Getting Started

How Do I Get My Music Performed?

Composers are a vital part of the larger musical community and must interact with other creative professionals to bring their works to life. Many performances occur as a result of being acquainted with performers, conductors, and others in the field, reputation, and promotion (among others). So, it’s natural that composers share ideas and engage their colleagues in collaborative efforts with performers, conductors, educators, directors, choreographers, and filmmakers.

In addition to your school colleagues with whom you collaborate, there are a number of composer resources you should know about that connect you with others around the country and provide you with opportunities to get your work out there. A few of them are: American Composers Forum, Meet the Composer, Society of Composers, and the National Association of Composers/USA.

There are also numerous performing arts service organizations with which composers should be acquainted. Some of them are:

American Composers Alliance (www.composers.com)
American Federation of Jazz Societies (www.afjs.org)
Association of Performing Arts Presenters (www.artspresenters.org)
Center for Black Music Research (www.cbmr.org)
Center for the Promotion of Contemporary Composers (www.under.org/cpcc)
Chamber Music America (www.chamber-music.org)
Chorus America (www.chorusamerica.org)
Conductors Guild (www.conductorsguild.org)
Dance/USA (www.danceusa.org)
International Alliance for Women in Music (www.iawm.org)
International Association for Jazz Education (www.iaje.org)
International Computer Music Association (www.computermusic.org)
Jazz Alliance International Inc. (www.jazzai.org)
Jazz Composers Alliance (www.jazzcomposersalliance.org)
Latin America Music Center (www.music.indiana.edu/som/lamc)
League of American Orchestras (www.americanorchestras.org)
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. (NARAS) (www.grammy.com)
National Association of Composers, USA (www.music-usa.org/nacusa)
Network for New Music (www.networkfornewmusic.org)
Opera America (www.operamerica.org)
Songwriters Guild of America (www.songwritersguild.com)
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (www.vlany.org)