ABO Sirens 2022 Information Pack
"Frequently ignorance is the main issue around music by women. The essential thing is for people to hear their works. When these lovely pieces are heard, there is no more reason for omitting them. Roll on inclusion"
Diana Ambache
What is the ABO Sirens fund?
The ABO Trust received a donation of £200,000 in 2016 from Diana Ambache to support the costs of the Sirens fund, to encourage the programming of works by historical women composers for a 10 year period.
Annual grants are allocated according to the range and value of each project. Each year up to £19,000 will be shared between 4 to 5 projects for concerts, tours, recordings and education work deemed to be doing most to advance and promote the understanding of music by women. These will be selected by a panel agreed between the ABO and Diana Ambache. Orchestras are encouraged to use Women of Note as a resource, which lists orchestral music by historical women composers. The Sirens catalogue has been updated in 2022 to include a more diverse range of historical females composers. Please note that this is not an exclusive list and please let us know if you have works which you have discovered which you suggest should be added. Diana Ambache is also available to talk about the works, please contact the ABO for further information.
The BIG LIST of Women Composers is an ever-expanding list featuring more than 5,000 women composers from pre medieval composers to 21 century singer songwriters. The list is searchable for orchestral music but does not provide orchestrations.
Eligibility
• The scheme is open to full and associate members of the ABO
• Pieces should be for orchestra including opera and choral works that require an orchestra. We are defining an orchestra as an ensemble of 12 or more including a minimum of one orchestral instrument.
• Priority consideration will be given to projects showing substantial profile raising of female works, work that addresses a significant gap in provision, challenges contemporary attitudes, and takes an enterprising approach to influencing people
• Please note that if the composer is still alive the piece will be ineligible. Pieces by living women composers may be included in the programme, as long as the historical piece is the main work for which you are seeking funding.
Criteria
When assessing applications to this fund, we will be considering the potential short and long term impact of the applicant’s approach to programming the piece. This will include demonstrating:
• The potential for the piece and the way it is programmed for the audience to appreciate exploring new horizons, expanding the available repertoire and offering associated learning and participation work
• The approach to the programming and promoting of the work within the orchestra’s planned artistic season and also beyond the main publicity, recordings, broadcasts and other avenues
• What is the significance of the music?
• A strong PR/marketing plan and if applicable, associated learning and participation work
• The application deadline is 5pm, 28 February each year, and the works should be programmed within two years from the deadline year.
• This fund will be reviewed annually to ensure it is fit for purpose. If you are successfully funded two years in a row, you need to leave a year’s gap before applying again.
• Applications must be made by the orchestra and all grants awarded via this fund will be paid direct to the orchestral organisation.
We reserve the right not to award all the available funds (£19,000) each year.
What can be funded?
We will consider every application on a case-by-case basis. We are inviting orchestras to propose why they have selected the piece; what makes it a distinctive work and how they will programme it in their tour or season, ensuring engagement with a large audience. The panel is unlikely to award a project where the work is less than 10% the length of the concert. The more reach, including broadcasting, the more likely the panel will award a grant. Orchestras can apply for funding to help cover the following:
• Orchestral rehearsal time
• Music hire
• Performer fees
• Instrument Hire
• Promotion/performance of work
• Touring costs in the UK
• A combination of some of the above
What can’t be funded?
• New commissions
• Recording only
• International tours with no UK involvement
Funding application deadline
• The deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm, 28 February each year. All submissions must be completed using the grant application form. This is a downloadable document on the ABO website.
• The grant application should be emailed to Fiona Harvey.
• You will receive an acknowledgement email within two working days following your submission. If information is missing from your application form, the email will provide a report of outstanding information. You will be asked to resubmit the grant application if necessary.
Notice of Award
• If you are awarded a grant, you will receive notice of acceptance by email.
• You will be emailed an offer letter and asked for your bank details.
• Once you have returned your signed offer letter, payment of 80% of the grant will be made via BACS to your orchestra’s bank account. The remaining 20% will be paid on receipt and approval of your evaluation report.
• If you are not awarded a grant, you will receive an email informing you of this news.