2025 EC/21 Call for Scores

Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is pleased to invite applications for the 2025 emerging composers competition “New Voices in Michiana” 2025.  We invite emerging composers residing in the Michiana and Chicago area who are current students. Up to four compositions will be selected for premiere by the professional musicians of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 on March 28, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana. 

Timeline

• Submissions must be received via email by January 31, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST. They should be sent to ensembleconcept21@gmail.com.
• The selected composition will be announced by February 7, 2025. This work will be premiered at the concert “New Voices in Michiana” that Ensemble CONCEPT/21 will offer at Indiana University South Bend on March 28, 2025.
• Composers must confirm attendance to the rehearsals and concert and submit the parts no later than February 21, 2025 in order to have their works included in this program.

Eligibility

• Priority will be given to students enrolled in either high schools or colleges in the northern Indiana Michiana and Michiana areas (St. Joseph, Elkhart, La Porte, Marshall, and Starke Counties in Indiana and Berrien and Cass Counties in Michigan) as well as students residing in the city of Chicago. 
• Works should have never been publicly performed before and never published or awarded a prize in a competition.
• Compositions should be no more than 10 minutes in length.
• Compositions should be scored for a maximum instrumentation of flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, one performer in percussion, and piano. Smaller subsets of this instrumentation could be used, with a minimum ensemble requirement of three instruments.
• Incomplete, illegible, or late applications will not be considered. The winning composers must provide professional-quality, legible parts.
• The selected composers may be offered a scholarship for up to 18 credits of graduate study (subject to verification of minimum scholarship requirements in GPA/SAT and acceptance to the music composition program to start in the next academic year).

Application Process

• Composers should submit a PDF file of the score notated with digital software (Finale, Sibelius, Dorico, Musescore, etc.) via email to ensembleconcept21@gmail.com. The email should have the subject: “Application to the 2025 EC/21 Call for scores.”  The name, title of the work, and a short biography should be included in the body of the message. Manuscript scores will not be accepted.
• The score included in the PDF must be anonymous for distribution to the jury; they should bear no name or any reference that could be traced to the name of the composer. Non-anonymous entries will be disqualified. 

Selection Process

• The creativity, quality, and idiomatic instrumental writing of the score submitted will constitute the primary evaluation criteria. It is in the applicant’s best interest that the score be clear, accurate, and the best representation of the composer’s work.
• The winning selection for premiere in 2025 will be adjudicated by an outside juror, the ensemble performers, and the artistic director.

Support our mission of bringing the discovery of new music to all, while helping young composers in the Midwest have their works performed!

We are pleased to announce a wonderful season of concerts of new music for the 2024-2025 season!

Join Maestra Casey Robards and the talented musicians in the ensemble as we celebrate 10 years bringing new music to Michiana audiences and helping emerging composers in high schools and colleges share their talent. We have curated two wonderful programs for this year:

First, on October 18 and 19 at 7:30pm, and in partnership with South Bend Lyric Opera, Ensemble CONCEPT/21 will present at the Campus Auditorium of Indiana University South Bend two operas by American composer Lee Hoiby: Bon Appettit! and The Scarf. Visit the South Bend Lyric Opera website for more information and for ticketing. In addition to these two operas, Ensemble CONCEPT/21 will take you through memory lane to discover three remarkable emerging local composers that were featured by this ensemble in the past years: Hannah Azcuna, John Griffith II, and Eric Saroian.

These three stellar composers will become our first composition mentors in the history of Ensemble CONCEPT/21. They will guide the next generations of Michiana composers through a mentorship program that will assist them in their submission of new works to our 2025 Call for Scores.

On March 28, 2025, Ensemble CONCEPT/21 will feature the selected emerging composers from the call for scores together with a new commission by the ensemble to South Bend composer Jessica Carter. Her music has been described as evocative and lyrical by Aspire Magazine and Apricity Magazine, respectively, who is swiftly making a name for herself. Specializing in concert music, film scoring, and musical theatre, Jessica’s aim and goal in music is to intersect the relationship between vitriol and compassion through empathy, highlighting the lives marginalized children while deepening the universal understanding of the marginalized adult through a sonic engagement that extends the narrative of human nature and the message of hope. ​

This final concert will be offered at the Louise E. Addiccot & Yatish J. Joshi Performance Hall at Indiana University South Bend.

Support our educational mission to reach out to young and emerging composers in Michiana and help them realize their composition dreams!
Feel free to click on the button below in support of our 2024-2025 concert season. All contributions to Ensemble CONCEPT/21, Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the State of Indiana are tax-deductible.

