2024/2025 International Call for Works

OSSIA welcomes submissions from composers worldwide! Each year, we receive hundreds of applications, and selected pieces will be performed in our upcoming concerts with full support from OSSIA for their premiere.

International Call for Works Guidelines

  • Composers age 35 and under, as of January 1st, 2025, of all nationalities, are encouraged to apply.

  • There is no entry fee, and works may have been previously performed. Current Eastman students, alumni of Eastman’s Composition Program, and composers who have been full-time composition faculty at a college or university for more than three years are ineligible to apply.

  • OSSIA invites the submission of works involving unusual performative demands; composers are encouraged to view our current season program.

A panel consisting of members of OSSIA New Music will evaluate the pieces and choose the winning entry. All applications must be completed and received by January 1st, 2025 (11:59pm ET).

Submission link:

Apply for OSSIA International Call for Works 2024-25!

  • Works should be between 5–12 minutes in duration.

  • Works should involve 3-12 players.

  • The use of electronics (i.e. audio playback or live processing) with instruments is acceptable. If submitting a work with electronics, please provide documentation describing how processing and diffusion needs to be done. 

  • Works of any style, aesthetic, and notation will be considered. However, works for mixed ensemble are preferred.

  • Only one entry per composer.

  • Submissions may have been performed previously, but pieces that have been publicly performed and/or recorded by a non-university, professional ensemble are ineligible.

  • Previous winners of the OSSIA Call for Scores are ineligible.

  • Works must be submitted anonymously—no information that indicates or suggests the name or affiliation of the composer can appear anywhere on the score, recording of submitted work.

  • Scores, recordings, and other materials should be uploaded to a cloud sharing service such as Dropbox or Google Drive and links should be provided on the entry form.

  • A $900 honorarium will be awarded to the winner.

The following instruments are available: 

Flute (Piccolo, C, Alto, Bass)

Oboe/English horn

Clarinet [E-flat, B-flat, A, Bass] 

Saxophone [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone]

Bassoon/Contrabassoon 

Horn

Trumpet

Tenor/Bass Trombone

Euphonium 

Tuba

Percussion; please see below for available instruments

Harp

Guitar

Piano

Keyboard synthesizer/Harpsichord/Celesta

Voice [Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass]

Violin

Viola

Cello 

Contrabass

Percussion instruments available: Vibraphone, Marimba (5.0, 4.3), Glockenspiel, Timpani (32, 29, 26, 23), Snare drum, Bass drum, Cymbals, Wood blocks, Triangle, Bongos, Congas, Tambourine, Xylophone, Almglocken, Shakers, Claves, Maracas, Guiro, Rain stick, Ratchet, Anvil, Glass bottles, Crotales (2 octaves), Cowbell, Chimes, Tam-tam, Thai gongs

Percussion instrumentation that veers outside this list will be subject to consideration by the OSSIA New Music Board.