innova Recordings, the in-house recording label of American Composers Forum, invites artists to submit recording projects for this year’s Spring National Call. We welcome projects representing a variety of musical approaches and at various stages of the recording process. Applications will be accepted from March 15 to April 28, 2023, and will be reviewed by a panel of artist-curators (details below).
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
- There is no fee to apply or be on the label.
- Artists receive distribution, licensing, promotion, and maintain ownership of their music, plus 100% of sales profits.
- Artists receive support from innova for both the production and promotion of their music, at no cost, at every step of the process.
- Artists join as a cohort with facilitated guidance from innova and connection to ACF’s large artist community.
- ACF/innova provides introductions and referrals to a broad affiliate network interested in supporting diverse artists, including mixing/mastering, design, videographers, public relations and marketing, recording studio time, and physical manufacturing of CDs and vinyl.
- Naxos distributes recordings and works with multiple streaming platforms and media partners to ensure visibility.
Learn more about these offerings here.
We are grateful for our partnership with the Elizabeth and Michel Sorel Charitable Organization, whose mission is to expand opportunities and stretch the boundaries for women in music. Their generous funding helps us lift up artists who have been historically marginalized in the recording industry.
In addition to the support from ACF’s annual fund, innova Recordings receives endowed support from the McKnight Foundation.
ELIGIBILITY
This opportunity is for U.S.-based artists, including composers, creators, and performers (as individuals or groups).
American Composers Forum encourages applicants of all racial and gender identities to apply. We will hold space for women artists to be funded through the Sorel Organization. We invite artists from a full range of musical approaches and are committed to supporting a diverse pool of artists creating music today. For more information about ACF’s equity commitment, please read ACF’s Statement of Commitment to Equity.
HOW TO APPLY
Whether you have an idea for a project or a fully realized album ready to release, APPLY HERE and tell us about your music. The application portal will open on March 15 and close on April 28, 2023, at midnight.
innova Recordings Director, Chris Campbell and Manager, Tim Igel are available to artists seeking guidance on their applications or their recording projects. In addition, an information session about the application process will be held on Wednesday April 5 at 3 p.m. CT. You can register for the information session on Zoom here. A recording of the information session will be posted online for those not able to attend.
PANEL OF CURATORS:
KENNEDY TAYLOR DIXON
Described as a “vibrant musical voice,” Kennedy Taylor Dixon is a violist, composer, and scholar currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Composition at Princeton University. Her work has been heard at multiple national conferences and international festivals, including New Music on the Point, Bang on a Can, Electronic Music Midwest, and International Alliance for Women in Music.
Kennedy Taylor Dixon–Photo by Yaz Lancaster
KEN UENO
Ken Ueno is a composer, vocalist, and sound artist. His works develop the interstice between these three output modes. He creates unique spaces for audiences and ensembles to inhabit with the added focus of himself as a vocalist utilizing bespoke techniques (often with a megaphone). Ueno is currently a Professor in Music at UC Berkeley.
Ken Ueno–Photo courtesy EMPAC/Mick Bello
LAURA STEENBERGE
Laura Steenberge is a composer and performer from California, currently living in Asheville, North Carolina. Her work is situated at the crossroads of music, language, mythology, and ritual performance practice. Currently, she is working on solo improvisations for viola da gamba, transcriptions of 11th century Aquitanian chant, and chamber works that usually involve the voice.
Laura Steenberge–Photo by Boris Oicherman
JULIAN OTIS
Julian Terrell Otis is a creative vocalist/improviser, curator, and composer from Chicago. He has been a featured vocalist on works by George E. Lewis, Nicole Mitchell, and Angel Bat Dawid. His interests have led him to championing the vocal works of composers like Julius Eastman and Ben Patterson. He is currently working on his Creative Capital project Resolved: Critiquing Contemporary Music Through Improvised Performance. You can check out his work on Bandcamp!
Julian Terrell Otis–Photo by Elias Rios
ABOUT THE SOREL ORGANIZATION
The Elizabeth and Michel Sorel Charitable Organization Inc., a 501(c)(3) private foundation, was established in 1996 by pianist Claudette Sorel and named for her parents. The Sorel Organization (www.SorelMusic.org) is committed to expanding opportunities for women in music, amplifying the voices of underrepresented composers, advancing gender and racial equity, and broadening the classical music canon for future generations.
I CARE IF YOU LISTEN is an editorially-independent program of the American Composers Forum, and is made possible thanks to generous donor and institutional support. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author and may not represent the views of ICIYL or ACF.
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