The Ellis-Beauregard Foundation has announced the formation of a new award for composers of classical music, the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation Composer Award.

The awardee will receive a $20,000 commission to create a new orchestral work, to be performed by the Bangor Symphony Orchestra during its 2020-21 Season at the Collins Center for the Arts, according to a news release from the Rockland foundation.

The inaugural jury will include three leaders in the field of new music: composer Nico Muhly, composer Gabriela Lena Frank, and conductor David Alan Miller.

“Music was important to John David Ellis and Joan Beauregard who supported music and musicians throughout their lives,” said Ellis-Beauregard Foundation President Ellen Golden, according to the release. “The Ellis-Beauregard Foundation is excited to extend their commitment to music by launching this fellowship,” she continued. “We look forward to bringing new music and new opportunities to Maine.”

Speaking on behalf of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Music Director and Conductor Lucas Richman said, “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation on this initiative,” according to the release. “Supporting composers and the performance of new music is absolutely vital to the future of the symphony orchestra so we very much look forward to sharing the awardee’s final creation with our local and national audiences.”

The foundation has put out an open call for applications, with a deadline of Aug. 1. The awardee will be announced in October.

To apply, or for more information, visit ellis-beauregardfoundation.org.

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