and administered by New Music USA, has announced the first four recipients of grants averaging $20,000 each for “film projects currently in production, providing additional funding and mentoring to assist composers at a pivotal moment in their careers.”
Said Erin Collins, SESAC’s VP of film, television and developing media: “Christophe Beck and I knew that something needed to be done to solve the problem of underrepresented voices in the world of film scoring. When we suggested this project, SESAC chairman and CEO John Josephson immediately agreed and approved $1 million towards the effort.
The advisory board that reviews applications and offers mentoring, in addition to Beck, is itself a diverse collection of working composers including Jongnic Bontemps, Kris Bowers, Miriam Cutler, Chanda Dancy, Tony Morales and Pinar Toprak.