Irish Chamber Orchestra / CMC: €10,000 Paid Composer Commission — Irish-Connected Composers, 16 Nov 2026
PAID PROFESSIONAL COMPOSITION COMMISSION — €10,000 FOR THE SELECTED COMPOSER. The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO), working with the Contemporary Music Centre (CMC), has issued an official invitation to submit proposals for a new orchestral work. This is not an unpaid workshop, a volunteer invitation, or a competition in which simply entering earns a fee. The organizer will SELECT a composer to create a new eight-to-ten-minute piece for string orchestra and pay a stated €10,000 commission fee. The successful work is intended to premiere during ICO's 2027/28 season.
Eligibility: born on the island of Ireland or based there for three consecutive years
The official call is restricted to composers either born on the island of Ireland or based there for at least three consecutive years. The island of Ireland includes Northern Ireland as well as the Republic; this is an Ireland-connected eligibility rule rather than an unrestricted global call. Applicants who have only recently moved to Ireland, or who work solely abroad and were not born on the island, should not assume they qualify. The organizer welcomes applicants regardless of age and numerous personal characteristics, subject to these location-linked conditions.
The musical commission: string orchestra 5.5.4.3.1, 8–10 minutes
The commissioned work should last between eight and ten minutes and be scored for string orchestra in the specified 5.5.4.3.1 formation. It will draw on the theme of unity, possibilities for the future of a shared island, and the Contemporary Music Centre's fortieth anniversary. This is an opportunity for established or emerging professional composers with the track record and materials required to prepare a genuine orchestra score, rather than an invitation to submit unfinished improvised audio with no score.
Real payment terms: €10,000 commission, one composer selected
The announced fee is €10,000 for the commissioned composition. The cash payment is remuneration for the successful creator's work; it is not a minimum wage, fee per submitted proposal or a €10,000 award promised to every applicant. Detailed instalment dates, rights in the score and recordings, exclusivity, and future performance licensing should be reviewed in the eventual commissioning agreement. If the €10,000 fee is contingent on deliverables, clarify that before acceptance.
Time-sensitive deadline: November 16, 2026 at 12:00 noon, Irish local time
The proposal form must be submitted no later than Monday, November 16, 2026 at 12:00 noon Ireland time. The composer is expected to be selected in mid-December 2026, with finished score and parts due in August 2027. The orchestra's first performance is scheduled for its 2027/28 programme. Because this is a firm midday deadline, overseas applicants with an eligible Irish connection must convert the time zone carefully.
Submission packet: proposal, two full string scores, recordings and CV
Use the official Airtable application form linked from the organizer's call. Submit a proposal describing the planned composition in no more than 1,200 words; two recently completed FULL original string scores in PDF format, not excerpts; a performance or electronic realization recording link for each score; and a CV including composition credits and relevant experience. The public article does not specify an entry fee or deposit; confirm whether any financial conditions apply with the organizer before submission.
How selections are made
The stated selection weights are artistic merit and originality of the proposed work (40%), suitability of the proposal to the commission (40%), and the candidate's track record (20%). The selection panel includes a person from Ireland's new-music community, an ICO representative and orchestral management, with CMC administering the process. The published criteria make it practical to tailor a realistic string-orchestra proposal to this exact engagement.
Official call and organizer contact
Irish Chamber Orchestra official announcement and link to proposal form: https://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/whats-on/news/call-for-proposals
The organizer provides the contact kfennell@cmc.ie for queries. This independently edited notice was verified October 30, 2026. Read the original fee, eligibility and future-contract rules before applying; the commissioning partners' current information controls.