25. Mai 2026, 23:50
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Festival Beethoven Frühling EU Composer Residency 2026
Beethoven Frühling invites composers to apply for the Festival Beethoven Frühling EU Composer Residency 2026.
Beethoven Frühling is a young and forward-looking classical music festival in Austria, bringing artistically outstanding concerts to places in Lower Austria closely connected to Beethoven’s life and creative world. The festival combines cultural heritage with contemporary artistic expression and seeks to make Beethoven’s legacy tangible in the present.
As part of the residency, one selected composer will spend one week in residence at a Beethoven-related location of the festival in Lower Austria and develop ideas for a new work for string orchestra or symphony orchestra. The work should have a duration of approximately 10 minutes. The residency is intended as a focused period of artistic work, reflection and development; the composer is expected to use this time to work on the piece and its underlying ideas, while remaining free to complete the work after the residency period. The world premiere is planned for the opening concert of Beethoven Frühling 2027.
The Festival Beethoven Frühling EU Composer Residency 2026 is supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna.
What is offered
The selected composer will receive:
A commission fee of EUR 3,000
A one-week residency at a Beethoven-related location of the festival
travel costs, accommodation and a per diem during the stay for additional expenses
Eligibility
Applications are open to citizens of EU member states.
Artistic Framework
The selected composer will be commissioned to write a new work for:
String orchestra, or
Symphony orchestra in a classical-sized formation
The intended duration is approximately 10 minutes. The residency is conceived as a space for artistic concentration and reflection. The new work should not imitate Beethoven stylistically, but should offer an original and contemporary response to ideas, tensions or questions connected with his legacy.
Application Materials
Applications must be submitted in German or English and must include:
CV or artistic bio
Motivation letter or artistic statement
Applicants may additionally submit, at their own discretion:
Scores
Recordings (as links to common streaming platforms: YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, etc.)
A short project idea, sketch or concept for the proposed work
Application Process
Applications must be submitted via the online form on our website: application form A non-refundable application fee of EUR 75 is payable directly during the online submission process. For inquiries, please contact: office@beethovenfruehling.at
Deadline
Applications are open now and must be submitted by: 25 May 2026, 11:59 pm (Vienna time)
Applicants will be notified of the outcome by: 15 June 2026
Selection
The selected composer will be chosen by an expert jury on the basis of artistic quality, originality and the relevance of the proposed artistic approach to the residency context.