It is with great pleasure that we announce today the selected works for the Spring 2024 Call for Scores of Ensemble CONCEPT/21.
Three works will be premiered and recorded on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 7pm CST at Columbia College Chicago and Friday, April 12 at 7pm EST at the Louise E. Addicott & Yatish J. Joshi Performance Hall at Indiana University South Bend:

“Concertino for Clarinet,” by Aidan Feeney
“Spring Rain,” by Victor Williams
“Swing,” by Ye-chong Yeon

In addition, three additional composers from our Fall Call for Scores will have their works premiered:

“Without You,” by Zach Kabacinski
“Rhapsody for Five Instruments,” by Víctor Vegas
“The Beacon,” by Mahima Vinay

Congratulations to all!

The program will be completed with the fabulous work by Murray Gross “Bailey’s Book of Proverbs.” The composer will be offering a masterclass at IU South Bend on April 11 and attend the rehearsal and concert on April 12.

We hope to see you there!

The New Voices in Michiana concert of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is been made possible in part by the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust, The Muessel-Ellison Memorial Trust Foundation, the Harvey R. and Doris Klockow Foundation, and the Stickley Scholarship Fund of the South Bend Area Music Teachers Association.

Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is pleased to invite applications for the second 2024 emerging composers competition “New Voices in Michiana” 2024.  We invite emerging composers residing in the Michiana and Chicago area who are currently enrolled in a higher education institution. Up to four compositions will be selected for premiere by the professional musicians of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 on April 2, 2024 at Columbia College Chicago and on April 12, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. 

Timeline

• Submissions must be received via email by January 31, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST. They should be sent to ensembleconcept21@gmail.com.

• The selected composition will be announced by February 5, 2024. This work will be premiered at the concert “New Voices in Michiana” that Ensemble CONCEPT/21 will offer at Columbia College Chicago on April 2, 2024 and at Indiana University South Bend on April 12, 2024.

• Composers must confirm attendance to the rehearsals and concert and submit the parts no later than February 17, 2024 in order to have their works included in this program.

Eligibility

• Priority will be given to students enrolled in either high schools or colleges in the northern Indiana Michiana and Michiana areas (St. Joseph, Elkhart, La Porte, Marshall, and Starke Counties in Indiana and Berrien and Cass Counties in Michigan) as well as students residing in the city of Chicago. 

• Works should have never been publicly performed before and never published or awarded a prize in a competition.

• Compositions should be no more than 10 minutes in length.

• Compositions should be scored for a maximum instrumentation of flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, one performer in percussion, and piano. Smaller subsets of this instrumentation could be used, with a minimum ensemble requirement of three instruments.

• Incomplete, illegible, or late applications will not be considered. The winning composers must provide professional-quality, legible parts.

• The selected composers may be offered a scholarship for up to 18 credits of graduate study (subject to verification of minimum scholarship requirements in GPA/SAT and acceptance to the music composition program to start in the next academic year).

Application Process

• Composers should submit a PDF file of the score notated with digital software (Finale, Sibelius, Dorico, Musescore, etc.) via email to ensembleconcept21@gmail.com. The email should have the subject: “Application to the Spring 2024 EC/21 Call for scores.”  The name, title of the work, and a short biography should be included in the body of the message. Manuscript scores will not be accepted.

• The score included in the PDF must be anonymous for distribution to the jury; they should bear no name or any reference that could be traced to the name of the composer. Non-anonymous entries will be disqualified. 

Selection Process

• The creativity, quality, and idiomatic instrumental writing of the score submitted will constitute the primary evaluation criteria. It is in the applicant’s best interest that the score be clear, accurate, and the best representation of the composer’s work.

• The winning selection for premiere in 2024 will be adjudicated by an outside juror, the ensemble performers, and the artistic director.

Jorge A. Muñiz, D.M.A.

Founder and President

Ensemble Concept/21

Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is excited to announce that we have received a new grant from The Harvey R. and Doris Klockow Foundation in support of our 2023-2024 season. Our most heartfelt thanks for this generous support in assisting our emerging composers in the Midwest!

Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is excited to announce that we have received grants from the Florence V Carroll Charitable Trust and the Muessel-Ellison Memorial Trust Foundation in support of our 10th anniversary 2023-2024 season. We are so grateful for their generous support in helping us lift the next generation of composers! Stay tuned for our upcoming events this season, including our New Voices in Michiana concerts on April 2 at 7pm Central at Columbia College Chicago and April 12 at 7pm Eastern at Indiana University South Bend.

