Info for Applicants

We welcome applicants from all over the globe who are at least 21 years old as of the first day of the festival. Performance applicants, please note that we encourage a diversity of instruments, including voice. You do not have to play an instrument included on our faculty to attend the program, as the focus is on chamber music, not individual study.

Work samples required for the application can be viewed in advance on the application info page.

If you are both a composer and performer and want to apply for both programs, please send an email to [email protected] for instructions on how to submit your second application.

Application fee

Application deadline is Monday January 13, 2025 at 5pm ET, and application fee is forty dollars ($40 USD), non-refundable.  If this fee is a barrier for you, please write to [email protected] for a waiver.

Participation fee

The participation fees for the 2025  Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival are $3750 tuition, $700 Room and Board (Total $4,450). Tuition assistance is available, see below.

For context on the participation fee – the current total cost per program participant is $9,750. Bang on a Can has raised funds to cover just over half of that amount and will continue our efforts over the course of the season.

Tuition assistance

We are grateful to have received some generous funding enabling us to offer support to a limited number of participants with financial need. You will be instructed on how to request assistance upon acceptance to the program.

We also highly encourage you to seek your own sources of support from foundations and government sources, crowdfunding, and/or your university (if you are a student or recent alum). Bang on a Can will be happy to provide any letters or other documentation to support your efforts.

Danish and Lithuanian musicians – you are eligible for funding via Art Music Denmark or the Music Information Centre Lithuania, respectively. Please write to [email protected] for more info.

More important info

Room and Board — Accommodations for the Festival are within walking distance to the museum. Accommodations are double occupancy.

Lunch and dinner are provided Mon-Fri. Participants are responsible for all other meals, including daily breakfasts and weekend meals. There are several local inexpensive eateries near the museum.

All participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from MASS MoCA, which is in the city of North Adams in Western Massachusetts (Berkshire County). Information about transportation will be provided.

Results from the application review process will go out on or before March 4. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due within two weeks upon acceptance to the program. Payment in full is due on June 15.

We recommend you read the daily schedule webpage so you can learn more about life at the festival.

online application