Set up to support composers looking to take the next step in their career, nonclassical air (artist in residence) provides artists with the opportunity to showcase their music through Nonclassical events and releases, as well as further their professional development through workshops and mentoring. This programme is supported by the jerwood developing artists fund, prs foundation’s open fund, vaughan williams foundation, Samuel Gardner memorial trust and garrick charitable trust.

Open to unsigned and unpublished artists who display exceptional ability and potential, Nonclassical AiR is for emerging composers from any musical background and genre who would benefit from the support and development that the scheme offers.

Over the scheme, composers have the opportunity to:

• A paid commission (at MU rate or above) to write a 3-5 minute orchestral piece for Southbank Sinfonia or Her Ensemble, premiered as part of their 2025 programme.

• Support to develop notation skills / engraving for one composer with no classical training, with a budget of £1000.

• A paid commission of £2000 to write an open score piece for the Contemporary Music for All Festival.

• The opportunity to record a short piece for Nonclassical’s compilation series Outside the Lines.

• The opportunity to contribute to Nonclassical’s programme of curated events. 

• Professional mentoring, training and coaching sessions from established composers and industry figures and a qualified coach shaped around your interests, skills gaps and goals.

Previous Associate Composers have since received commissions from Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (hcmf//), BalletBoyz, LA Philharmonic, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra; as well as being Royal Philharmonic Society prize winners, received fellowships and residencies at Tanglewood Music Center and Snape Maltings, and been part of the LPO Young Composers Scheme.

Apply

Applications have now closed for Nonclassical AiR 2023-24. If you applied, the following shortlisting process will be taking place:

Eligible applicants will be selected and informed by Friday 29 September 2023, based on the following criteria:

• The craft and originality of submitted musical examples.

• Responses to our application questions.

• The perceived impact the scheme could have on the applicant’s career and artistic development.

• Seeking a diverse cohort of four to complement each other, in terms of musical styles, ethnicity, gender and age.

The shortlisting panel are: Gabriel Prokofiev, Natalia Franklin Pierce, Marcella Keating, Yung-Yee Chen, Sam Mackay, Shiry Rashkovsky, Ellie Consta, and Yfat Soul Zisso. Decisions will be made in line with Sound and Music’s Fair Access Principles.

All shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to request feedback. If you were not shortlisted, feedback will unfortunately not be available due to staff capacity.

Support

Thank you to all the supporters of our Associate Composers Commission Fund, raising funds to pay for four paid orchestral commissions as part of our 2021-22 Associate Composers Scheme.

If you would like to support the wider scheme click here.

Whether it’s a regular one or a one-off, your donations enable us to support the next generation of emerging artists.

• £250 can help deliver an Associate Composer mentor session.

• £1,000 can help support a new music commission.

• £1,500+ can help us to produce an Associate Composer curated event.

• £2,000+ can help support the recording, mastering and manufacture of a nonclassical release.

2023-2022 COMPOSERS

Beatrice Ferreira
Harry Górski-Brown
Nneka Cummins
NWAKKE

Find out more about them here>>

2021-2022 COMPOSERS

Atefeh Einali
Elischa Kaminer
Emily Abdy
Simon Knighton

Find out more about them here>>

2019-2020 composers

Dan Samsa
Yfat Soul Zisso
Blasio Kavuma
Lola de la Mata

Find out more about them here>>

2016-2017 Composers

Freya Waley-Cohen
Beni Giles
Charlotte Harding
Laurence Osborn

Find out more about them here>>

ASSOCIATE COMPOSER RELEASES

nonclassical air is supported by the jerwood developing artists fund, prs foundation’s open fund, vaughan williams foundation, Samuel Gardner memorial trust and garrick charitable trust.

nonclassical is grateful to our partners for their support of the programme.

Nonclassical would like to thank the following individuals for supporting the 2021-22 associate composers commission fund, and to our many individual supporters who prefer to remain anonymous.

we are also grateful to those who donated to our big give christmas challenge 2023.

Read more about the Associate Composer Commission Fund >>>