2024 Call for Scores

Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is pleased to invite applications for the 2024 emerging composers competition “New Voices in Michiana” 2024.  We invite emerging composers residing in the Michiana and Chicago area who are enrolled or have been enrolled in music courses in a secondary or higher education institution and have not yet completed their Master’s degree. Up to four compositions will be selected for premiere by the professional musicians of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 on April 12, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. 

Timeline

• Submissions must be received via email by October 15, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST. They should be sent to ensembleconcept21@gmail.com.
• A first selection of works will be read by the ensemble in November 2023. Composers are required to attend this reading in order to later be considered for the premiere performance.
• A final selection of up to four compositions will be announced by February 5, 2024. These works will be premiered at the concert “New Voices in Michiana” that Ensemble CONCEPT/21 will offer at Indiana University South Bend on April 12, 2024.
• Composers must confirm attendance to the rehearsals and concert and submit the parts no later than March 1, 2024 in order to have their works included in this program.

Eligibility

• Priority will be given to students enrolled in either high schools or colleges in the northern Indiana Michiana and Michiana areas (St. Joseph, Elkhart, La Porte, Marshall, and Starke Counties in Indiana and Berrien and Cass Counties in Michigan) as well as students residing in the city of Chicago. 
• Works should have never been publicly performed before and never published or awarded a prize in a competition.
• Compositions should be no more than 10 minutes in length.
• Compositions should be scored for a maximum instrumentation of flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, one performer in percussion, and piano. Smaller subsets of this instrumentation could be used, with a minimum ensemble requirement of three instruments.
• Incomplete, illegible, or late applications will not be considered. The winning composers must provide professional-quality, legible parts.
• The top two selected composers may be offered a scholarship for up to 30 credits a year of undergraduate study at IU South Bend or 18 credits of graduate study (subject to verification of minimum scholarship requirements in GPA/SAT and acceptance to the music composition program to start in the next academic year).

Application Process

• Composers should submit a PDF file of the score notated with digital software (Finale, Sibelius, Dorico, Musescore, etc.) via email to ensembleconcept21@gmail.com. The email should have the subject: “Application to the 2024 IU EC/21 Composition Competition.”  The name, title of the work, and a short biography should be included in the body of the message. Manuscript scores will not be accepted.
• The score included in the PDF must be anonymous for distribution to the jury; they should bear no name or any reference that could be traced to the name of the composer. Non-anonymous entries will be disqualified. 

Selection Process

• The creativity, quality, and idiomatic instrumental writing of the score submitted will constitute the primary evaluation criteria. It is in the applicant’s best interest that the score be clear, accurate, and the best representation of the composer’s work.
• An outside juror will evaluate the scores during the first round. Up to six semifinalists will be selected for a workshop reading in November.
• The winning selection(s) for premiere in 2024 will be adjudicated by the ensemble performers and the artistic director. Up to four finalists will have their compositions performed in concert in April.

Jorge A. Muñiz, D.M.A.

Founder and President

Ensemble Concept/21

Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is pleased to announce that Maestra Casey Robards has been appointed as the Artistic Director of Ensemble CONCEPT/21. As the ensemble embarks on its 10^th season, With her successful career and expertise in conducting and performing new music, Maestra Robards’s leadership will take the ensemble to its next chapter.  Her creativity and dynamism will spearhead EC/21 into a successful next 10 years. 

The mission of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 is to produce professional concerts presenting inclusive programming, to educate wider audiences on most recent art music, and to provide a platform for young composers of diverse backgrounds to develop their individual voices. Dr. Robards brings immense energy to this mission as the ensemble becomes the incubator for new music of the next generation of Northern Indiana composers.

Stay tuned for an announcement of our 2023-2024 celebratory season later this summer!

Korean American adoptee, Casey Robards is a music director, pianist and vocal coach known for her sensitive musicality, expert collaborative skill, stylistic versatility and operatic conducting. She has given recitals throughout the United States, Europe, Central and South America and Asia. 

