International Double Reed Society Announces '25 Commissioning Grant Recipients

Five composers from diverse backgrounds have received $1,000 grants towards the commissioning of a new double-reed work

The International Double Reed Society (IDRS) has named the five composers who have received its Commissioning Grants for 2025. The grants are specifically targeted at female and other gender-minority composers, as well as composers of any gender who are from historically underrepresented ethnic groups.

Each grant offers $1,000 towards the composer's fee, with any extra money being arranged by the IDRS Conference players who applied for the grant. Each work will receive its premiere at the IDRS Conference at Butler University, Indianapolis, which is taking place between June 10 and 14, 2025.

The premiere performances will all be recorded and shared with members of the IDRS, to increase the visibility of this music and encourage IDRS members to perform repertoire by composers from diverse backgrounds.

The five selected composers are as follows:

• Chelsea McBride (From the Water for flute, oboe, and clarinet)
• Johnny Navarro (To be determined for oboe, bassoon, and piano)
• Katherine Pukinskis (Meri for oboe, bassoon, flute, clarinet, and saxophone)
• Kevin Day (Vortex for oboe and piano)
• Madeline October Wildman (Long Memory for saxophone and bassoon)

The grants are part of the IDRS's 50 for 50 Commissioning Project, which was initiated in 2021 in celebration of the organization's fiftieth anniversary. It aims to commission 50 new works for double-reed instruments between 2021 and 2026.

The society decided to place composers from diverse backgrounds at the center of this scheme to acknowledge the role it must play in helping to broaden the repertoire.