal sponsors. 

• If a grantee ensemble has 501(c)(3) status, payment is made to the organization. If not, all grant payments are made to the designated ensemble member serving as grant contact, who must provide government-approved documentation showing their U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.  
• A presenter grantee must provide proof of non-profit status. 
• Grant funds are taxable; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations affecting the project.  
• The designated ensemble member or presenter grantee is responsible for managing the project and disbursement and reporting grant income. 

Payments 

If awarded, payment of the grant funds will be made as follows: 

• An initial payment consisting of $3,750 for the composer. 
• A second payment consisting of $3,750 for the composer, $500 for copying costs, $750 for each ensemble member takes place after receipt of the interim report.  The interim report includes the commission score and booking confirmation of the work’s premiere. 

All contractual obligations including the completed score, booking confirmation for the premiere, and the performance of the premiere must be completed by June 30, 2027, in order to remain in good standing with CMA and maintain eligibility for potential future applications and funding. 

CMA collects data on race and ethnicity in connection to grant programs and applications; membership; and surveys with partner organizations, like funding partners. As such, CMA has developed a set of standards for keeping, collecting, and presenting data on race and ethnicity that aim to provide consistency in collecting and using this type of data. 

These standards have been developed in accordance with data collection standards by other groups such as CMA’s funders, federal agencies, and agencies that track race and ethnicity data. 

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