CGNJ Commissioning Competition for New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra

The Composers Guild of New Jersey announces a commissioning opportunity for New Jersey composers to write a new 5-7 minute piece for string quartet for performance and recording by members of the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra (NBCO) in the fall of 2024. Any composer who currently lives, works, or studies in New Jersey may apply. One composer will be chosen jointly by CGNJ and the NBCO from among all applicants and given $1,000 on delivery of the score and parts.

The commissioned piece must respond to the theme of the NBCO fall salon, which is:

THIS IS AMERICA

Building on our Spring 24 Salon “Salon Americana,” we now move from nostalgic Americana music to focus on what it means to be “American,” living in a place filled with a wide variety of cultures, people, and experiences.  The beautiful fusion and the chaotic clashing of our collected differences has been the inspiration for many artists to express their own "American experience" in their work. In this salon series titled, “This is America,” we explore it all- the beauty, the pain, the chaos and the harmony of what it's like to be an American.

The deadline for applications is March 15, 2024. There is no application fee. All applicants will be notified by April 15, 2024. The selected composer is expected to provide PDF copies of the music by email to CGNJ and the NBCO by September 1, 2024. CGNJ and the NBCO reserve the right not to award a commission.

To apply, send an email to NBCO_Commission@cgnj.org with “NBCO” as the subject and attach the following: (1) a PDF with a brief bio that includes an explanation of how you meet the eligibility requirements, (2) a PDF with a brief statement of how the commissioned work will respond to the theme, and (3) two representative scores (PDF) and links to corresponding recordings (mp3), which can be on a website or deposited in a dropbox. At least one of the submitted works should show the applicant’s ability to write for string quartet or the component instruments. Please direct any questions to NBCO_Commission@cgnj.org

For more information, please follow this link: www.cgnj.org.