RPS Thea Musgrave Composition Grants - application form

Please ensure you have read the application guidelines before completing the application form below.

Note, this form is for the RPS Thea Musgrave Composition Grants. There is a separate form requiring different information if you are applying for the RPS Thea Musgrave Performance Grants.

In spending time on your application, we advise you save your answers (particularly for the questions requiring longer answers) in a Word document or equivalent on your computer in case of any technical glitch. You may choose to answer longer questions in filmed format if you prefer, as detailed in the application guidelines.

Your application will only be submitted once you have completed all obligatory fields in the form and clicked the ‘Submit' button at the end.

Personal details

Forename

Surname

Mobile phone

Nationality

Postal Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

Postal Code

County

Link to online biography, if you have one

How did you hear about this opportunity?

Application questions

The next three questions may be answered in filmed format if you prefer. This can be submitted as link to one short film in which all of these points are addressed, that does not exceed 6 minutes in duration. Please paste a link to the film in the box indicated below.

1. Tell us about your recent achievements and current situation as a composer. (200 words maximum)

Give us a summary of your recent achievements as a composer including key dates, demonstrating how your music has been positively embraced by performers and audiences. We also encourage you to be open about your current situation, telling us about any setbacks or limitations you may have experienced lately, and how this opportunity could help you move forward professionally.

200 words left

2. Tell us about the piece of music you would write with RPS support. (200 words maximum)

You should detail your intended instrumental/vocal forces, and tell us about the performers with whom you plan to collaborate, and why you would like to work with them. While we expect plans to be provisional at this stage, detail how you will collaborate: where and when, and how you will use the time you spend together. Let us know what you hope to achieve artistically together, for your mutual benefit and for the benefit of audiences.

200 words left

3. Tell us about your performance plans for the new work. (200 words maximum)

We want your music to find a big audience. Though plans will still be taking shape, give us as clear a picture as possible of when you expect your designated performers to programme the work, ideally in multiple performances, and other steps you may have in mind for other performers to embrace the work, and for it to be recorded or shared digitally.

200 words left

If you are submitting your answers in a filmed format, please paste the link here.

Password, if required, to access the film

Performers

To give us peace of mind that your designated performer is fully engaged with your plans, you should ask them to write, in the first-person, a paragraph outlining why they are looking forward to collaborating with you and what they hope to achieve from this. In this, they should confirm their plans to perform the piece and how they intend to make it an enduring part of their repertoire. Their statement should have a maximum word count of 200 and be copied and pasted into your application form. If you are planning to collaborate with a duo or small chamber ensemble, this can be from a named representative of the group. (200 words maximum)

Performer statement

200 words left

Compositions

Please read our application guidelines (link at the top of this page) before providing details of your two works.

For 'Title of Work', please specify which movement if you are not submitting the full work.
For 'Duration of Work', please specify to the nearest minute. Please write the duration as 12m or 12:00, not 12'34" as this results in formatting issues when the form is submitted.
For 'Link to Work', please also include a password if applicable.
We generally expect that the music you write is notated in some form, likely using Western notation or a graphic score. Please also be sure to upload your scores here by the closing date of 11am on Tuesday 7 July 2026, labelling your files as follows: Forename Surname - Title of work

If you do not produce scores, please explain in the relevant section below your practice and how alternatively you communicate your intentions to performers to fulfil.

Title of Work 1

Duration of Work 1

Link to Work 1

Start time (if applicable)

Title of Work 2

Duration of Work 2

Link to Work 2

Start time (if applicable)

Please confirm:

Please tick this box to confirm that any links work and will be accessible for six months from the closing date.

Scores and communication with performers

If you do not produce scores, please explain your practice and how alternatively you communicate your intentions to performers to fulfil (200 words maximum).

200 words left

Budget

Please confirm the optimal amount of funds you are seeking from the RPS:

Please upload your completed version of our budget template here.

Budget template

Please carefully read through your application and check you have filled in all fields correctly before submitting. When you click submit, a successful submission will take you to a page confirming this. From this page, there will be a link to some standard inclusivity monitoring questions, which we invite applicants to complete. The answers you give are confidential and will be reviewed separately from your application.