Opportunities for Composers and Performers
Taxi Performances
Who: For Illinois-based performers and composers.
What: Paid recitals (Taxi performances) of contemporary chamber music.
How: We will be accepting proposals for these performances and offering an additional $250 micro-grant to ensembles commissioning new works written by an Illinois-based composer for the Taxi performance. Preference will be given to programs including vocal works, vocal/instrumental collaboration, music composed since 2000, and music by Illinois-based composers.
When: The submissions portal will open on October 14, 2024.
Preview of Taxi Concert Application Questions
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Name of the Ensemble/Soloist
Contact person for the ensemble/soloist
Contact email for the ensemble/soloist
Ensemble/Soloist Website
Where in Illinois are you based?
Instrumentation for the Ensemble
Provide a brief bio for the performer(s)/ensemble
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Name of the proposed program for ETF '25
Please submit title, composer, instrumentation, length, and indicate if a piece is a premiere for each piece on the program.
Total duration of program.
Provide a brief description of your program.
Will your ensemble be requesting the addition $250 microgrant for a composer commission?
If yes, please tell us more about the proposed piece and your collaboration with this composer
Does your proposal include voice?
If yes, please tell us more about the proposed piece and your collaboration with this composer.
Does your proposal include voice?
If yes, is this a vocalist you have worked with before?
Please talk about your connection with the singer.
Please explain any theme or unifying factor in your program. Why did you choose the pieces you did? How do they come together or contrast?
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Please provide one piece of documentation of your ensemble either through uploading it or through a link in the field below. The work sample may be either video or audio, and should be no more than five minutes in length.
Link to work sample(s)
Please provide details on any equipment you will need (electronics, playback, microphones, etc.)
Anything else we should know about your program’s tech requirements?
Are there any dates you are not available to perform between October 3rd-19th, 2025?
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Have you performed at ETF before?
If yes, when and in what capacity?
Please tell us anything else you think we should know about this concert proposal. Thank you!
Commission Micro-Grant Features
Micro-Grants (MGs) are $250 grants awarded to Taxi Concert ensembles in support of a NEW COMMISSION by an Illinois-based composer on their program.
DETAILS:
The MGs will be paid directly to the ensemble in addition to their performance stipend for the concert.
The intended use of the MGs money is to offset the commissioning fee for the new work and therefore must be paid to the composer. It is the ensemble’s responsibility to pay the composer.
MGs will not be awarded for programming work by any Composer Showcase or Anchor Performance composers.
Ensembles are welcome to apply for other grants and support for this new commission and may list ETF as a supporter of the commission.
The work must not have been performed by the ensemble prior to ETF.
Special consideration will be given to works that align with the theme of the festival, and the collaboration of vocal and instrumental music.
Accent Concerts
Who: Accent Concerts are open to ensembles and performers not selected for any of the other categories of ETF concerts performing in Chicago from October 20th - November 2nd, 2025.
What: A citywide map of new music in performances in Chicago!
How: Notify us of your performance details, and we will promote your event by including it in the festival programming and advertising!
When: Submission for the Accent Concerts Calendar will open at the beginning of 2025.
Composer Showcase
Applications are now closed, and we will announce the selected composers in October. Thank you to all who applied!
Who: Illinois-based composers.
What: Ear Taxi will hold four concerts performed by four chamber ensembles, each paired with vocal artists. Five composers will be commissioned and paired with an ensemble for each event, resulting in twenty commissioned composers. Selected composers will be given a $350 stipend.
How: To participate, composers are asked to submit a proposal for a NEW work they would like to write for one of the following ensembles:
Lake Shore Rush (piano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, saxophone) + Voice type of composers choosing
Quintet Attacca (wind quintet) + Voice type of composers choosing
KAIA String Quartet +Voice type of composers choosing
Solo Voice and Piano (voice type of composers choosing with piano)
When: The application is now closed. We will announce selected composers in October 2024. Thank you to everyone who applied.
You can view a recording of our webinar about the Composer Showcase application here:
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The Composer Showcase timeline is as follows:
October 2024 - Commissioned composers announced
July 1, 2025 - Scores and parts due
October 3-19, 2025 - Performances
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Composer Showcase Submission Details
Which ensemble are you applying to write for?
Kaia String Quartet + singer
Voice + piano
Lakeshore Rush + singer
Quintet Attacca + singer
Any of the above
Have you worked with this ensemble before?
Where in Illinois are you based?
Please provide a brief description of the piece you are proposing to write. (max 50 words)
Which voice type are you writing for?
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Baritone
Bass
Spoken word/Narration
Any of the above
Do you have a specific singer in mind?
Are you open to a different singer of similar voice type?
Have you worked with this vocalist before?
Proposed length of piece (in minutes) (Minimum: 5 minutes. Maximum: 10 minutes)
Provide a detailed description of your proposal. You may wish to include a discussion of the project’s inspiration, text, intent, motivation, instrumentation, use of extended techniques, and/or any other details you find relevant to your proposal. (max 500 words)
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Please attach
Artistic Resume
300-500 word bio
Work sample (2-3 pieces) submissions can be of any length, but reviewers will only listen to 10 minutes total, please indicate what you would like reviewers to listen to by providing timestamps and corresponding measure numbers for each work sample.
For each sample please provide a score (PDF)
For each sample please provide a recording (MIDI is acceptable) .wav, .mp4, .mp3, link to playback (YouTube, Soundcloud, etc.) or Google Drive or Dropbox link. Make sure it is NOT password protected!
Have you participated in an ETF Before?
If yes, in what capacity
What excites or interests you most about this ETF? (Feel free to focus on your interest in the collaboration between instrumental and vocal music.)
