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risingtidearts.org
The New Canon Project:

Bringing New Voices veloping ones—requires a specific skill set. Compos- repertoire we all have access to. Composers retain the
Composing for school ensembles—especially de-
rights to their works and receive sales income from
to the Canon ers must understand voicing, ensemble size, technical both RTMP and Hal Leonard, creating sustainable
career support beyond the scope of the initial commis-
abilities, and performance contexts. Yet many brilliant
Black and Latine composers have not had the oppor- sion. You can view the works at risingtidearts.org under
tunity to learn how to write effectively for these ensem- Rising Tide Music Press or by looking for the titles on
bles. Without that training and a pathway to publica- ArrangeMe.com. Please check back often for the new-
tion, their music remains out of reach for teachers and est works.
students.
The New Canon Project was created to purposefully
close that gap. And now, with the help of experienced Centering Equity Through Structure
mentors and school ensemble partners, twenty-one Importantly, the project is intentionally designed to
composers have written new works (ten choral and address systemic inequities in how music is created and
eleven strings) that are available for your school music shared in our profession. Too often, commissioning
classroom. Visit www.risingtidearts.org/ncp-collection and publication processes privilege programs with the
to learn more. most resources, visibility, or skill. In contrast, the New
Canon Project lifts up developing school programs—
those that may not have historically been selected for
A Network of Collaboration participation but have students and educators who are
At the heart of this project is collaboration between ready, willing, and able to participate in this kind of
composers and mentors, teachers and students, nation- project.
al organizations and publishing partners. ACDA and By inviting smaller, developing skills, or less-re-
ASTA were joined by Rising Tide Music & Arts Press, sourced programs into the commissioning process,
Hal Leonard Publishing, and the Sphinx Venture Fund we’re not just diversifying who writes music—we’re
to bring this vision to life. also expanding who gets to be part of shaping it.
The project began with a call for composers. Se-
lected composers were divided into Year 1 and Year 2
cohorts. Each cohort met together monthly for inspira- Meet the Composers
tion, guidance, and support. Through workshops, men- We want to celebrate our ACDA composers in the
toring, and school-based collaborations, the composers project. They are:
worked to bring their compositions to life.
As a unique feature, each composer had a composi- Andrés Ballesteros is a Boston-based
tion mentor and also worked closely with educators and composer, educator, and administrator
student ensembles in real classrooms, getting hands-on whose work chases threads of curiosity
feedback and the rare opportunity to workshop their and social justice. His compositions blend
drafts with actual performers. These interactions not classical with diverse genres and narrative
only strengthened the final compositions but allowed arcs. He often collaborates with youth and communi-
students to engage with the creative process in a mean- ty groups in centering themes of immigration, climate
ingful way—demystifying composition and showing justice, and more. A graduate of Harvard University,
young musicians that their voices matter. Andrés holds an artist diploma from the Academy’s
The first cohort works are completed and are pub- Gabriela Ortiz Composing Studio and has been rec-
lished through Rising Tide Music Press and distribut- ognized as a Boston Latino 30 Under 30 honoree, spo-
ed by Hal Leonard’s ArrangeMe. The pieces can be ken at the League of American Orchestras National
purchased directly through RTMP but also through Conference, and been profiled in Ana Francisca Vega’s
Hal Leonard. This ensures the music reaches a wide book Corazón de Mexicanos Como Yo.
audience of educators and becomes part of the living

CHORAL JOURNAL October 2025 Volume 66 Number 3 35