The Lakes Area Music Festival is one of the fastest growing arts organizations in the nation. Set amongst the stunning beauty and lakeside recreation of central Minnesota, LAMF fosters the highest level of artistic excellence, while connecting its professional roster of musicians with a vibrant community of music lovers.
LAMF's 2024 Composer Fellowship Program will offer up to 3 composers of concert music with a paid fellowship in Brainerd, Minnesota. Selected fellows will be mentored by composer Jimmy López Bellido and work with members of the festival's roster, made up of over 200 musicians from the top orchestras and opera companies in the nation. Over the course of one week – July 29 through August 3, 2024 – fellows will workshop a vocal work, string quartet, and piece for orchestra with guidance from López. Additional opportunities are listed below.
We look forward to welcoming you to Minnesota this summer!
The program offers:
- 1 week of daily, immersive activities with LAMF’s roster of musicians from the nation’s top professional orchestras and operas
- Private and group instruction from composer mentor Jimmy Lopez Bellido
- Orchestra reading session and feedback with Christian Reif and LAMF symphony (instrumentation TBD)
- Multi-day string quartet workshop with the Thalea String Quartet, including performance
- Vocal session with LAMF Resident Artists
- Professional audio recording of orchestra reading, vocal session, and string quartet performance
- Career coaching session with international publisher/manager TBD
COMPENSATION:
- $100 per diem (totalling $800)
- Domestic flight, local transportation, and host accommodations
- Access to all festival rehearsals and performances
Application
The application deadline for our 2024 fellowship has now passed. Please check back in the fall for information about 2025 applications.
These is no fee to apply.
Materials:
In addition to completing the form above, please submit scores and audio* for 3 existing compositions, to: composer@lakesareamusic.org
If possible, please submit up to three works representing:
- Chamber music (preferably with strings)
- Vocal
- Orchestra
*midi-file is acceptable. If no recording is available, applicant may still send materials for consideration.
For questions about the application of this program please email artistic director Scott Lykins: scott@lakesareamusic.org
Up to three fellows will be selected. All applicants will be notified of decisions by the end of January 2024.
ELIGABILITY:
- This fellowship is open to concert music composers of all ages at the early stages of their professional careers.
- Applicants must be either a U.S. citizen or non-citizen lawfully and permanently residing or studying full-time in the United States.
- Applicants must be available to be in Brainerd, Minnesota July 28 through August 4 (includes travel dates).
- Selected fellows will write a new work for string quartet to be workshopped and premiered. Completed scores and individual parts for this work and other projects must be submitted to the LAMF librarian by July 1.
The selection panel for the 2024 composer fellowship program will include:
Jimmy López Bellido – Composer
Loki Karuna – Artistic Advisor, Lakes Area Music Festival; Director of Artist Equity, American Composers Orchestra
Christian Reif – Music Director, Lakes Area Music Festival
Kumiko Sakamoto – Violinist, Thalea String Quartet