APPLY to MOSTLY MODERN FESTIVAL Institute

Hear your music performed professionally and receive a high-quality archival audio file of your piece and a link to a multi-camera video on AME's YouTube channel. Mostly Modern Festival (MMF) is a three-week summer festival in Saratoga Springs, New York, and is the summer home for American Modern Ensemble. MMF hosts the Mostly Modern Festival Institute, an intensive for composers, performers, vocalists and conductors. MMF accepts applications from musicians ages 18 and up (no upper age limit). MMF provides scholarships, fellowships, RA's and work study positions.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am interested in AME performing my music. Do I have to apply to the institute? Can't I just email or snail-mail my music to you?
The best way to have AME perform your music is to apply to the festival. The institute application portal also helps keep track of what's been submitted. If we get to know your work through the festival, and a work seems appropriate for a program in New York City or elsewhere, we will reach out to you.

What if I want to hire AME to perform my music outside of the festival?
AME is available as a work-for-hire ensemble in which our costs are covered (e.g., performer fees, travel, accommodations.). This could include residences at colleges and universities, concerts, recording sessions, or opera productions. For university and college residencies, AME typically performs works by the faculty composer or composers who invite us for residencies, as part of our program. Please contact us for more information.

Do you make a profit from the MMF application fee? What are the application fees used for?
Application fees are necessary to offset the costs of the application portal (SlideRoom) and the judging panels. If anything remains, it is allocated toward artists fees for faculty, conductors, composers and chamber ensembles. 

Do any of the application fee cover the cost of performances?
The small amount we charge for application fees only goes so far. The performances are mostly covered by tuition, grants, private donations, and ticket sales.