OpusHER

Empowering emerging women composers

Write for Lotte Betts-Dean

Applications for 2026/27 are now closed

  • OpusHER is EMPOWER: Women Changing Music’s annual award for emerging women composers, created to support new voices and expand the contemporary repertoire for wind instruments.

    For 2027, we’re looking for one composer to create a brand-new work for mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean and an ensemble of flute, oboe, clarinet, cello, and piano.

    The winning work will receive its world premiere at King’s Place, London, before being performed across EMPOWER’s 2027 UK and Ireland tour.

    OpusHER is proudly presented by EMPOWER: Women Changing Music in partnership with ABRSM.

    • £750

    • A commission to create a new 10-minute work for Lotte Betts-Dean and ensemble

    • A world premiere at King’s Place

    • Performances across EMPOWER’s 2027 tour

    • Mentorship from Héloïse Werner, Dani Howard and other esteemed composers

    • Support towards publication of the winning work

    • Complimentary tickets to EMPOWER 2027 events

  • OpusHER is open to composers who identify as women, as well as non-binary composers who wish to apply, aged 18 or over and resident in the UK or Ireland.

    There is no upper age limit, and you do not need to have written the proposed piece yet.

    We’re looking for exciting, original proposals that respond to the possibilities of voice and ensemble, and connect with EMPOWER’s mission. Your musical language, genre, form and subject matter are entirely up to you.

  • Applications open: Monday 14 September 2026

    Applications close: Sunday 11 October 2026 at 11:59pm

    Shortlisted applicants contacted: by Sunday 18 October 2026

2025-26 OpusHER Winner:

EZO SARICI

Learn more about Ezo

  • London-born British-Turkish violinist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and artistic director Ezo Sarici is fast emerging as one of her generation's most dynamic and imaginative musicians. A graduate of the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal Academy of Music, where she earned her Master's with Distinction, Ezo's artistry spans classical, jazz, and folk worlds, weaving them into an expressive and contemporary voice. She has performed internationally across Europe, with appearances in Italy, Spain, Norway, Austria, and Turkey, and on stages including the Southbank Centre, Ronnie Scott's, Buckingham Palace, and the Barbican Centre, where her work Goçebe Prenses was premiered by Her Ensemble and Friends with Jess Gillam and Laura van der Heijden, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Supported by the Countess of Munster Trust, Harrison-Frank Family Foundation, and Leverhulme Scholarship, she has been a prizewinner at the Lipizer, Bromsgrove, and Josef Micka international competitions, and was a Southbank Young Artist with Manchester Collective. A passionate chamber musician, Ezo performs with Trio Arisonto and Duo Ekes, the latter co-founding the Pererinion Ysbrydol Festival Academy in Wales— bringing together artists from across the world for creative collaboration, education, and performance in the inspiring surroundings of Gregynog Hall.

  • ''I’ve long admired Empower's ethos and the incredible work they do in the music world, so seeing the musicians they collaborate with makes this recognition feel even more special. I'm truly honoured to have been selected as the winner of the 2026 OpusHER Award. With the support of ABRSM and the incredible mentors involved in this project, I'm very much looking forward to shaping a new work that will be inclusive of everyone involved - from the Empower team and mentors to the players themselves. This year-long project offers an inspiring opportunity to freely explore my musical roots and the theme of belonging, and I can't wait for Empower's supportive audiences to experience the new music that emerges from this journey."

    This award is presented in partnership with ABRSM

Inaugural OpusHER Winner:

MOLLY FRANCES ARNUK

Learn more about Molly
Link to 2025 commission ‘Abstraction’

  • With almost 40 applications entered into the inaugural OpusHER competition, the winner of the award was Molly Frances Arnuk! We were immediately captivated by Molly’s passion for making contemporary music more accessible, and her attention to detail, but most importantly the fact she wanted joy to be central to the piece, which perfectly reflects her warm personality!

  • “Winning OpusHER is such an exciting opportunity. The support from knowledgeable mentors and instrumentalists will guide me to produce music that I am proud to share. Having my piece performed in the EMPOWER events alongside works by inspiring women is a big step in my emerging career as a composer, allowing my voice to reach wider audiences and forge important connections.”

    We are so excited for our first collaboration and can’t wait to share this journey with you all!

    Gratefully supported by nkoda

Got a question? Get in touch!

Feel free to get in touch with any questions, we want to make this process as seamless and enjoyable as possible for everyone involved.