What do teens who win BMI/ASCAP (music composition) do as next steps? Do they get their music performed and if so, how do they do that? Thanks much in advance.
Usually winners of BMI/ASCAP are already getting their works performed. It’s a rare bird who wins with midi only.
How to get live performances? Get together a group of friends, contact your school or youth orchestra ensembles, attend summer programs or pre-college prep programs, hire musicians, submit to calls for scores and competitions, network, network, network.
I see in another thread that your son is studying composition at a local conservatory. Conservatories usually have opportunities for performances of their students’ work. He should talk to his teacher about it.
If you’re talking about professional commissioned performances - I suggest your son joins the American Composers Forum https://composersforum.org/ and regularly looks through and submits to the opportunities listed there for members. Especially ones with upper age limits, or for a particular instrument he may have written for.
Thanks for the suggestions. I will reach out to the school orchestra. I should have thought about that!
Edited:
Thank you for the link to the American Composers Forum! I will pass it on to my son.
When my daughter was in precollege she and her quarter were sometimes hired by young composers to perform or record their work.
Here is a list that the Walden School provides to students (Walden is a summer program in NH):
http://waldenschool.org/about-us/community-resources/competitions-awards-and-calls-for-scores/
Spirit Manager really covered the ways that high schoolers can get music played. Sometimes a teacher will help, sometimes musicians in the community will volunteer or play for a low fee.
It can be really exciting for a high schooler to get the kind of recognition that a BMI or ASCAP brings. But there are many years of hard work ahead to really develop as a composer. He can make sure he has a few live performances for a portfolio for applications and think about whether he wants a conservatory/music school or university/college environment as the next step.
Congratulations to him and good luck!
Thanks! He is only 14 and in middle school so college/conservatory is still so far away. Since we are ignorant about music, I thought I would ask. What are the other competitions where he can send his work to? So far he sends it to MTNA, ASCAP, BMI, Tribecca, and Robert Avalon. MTNA has bombed every year though the others have had successes.
I PM’ed you.
MTNA is usually an easy one, depending on the state, so keep trying. The link I provided above has a list of competitions.
But overall, real development can come with a teacher and performances. Competitions that provide performances are worthwhile, along with summer programs- for the sake of getting pieces played. But my personal opinion is that getting too focused on competitions can be unhealthy. Many worthwhile pieces of music do not win in these competitions, which can be subjective. And the work of composing has value in itself without winning contests. But that is just my take, and some agree, some don’t.
Since your son is so young he still has a few years in the younger divisions of BMI and ASCAP.
In the meantime, see if he can get connected to a teacher who can provide performance opportunities.
Good luck!
I am in absolute agreement with @Compmom about competitions and their inherent lack of value. My son stopped submitting to competitions years ago. The only use for them is to either get some money, which is always handy, and to get pieces performed - but not all competitions provide performances. There is not much value beyond that, except possibly some networking opportunities and something to put on a resume if you need something to put on a resume. Entering calls for scores would be more useful - if it meant an ultimate performance opportunity.
I also feel that a high school student (or younger), and even a college student, shouldn’t be too concerned about either winning competitions or even approbation - this is the time to explore, expand and experiment. The reason getting performances is important is just that it’s part of the learning process for a composer - they need to hear what the music they write sounds like when performed by others.
I was just thinking about this issue for a 14 year-old, who perhaps does not yet have the maturity to develop in the ways we are thinking of-? Perhaps competitions are a way to keep composing more “fun” for a middle schooler, much like sports or math team or drama guild. But the danger is in getting wrapped up in winning in what is an art form, not a sport 
This issue is prominent in the young dancer world. Development of technique over several years, versus the more short term satisfaction of competitions. The competitions can distract from the essence of the art, but at the same time, for younger girls, they certainly do keep the kids dancing and serve as a motivator, however short term.
Thank you for the guidance. As I said, we are novices when it comes to music, and it helps when we hear from people with experience. For him, the competition deadline is when things actually get done. For example, his last piece was really written in the 3 days (two weekend days and one day of skipped school) right before the deadline. He procrastinated till then writing and rewriting just a few bars. Then he wrote in one sitting 25% of the piece each day. Didn’t get a chance to show it to his teacher and just submitted it straight up. That’s why I like competitions, as that provides a timeline to get things done. Otherwise he will never get anything produced, and will have many drafts that got started, infinitely revised, and not finished.
It doesn’t really matter if he finishes anything at his age. A thought here, a few measures there, are perfectly fine. Rewriting the same measure a 1000 times could be as useful as writing a 1000 measures. It’s the time for him to just dream and play. He’s already getting pieces performed through his programs, and will probably have assignments of some sort from his teacher, yes? But, yes, I agree, deadlines certainly can be fruitful - especially if allowed to skip school to finish a composition! And the positive feedback from a successful submission can help a young artist feel valued in what they’re doing. Just keep in mind that composition competitions at his age are not going to make or break his career as a composer. It might be different for a concert pianist…
We did get advice early on that one should avoid writing a piece to meet the requirements of a particular competition - but instead only enter competitions which fit the pieces one had already written, or wanted to write. Only rarely has my son skipped that advice, and usually at the strong urging of someone involved with the competition itself which in its own way was just trying to commission him.
I think that the deadline as motivator makes perfect sense and revising, re revising, re re revising can be a problem for many artists and writers. Personality and age are big factors here and so competitions really work for him. He can access the link I posted and find all kinds of competitions and surely the incentives will help him write enough to progress.
Again, it takes maturity to value slow development over time and he will of course gain that every year. Some people are achievers and not contemplaters, especially at 14.
So I really do amend my first opinion: he should just make sure he realizes there are pitfalls to competitions in terms of getting dependent on external motivators rather than doing the work he himself values.
But at his age, let him have at it and enjoy the contests, especially since they help him finish pieces!
For my son, the thing that made the difference wasn’t competitions, but going to a good summer program. In his case it was BUTI, but there are others (and there are many threads about this).
I just logged on to say summer programs!!! Hunt is absolutely right.
And either a longer summer program so your son can write a full piece, or a program that allows performance for a piece already written.
Getting pieces played is a problem for many years, unless the composer is in school or highly successful with commissions.
You can also pay professional musicians for a reading. Readings can be just as helpful as a performance for a student to learn from a piece.