The Program

Lessons • Workshops • Performances • Recordings

Program Summary

Performance: Each participant will be invited to submit one work of up to five (5) minutes in length for the resident ensemble, the Borromeo String Quartet. All works will be premiered on an Alba Music Festival Wet Ink concert. Furthermore, the quartet will choose one composer to receive a commission to compose a new work as part of a future concert season. Participants will also be considered for reprise performances of their music by the quartet.
Professional Recording: Each participant will receive a professional, edited recording of their work as part of a dedicated recording session.

Private lessons: Participants receive one-on-one private composition lessons with our resident faculty who include Mary Ellen Childs, J Anthony Allen, and the 2020 Composer-In-Residence, Derek Bermel. Additional lessons may also be available, time permitting, with any of our visiting composers.
Masterclasses & Workshops: Daily workshops and masterclasses are led by the composition faculty, the Composer-In-Residence, visiting composers, and performers. These sessions focus on variety of topics, ranging from issues of craft, to professional career planning.

VIP Access: Participants will have complimentary, reserved seating at the evening festival concerts, as well as invitations to select, special events. We also include a complimentary tour of an area winery, complete with a wine tasting hosted by a local sommelier.
Future Opportunities: All alumni of the Alba Composition Program are eligible to receive a paid commission to compose a new work for a premiere as part of a future Alba Festival . In 2017, the first Alba Alumni Commission was awarded to 2016 alumnus, Jonathan Posthuma. Awards have since been given to Jesse Edwards and Nicky Sohn, both 2017 program alumni.

A Typical Day in Alba

Each day in Alba is filled with music and fellowship. Mornings consist of rehearsals and/or private composition lessons with the faculty. Typically we break for lunch at noon, followed by an afternoon composition masterclass/workshop held in the Alba Campus Center. Afterward there is time for private lessons, afternoon rehearsals, or simply rest. Alba Festival afternoon concerts are usually scheduled at 5:30 pm, followed by a break for an evening meal. At 9:00 pm, the Alba Festival evening concert usually takes place, often followed by socializing over wine and/or a late dinner, and, of course, gelato!

Student composers in 2010

Your Music: A Concert Performance

Program participants will be invited to submit one work, either pre-existing or newly composed, in any compositional style, of up to five (5) minutes for the resident ensemble. Works may be composed for the entire group, or for a subset of the group's instrumentation. Performance materials, professionally prepared, will be due for electronic delivery (PDF format) no later than March 1, 2019. All works will performed on one of the Alba Festival concerts dedicated to the work of living composers.

Violinist Erik Rohde performing in 2019

Your Music: A Professional Recording

One of the most valuable things for a composer is a high-quality recording. Thus, as part of the program, each participant will have his/her work professionally recorded in a dedicated session. These sessions will be coordinated in consultation with the program participants, the musicians, resident faculty, and the Composer-in-Residence. Each participant will receive an edited, twenty-four (24) bit stereo master of their music approximately one month after the completion of the festival. In addition, the unedited ProTools session files may be made available on request.

Private Composition Lessons

All participants will receive private, one-on-one, lessons with each member of the resident composition faculty and the Composer-in-Residence. Time permitting, additional lessons may also be available with any of the guest and visiting composers.

Daily Masterclasses and Workshops

Masterclasses and workshops, hosted by the resident composition faculty, the Composer-in-Residence, and guest composers, will be held each day in the music classroom of the Alba Campus Center. All classes and workshops will be topic based, ranging from elements of compositional craft to career issues. Example topics include contemporary counterpoint, orchestration, electronic and electroacoustic music, spectralism, performance practice, improvisation, promotion, publishing, copyright, recording, music industry, and academic career advice.

Composers during a masterclass in 2016

Electronic and Electroacoustic Music Production Day Camp (new for 2020)

We partnered with Slam Academy and faculty member J Anthony Allen to offer a one-day intensive electronic and electroacoustic music production course. featuring creative production tools Ableton Live, Max4Live, and Max/MSP. This is an optional add-on for accepted composition fellows at a substantially discounted rate or may be elected as a standalone package for anyone. Seats, however, are limited.

Housing, Meals, and Transportation

Due to the wide range of circumstances and needs of our applicants, the program is able to offer a discounted housing and meal package as an option. Participants are not required to enroll in this plan. We are also happy to assist those who wish to make their own accommodation arrangements. We are also happy to arrange a discounted private car/van shuttle service from major city airports and railway stations. Torino (Turin) is the most often used gateway for arriving and departing by air or rail. Turin is located about an hour and fifteen minutes from Alba by car. However, both Milan and Genova are also possible points of arrival and departure, each about two and a half hours drive from Alba.
Participants who take advantage of the housing/meal package will have one round-trip transfer provided (to/from Turin).

Facilities: The Alba Campus, Music School, Beppe Fenoglio Hall

Composition masterclasses and workshops are held in a remodeled classroom located in an important historical building. This building, known as the Alba Campus Center, also houses the administrative offices of the festival. During the day, participants will have access to this building, which contains several practice rooms with pianos, computers, and free high-speed WiFi. Private lessons are held in the campus center, or in one of the practice rooms or rehearsal spaces of the local music school which, houses a recently remodeled multipurpose hall named after Beppe Fenoglio, a famous 20th century Italian author and native of the region.

One of the practice rooms in the classroom building

The Alba Festival Classroom Building

Sala Beppe Fegnolio

Tuition and Fees

2020 Tuition: €2,395

This fee includes all elements of the program except travel, meals, and accommodation. An inclusive meal and accommodation plan is available (see below).
The tuition will be payable in three installments:

Refundable Deposit: €500 (due on acceptance to the program)
January 1, 2020: First Installment: €1,250
February 1, 2019: Final Installment: €645 (less any financial aid)

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Additional Options

Housing and Meal Package : €775

This package includes nine (9) nights of accommodation in Alba, single occupancy, from May 23 to June 1, and eight (8) days of meals from May 24 to May 31. This plan includes one round trip airpot/railway transfer from Turin (TRN). Details can be found here.

Electronic and Electroacoustic Music Production Day Camp: €395
€195 for accepted program fellows and program alumni

Two sessions (morning and afternoon) on Friday, May 22. The price includes breakfast and lunch. High speed WiFi access and demo versions of Ableton and Max will be available on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. A special coupon code for continuing online study through Slam Academy will also be provided. NOTE: Participants must bring their own laptop computer.

Auditor Only: €595 (apply here)

We also offer a special plan for those who wish to attend the festival, and take part in the masterclasses and Alba Festival concerts, but do not need or want private lessons, a performance or recording. Auditors will have access to the Alba Campus Center, priority seating at evening concerts, have access to the wine tasting and runout concerts. Auditors do not qualify for financial aid. No application is required but space is limited.

Auditor with Private Lessons: €1,250 (apply here)

This same benefits as an auditor with the addition of private lessons with each of the program faculty. No application is required but space is limited.

Refund Policy: All payments made to the program are fully refundable if a request to withdraw from the program has been made on, or before January 1, 2020. After this date, all payments received towards the program are non-refundable due to the advanced preparation and commitments made on the behalf of the participant. An exception to this would be: If unforeseen circumstances (i.e. "act of God", natural or otherwise) cause the festival and/or the composition program to be postponed or canceled. All funds paid toward the program would be refunded in full to the participants.

The interior of Sala Beppe Fegnolio

The program