When I was finishing my grad degrees, I got involved in the burgeoning, diverse new music scene in NY and I was a founding member of several ensembles that are now in their second decade. I performed in these groups frequently and in some cases also worked administratively. I’m currently a member of one group, counter)induction, which is in its 15th year and consists of 5 instrumentalists and three composers. The musical and administrative experience I gained from these groups helped me as the founder and director of my own music organization, Nunc. I started Nunc as an informal concert series, eventually incorporated it as a non-profit, and I curate and produce programs on a project-to-project basis.

I’m sometimes asked by young people for practical advice for this kind of endeavor.

To find players, you need to get to know people who share your musical interests and goals. At your school, you should get to know the musicians there who are eager to play new works. Ask among your friends if they’ve met players at festivals or other schools they attended. Sometimes it’s great to have experienced players who are already very involved in the music but sometimes it’s an advantage to find young people who are starting and not too busy yet and will really invest their energy into it with you.

As you start to generate an audience and some notice, musicians will probably be excited to keep going and help it grow. Put on the best concert you possibly can when you start. Excellence prevails.

For grants, you should look at New Music USA, the Foundation Center, Grantsmanship Center.. A lot of info is online. You should research the government grants by state, city, borough. You’ll probably need to incorporate as a non-profit, so you should consult a fiscal sponsor program like Fractured Atlas or The Field and look up the non-profit guidelines for your location. I used Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in order to find an inexpensive lawyer.

Regarding concert venues, you have to ask around, visit to look at places, ask their rates, maybe work out deals with them. To do what you want to do, you may want to find organizations already presenting some kind of arts or music in those neighborhoods, or schools that would love a visit from you, and partner with them.

Hope that’s helpful. Research online and start trying to make things happen and you will hit the ground running when you graduate.