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Applications open for BAN BAM Commission & Development Award

Improvised Music Company (IMC) are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the BAN BAM Commission & Development Award 2025. This is the third edition of a commissioning and career development opportunity open to Irish-based female and gender-minority composers in Ireland, who are making work in jazz or improvised music.

Improvised Music Company’s BAN BAM initiative began in 2017 through research and a one-day festival to address a visible gender imbalance in the Irish jazz scene.

In 2020, IMC and Moving On Music came together to launch a BAN BAM commission and development opportunity for female and gender-minority artists across the island of Ireland. The selected composers - Úna Monaghan, Sue Rynhart, & C.V. Lunny wrote new works which, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic were developed in late 2021 into site-specific audio-visual projects.

2023 saw the next round of BAN BAM commissions, with Carole Nelson, Meilana Gilard and Bianca Gannon selected for the award. Their new works premiered in Dublin in January 2024, with further performances in Belfast, Manchester Jazz Festival, and upcoming at London Jazz Festival.

For 2025, two composers will be selected to create new work, with guaranteed performances in Dublin and Belfast during 2025.

The deadline to apply for this opportunity is Monday 25th November 2024.

The BAN BAM award includes the commission of new work from the selected composers, and creative and career development support for a 12 month period.

Music Commission:
This commission is open to female and gender minority music makers who compose in the style of jazz, and/or all creative improvised music.

Applicants must be mainly resident on the island of Ireland.

Two composers will be selected from the applicants, assessed by a panel of music professionals on criteria outlined below.

Each awardee will receive a €2,500 commission fee, as well as 12 months of bespoke creative and career development support and consultation from IMC and selected industry professionals during 2025.

Compositional Guidelines:
The 2 awardees will each compose music for either solo, duo, trio or quartet.

The composed piece can be intended for a named ensemble (ie; within the duo, trio or quartet), which may include the composer.

Alternatively, instrumentation of the parts alone can be named, with personnel selected at a later date for performance.

The composed work should be approximate 10 minutes in length, with the possibility of extending the work via improvisation in performance.

The piece will be included in a 45 minute performance with your own other original work.

“Enjoying the freedom to take musical chances, to explore new sounds and ideas in extended compositions brought out the best in Gannon, Nelson and Gillard. The faith that IMC and MOM placed in these three outstanding artists was amply rewarded. A memorable evening whose ripples will likely be felt for some time to come.”
Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

Creative & Career Development
IMC view this commission to compose new work as a catalyst to further development, and are committed to working closely with the awardees over a 12 month period, developing potential avenues for the work, as well as offering mentorship, career guidance and creative consultation. This aspect of the award will run from January to December 2025 and will be developed to suit the individual needs and ambitions of each awardee.

Performances
The award includes guaranteed premiere performance in Dublin on 3rd April 2025, as well as a performance in Belfast during summer 2025.Separate performance fees will be allocated for all performers as per industry standard.

The award includes provision of rehearsal space at IMC’s The Cooler, as well as fees for all musicians to cover 2x rehearsal sessions per ensemble during March 2025.

Timeline
The closing date for application is 17:00hrs (GMT) on Monday 25th November, and the awardees will be announced in January 2025.

Late applications will not be accepted.

The new works will be premiered in Dublin on 3rd April 2025, with further performance in Belfast later in 2025.

With any queries relating to this opportunity, please contact us at hello {at} improvised music {dot} ie

DIVERSITY POLICY

The purpose of the award is to assist in increasing the presence of female and gender minority composers and instrumentalists within the Irish jazz and improvised music scene, and to support further collaboration and development.

We welcome applications from members of the LGBTQ+ communities, all POC and people of any and all ethnic backgrounds and members of the Irish Traveller community.

If you have additional access needs, need to submit your information in an alternate way or require support in applying, please contact us at admin [at] improvisedmusic [dot] ie, or send a text/whatsapp or voice note to Caitríona at (087) - 78 3 33 91.

The questions on the application form are available here in a document for reference purposes only.

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