OpusHER

Empowering emerging women composers

Write for Lotte Betts-Dean

Applications for 2026/27 open Monday 14 September - Sunday 11 October

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  • 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

For full eligibility criteria, application requirements and more, see our FAQs below before applying

Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT OPUSHER

  • OpusHER is an annual award created by EMPOWER: Women Changing Music to support and champion emerging women composers and create new opportunities for their music to be heard.

    For 2027, one composer will be selected to create a new work specifically for mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean and a six-piece ensemble, as part of EMPOWER’s 2027 tour.

    The winning work will receive its world premiere at King’s Place, London, followed by performances across the EMPOWER 2027 tour in the UK and Ireland.

    The award is presented in partnership with ABRSM.

  • The selected composer will receive:

    • £750 prize

    • Mentoring from established composers, including Héloïse Werner and Dani Howard

    • Collaboration and workshopping with the performers

    • Publication of the completed work with Traxus

    • Professional performance opportunities across the EMPOWER 2027 tour

    • A world premiere at King’s Place, London

    Further details about the mentoring programme will be shared with the successful composer.

  • OpusHER is an award for emerging women composers.

    We welcome applications from anyone who identifies as a woman, including cisgender and transgender women, as well as non-binary people who feel the award is relevant to them.

    We recognise that gender identity is personal and that people describe themselves in different ways. If you consider yourself eligible within the focus of this award, we welcome you to apply.

    Applicants must also:

    • be 18 years of age or over;

    • be currently resident in the UK or Ireland; and

    • consider themselves to be an emerging composer.

  • There is no fixed age or definition of an ‘emerging composer’.

    OpusHER is intended for composers who are developing their professional compositional career. This may include students, recent graduates and composers who have already had work performed or commissioned but still consider themselves to be at an emerging stage of their career.

    You do not need to have an extensive professional track record to apply.

  • Yes. OpusHER is open to students, recent graduates and composers at other stages of their emerging careers, provided they meet the other eligibility criteria.

  • No. You do not need an extensive professional track record. We are interested in your creative voice, your proposed work and the potential for this opportunity to support your creative and professional development.

  • No. You must be currently resident in the UK or Ireland, but nationality is not a requirement.

  • No. Applications are completely free.


ELIGIBILITY

THE COMMISSION & PROPOSAL

  • The winning work will be written for mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean and:

    • Flute

    • Oboe

    • Clarinet

    • Cello

    • Piano

    The instrumentalists may use doubling instruments where appropriate within the proposed work.

  • The proposed work should be conceived for the full ensemble of mezzo-soprano and the 5 listed instrumental parts. Applicants can discuss their approach to instrumentation and doubling within their proposal.

  • Yes. Lotte Betts-Dean is the guest artist for the EMPOWER 2027 tour, and the winning composer will create a new work for her as part of the tour.

  • The work should be approximately 8-12 minutes in duration.

  • No. You are applying with a proposal, rather than a completed composition.

    Your application should explain your concept for the work and how you would approach creating it. If selected, you will then develop and complete the composition with mentoring and support during the commission period.


APPLICATION & SELECTION

  • You will be asked to provide:

    • Information about yourself and your compositional practice

    • A proposal for your OpusHER work

    • Two examples of previous compositional work

    • A score and recording for each submitted work

    • One referee, with the option to provide a second

    • Your availability for the EMPOWER 2027 tour

  • Your two submitted works:

    • can have already been performed;

    • should include one existing work for voice if possible;

    • can include works with different ensembles or mediums;

    • can have a live recording or MIDI recording; and

    • can have a handwritten or digitally produced score.

    For each work, you must provide both a score and a recording.

    Please make sure any links you provide are accessible to the selection panel and do not expire.

  • No. Previous experience writing for this specific instrumentation is not required.

    We encourage you to explain any relevant experience in your application, but we are interested in your potential to create an exciting new work for this commission.

  • Applications will be reviewed by the OpusHER selection panel: Lotte Betts-Dean, ABRSM and the wider EMPOWER team.

    Applicants will first be shortlisted for interview, with interviews taking place by the end of October 2026. The successful composer will be notified by the end of October.

    The panel will consider your compositional practice, submitted work, proposed OpusHER commission and the potential for the opportunity to support your creative and professional development.


  • No. One referee is required. You may provide a second referee if you wish.

    Your referee should be someone who can speak knowledgeably about your work, development or professional practice.

THE 2027 TOUR & COMMISSION

  • The selected composer will be notified by the end of October 2026.

    The completed composition will need to be submitted by early February 2027, allowing time for preparation and work with the performers ahead of the March tour.

    The winner must therefore be able to commit the necessary time to develop and complete the work during this period.

  • Yes. If selected, you must be available to attend at least two EMPOWER 2027 performances in person.

    The tour dates are:

    • 5 March | King’s Place, London

    • 7 March | Cardiff University, Cardiff

    • 11 March | Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin

    • 12 March | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow

    • 21 March | Stoller Hall, Manchester

    Applicants who can attend additional performances are encouraged to indicate this in their application.

  • Yes. OpusHER is aimed at emerging composers, not exclusively composers with no professional experience. Previous performances, commissions or other professional achievements do not automatically make you ineligible.

  • Please read the eligibility information above and the application form carefully. If you are still unsure, you are welcome to contact us.

    Please check these FAQs first, as your question may already be answered here.

    If you cannot find the information you need, contact team@empowerwcm.com.



  • Application Form

  • Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 11 October 2026.

    Late applications will not be accepted.

OTHER QUESTIONS

Apply Now

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.