Our signature program is the Luna Composition Lab Fellowship. Each year the Fellowship offers six young composers from across the country one-on-one mentorship with an acclaimed female, nonbinary, or gender-nonconforming composer.
The Fellowship is divided into three cycles:
- The fall focuses on creative exploration. Mentors guide fellows through conversations about form and style, directed listening, and score study as they explore new sonic landscapes together.
- Over the winter, lessons shift to prioritize the fellow’s new composition. During this time fellows hear the sketches of their work realized through a series of workshops with a professional ensemble.
- The spring focuses on refinement, with mentors coaching fellows towards the best possible version of their works.
The network of Luna Composition Lab Mentors is extensive, with over 15 acclaimed female, non-binary, and gender nonconforming composers who have provided mentorship across our six seasons. Our Mentors are the recipients of numerous accolades and awards including Pulitzer Prizes, Guggenheim Fellowships, Fulbright Fellowships and more. Many are professors in prestigious composition departments around the country, and all have advanced the field in significant ways. In addition to the fellowship mentors who are paired with recipients of the Luna Lab Fellowship program, Luna Composition Lab awards six Honorable Mentions each year, who receive a lesson and meeting with a professional composer.
The Luna Lab Fellowship culminates in a weeklong festival in New York City, which includes the world premiere performance of the fellows’ work in addition to attending performances, inspirational masterclasses, workshops, backstage tours, concerts, and networking events.
Previous guest artists have included:
2022–2023
- Imani Winds: Monica Ellis, Kevin Newton
- Reena Esmail
- Kronos Quartet
- Aeryn Santillan
- Jeff Beal
- Clara Warnaar
- Dawn Norfleet
- inti figgis-vizueta
- Therese Birkelund Ulvo
- International Contemporary Ensemble
2021–2022
- Nadia Sirota
- ChamberQueer: Jules Biber, Danielle Buonaiuto
- Allison Loggins-Hull
- Kronos Quartet
- David Harrington
- inti figgis-vizueta
- Jules Gimbrone
- Anthony McGill
- Writing for Opera Panel: Missy Mazzoli, Valerie Coleman, Brandie Inez Sutton
- Dawn Norfleet
- G. Schirmer: Peggy Monastra
- Alex Temple
- The Westerlies
2020–2021
- Jeanine Tesori
- Breanna Sinclaire
- Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti
- Andrew Yee
- Aeryn Santillan
- Fernanda Aoki Navarro
- Leaders in the Arts Panel: Peggy Monastra, Melissa Ngan
- Anna Meredith
- Zackary Drucker
- Valerie Coleman
- Tania León
- inti figgis-vizueta
- International Contemporary Ensemble: Rebekah Heller, Ross Karre
- Film Composition Panel: Jeff Beal, Kathryn Bostic
- Leaders in the Arts Panel: Jean Davidson, Derrick Skye, Jenny Wong, Meghan Martineau
2019–2020
- Sarah Hennies
- Caroline Shaw
- Nathalie Joachim
- Jennifer Koh
- Ashley Jackson
- Leaders in the Arts Panel: Elena Moon Park, Sarah Baird Knight, Peggy Monastra, Elena Park
2018–2019
- Julia Wolfe
- Toyin Spellman-Diaz
- Jennifer Koh
- Renée Fleming
- The Metropolitan Opera
- yMusic
- International Contemporary Ensemble: Rebekah Heller
2017–2018
- Du Yun
- Gabrielle Herbst
- Saili Oak
The network of alumni from the fellowship program includes young female, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming composers from all across the United States. 75% of the fellowship program’s alumni in college are studying composition, and 100% are involved in music. Alumni are now studying composition at Curtis Institute of Music, Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, The Juilliard School, New York University, Oberlin College, Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, SUNY Geneseo, the University of Southern California and Yale University.
In addition, alumni have received commissions from The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Louisville Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, loadbang, Opera Omaha, the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Special Music School Chorus, the American Composers Orchestra, Contemporaneous, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Mousai Remix, The May Festival, Intersection, pianist Shai Wosner, and violinist Johnny Gandelsman. In the 2022–2023 season, 100% of alumni of the fellowship program have been offered professional commissions.