A4TY: FOR BLOOMINGDALE STUDENTS

Our composition program inspires students to compose by guiding them through a process to develop and synthesize musical ideas into new works.

For young music students, the composer is perhaps the most remote figure in the musical process, either a famous name from the history books or little more than an afterthought. Professional composers often work directly with musicians, writing with their particular abilities in mind.

For both students and composers, it can be revelatory to participate in the process of creating and preparing a piece of music written for young performers. A4TY brings these two groups into direct contact, opening a window into each other’s working methods and creative process.

Students also perform each other’s works, increasing their exposure to new, original music and honing their ability to articulate musical ideas through the rehearsal process.

The A4TY Student Composing Project commissions professional composers to write new works for Bloomingdale School of Music. In addition, there is a Call for Scores from student composers in the Bloomingdale community. Now in its twenty-third season, the project was founded by Katy Luo and is currently curated by Josh Perry.

Workshoppers

Students participating in the workshops will receive:

• 3 Composition Workshops
  Sundays, November 8, November 15 & December 6, 2026, from 4:30–6:00 PM at Bloomingdale. Please note that these are not consecutive group dates.
• 2 One-on-One Composition Sessions
  Two 20-minute sessions with a composition teacher to help edit and further the piece. Sessions will take place during the 4:00–6:00 PM time window on November 22 & December 13. Individual time slots are TBD. Please note that these are not consecutive dates.
• 1 Feedback Rehearsal
  A 15–20 minute visit to hear performers play and rehearse the composer’s piece, with an opportunity for the composer to share feedback with the performers before the concert, if scheduling allows.
• Final Performance
  A live performance of the finished composition at Bloomingdale School of Music on Saturday, February 27, 2027. The composer will not perform their own piece, but the composition is guaranteed a spot on the concert and will be performed by other students in the program or school, based on level and experience.

Workshoppers Expectations

• Students will need to work on their compositions between each workshop. Time will not be added to lessons and any work completed during lessons must be included within currently scheduled lesson time.
• Each workshop builds consecutively on the previous one, so attendance at all workshops is required.
• Final pieces are due December 16, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted or considered.

Performance Only

Available to Bloomingdale private lesson students only

Students choosing the Performance-Only option will receive:

• A live performance of their finished composition on February 27, 2027. The composer will not perform their own piece, but the piece is guaranteed a spot on the concert and will be performed by other students in the A4TY program or students taking lessons at Bloomingdale, based on level and experience.

Performance-only Expectations

• Students will use 15 minutes of their private lesson time over 4–5 different lesson sessions, as needed and at the discretion of their private Bloomingdale teacher, to work on composing their piece.
• Time will not be added to lessons. Composition work must be included within currently scheduled lesson time.
• Students will need to work independently on their compositions between private lessons.

Please Note

• Students will not perform their own pieces, unless there is a special circumstance coordinated by the A4TY Director.
• One of the most special aspects of A4TY is that students perform each other’s pieces, not their own. Composers learn about interacting with performers during the rehearsal process.
• While we make every effort for students who compose pieces to also perform another student’s piece on their instrument of study, we cannot guarantee this. Students choose which instruments they compose for, and there are not always equivalent parts or levels available.
• Students who do not take private lessons at Bloomingdale will have their piece performed but will not be invited to perform another student’s piece due to preparation logistics. They will attend the concert and bow to be acknowledged as the composer after their piece is performed by Bloomingdale peers.
• Tickets for the February 27, 2027 concert will be sold separately closer to the concert date.

Pricing

A4TY engages outside teaching artists and Bloomingdale faculty and provides students with a culminating performance opportunity. For currently enrolled Bloomingdale students, the program is offered through a pay-what-you-can model.

The program is valued at $680 per student. We encourage families to consider the value of the program and what they are able to contribute toward these costs.

Suggested contribution levels:

• A4TY: $80
• A4TY: $150
• A4TY: $250
• A4TY: $360
• A4TY Full Cost: $680

Students who are not currently enrolled in lessons or classes at Bloomingdale may participate, based on space availability, at the $680 rate.