Robards’ emerging career as a conductor includes guest conducting Three Decembers and The Gift with South Bend Lyric Opera, Carmen with MOSI (Music On Site, Inc.) and Die Zauberflöte, La Traviata, La Bohéme, Schicchi/Suor as Main Stage conductor at the Bay View Music Festival. In 2023 she was appointed music director of Ensemble Concept 21, a Midwest chamber group that promotes new works by emerging and established composers. She was music director for Derek McPhatter’s Water Riot in Beta, a work that draws on the under-acknowledged legacy of Black voices in Punk, Electronic, and experimental contemporary music production to highlight climate anxiety and eco-grief. Robards was associate music director of the world premiere of “BOUNCE: The Basketball opera” co-produced with Ardea Arts and University of Kentucky. At the University of Illinois, she has conducted student performances of Lucia di Lammermoor and premieres of operatic works by Jiwon Hahn/Jolie O’Dell and Caleb Liddell.

Robards’ 2021-23 recitals include duo performances with Ollie Watts Davis, LaToya Lain, Karen Slack, Charis Peden, Courtney Huffman, Kenneth Overton, Brian Downen, Salley Koo and Bernhard Scully as well as work with the National Chorale and American Spiritual Ensemble. She currently tours with singer LaToya Lain in a “Narrative of a Slave Woman,” a dramatic and moving lecture-recital formatted program of Negro spirituals and Ollie Watts Davis in an art song recital “Toward Justice and Shared Humanity: Art Song of Black Composer as Lens, Language, Vision and Hope.” Robards made her Carnegie Hall debut in November 2017 with baritone Christiaan Smith in a program singing popular Top 40 songs as art song. Robards created a “Shakespeare Cabaret,” an interdisciplinary theatrical project featuring contemporary art song by Glen Roven. She was pianist/coach for the premiere workshop and production of This Little Light of Mine, an opera based on the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, with Santa Fe and Kentucky Opera.

Robards has special interest in piano and vocal music by Black composers, having experience in Black sacred music genres. She is the foremost expert on the life and music of John D. Carter (1932-1981). Dr. Robards wrote a chapter on collaborative piano for “So You Want to Sing Spirituals” published by Rowman & Littlefield.  Interested in the intersection of music and social justice, Robards has created benefit recitals for MUSICAMBIA, a non-profit organization that creates music conservatories in prisons. 

Currently on the faculty of the University of Illinois, previous appointments include vocal coaching and collaborative piano at Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory (postdoc) and Central Michigan University. She has been on the faculty of the Bay View Music Festival since 2008.

Robards was pianist on three recent CD releases celebrating ecomusicology, new music, and diverse styles: “Botanica: music for oboe and English horn” with Sara Fraker (MSR Classics), “Chinese Fantasies” with violinist Fangye Sun (Blue Griffin) and “Figments Vol 3” (Navona Records) with John Dee, oboe and Bernhard Scully, horn. 

Robards received the Henri Kohn Memorial Award for outstanding achievement at Tanglewood Music Festival. As a pianist/coach, Robards was a NATS Professional Intern, a Songfest Professional Development Program Participant and as a conductor, a participant in the Banff Opera in the 21st Century program. Professional memberships include IKCAS (International Keyboard Collaborative Arts Society), NATS, Maestra, MUSE, Deus Ex Musica, and the National Opera Association (Chair of the Sacred in Opera Initiative).

The 2022-2023 season of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 was made possible in part by the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust.

Looking forward to our reading session this Thursday, May 11 from 3 to 5pm at the Louise E. Addicott & Yatish J. Joshi Performance Hall at IU South Bend! EC/21 with Maestra Casey Robards will be reading works by Donald Brittain, Samuel Scheele, Peyton Trowbridge, Clara Hooton, Biddyclair Moore, and Ari Bertuflo Schwartz.

Come out and hear Ensemble CONCEPT/21, conducted by Maestra Casey Robards in their final concert of their 2022-2023 season! The program “New Voices in Michiana” was created to support the most talented young voices in music composition is now in its ninth year. This year, the concert will feature premiere performances of compositions by the winners of the 2023 EC/21 Call for Scores: 

“Halves and Pairs,” by Miles Carroll
“nocturne no. 1 – portrait of night grief,” by Zachary Paul Flasch
“Invocation of Eternal Voices,” by Kyle Rivera

In addition, EC/21 will perform the magnificent “One Mo’ Time” by the 2021 Pulitzer Prize winner, Cuban American composer Tania León and the world premiere of the guitar-piano version of “Urban Lines, an Electric Guitar Concerto” by the Argentinian American composer Gustavo Leone.
Tickets are $7 (cash only) at the door and free to all students.

The 2022-2023 season of Ensemble CONCEPT/21 and this concert are made possible in part by the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust.