How are works selected for the Hear Now Music Festival?
In the summer of each year, Hear Now sends out an open call to composers living and working in Los Angeles to submit a work for consideration in the following year’s festival. This includes works for the electroacoustic concert, the two chamber music concerts, and, in biennial years, the orchestra concert. A composer may submit works in one of the three categories. The submission process involves strict rules for anonymity — all materials submitted must be clear of the composer’s name. However, a confidential email listing the name of the work, the composer’s name and any other pertinent information is sent to the General Manager.
The General Manager codes all submissions with a unique number which is attached to the musical submission materials and assures that the scores and audio files submitted for review are anonymous. The GM alone retains the master list.
Once the submission deadline has passed, the submissions (scores and audio files) are distributed to the Artistic Committee, which rates the works according to the viability of presenting the work at the festival, artistic merit, and legibility of the performance materials (scores).
The Artistic Committee consists of the Artistic Director, Associate Artistic Directors, the Lyris Quartet, and 2 guest reviewers from outside the Hear Now associates.
The committee convenes for a final discussion and selection of the works for the festival program.
The Artistic Director, with advice from the Associate Artistic Directors, plans the final order of the programs.
Personal notifications are sent out to all composers who submitted works.
Updated October 2022
