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About Baltimore Composers Forum

In hoping to recreate the camaraderie she experienced while a graduate student at Peabody Conservatory, composer Dawn Culbertson banded together with five other composers in the fall of 1992 with the idea of forming a group to assist in getting their work heard. That group, the Baltimore Composers Coalition, held its first concert on May 16, 1993 at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels Great Hall, featuring ten works by seven different composers. Baltimore audiences saw three more concerts during that initial year, including one that featured the music of John Cage. It was at this event that our name, the Baltimore Composers Forum, first appeared. By 1996, the membership of the Forum had grown from 6 to 50. Expansion across central Maryland was rapid, from one venue holding multiple concerts to one venue per concert. Goucher College, the Creative Alliance, U.M.B.C., An die Musik, and Free Fall Baltimore have all generously hosted Baltimore composition performances. In addition to formal concerts, the BCF programmed reading sessions and collaborations with local dance ensembles and choreographers to breathe new life into contemporary music. Although live, in-person concerts made up most of BCF’s services in the early years, the organization decided to branch out into different mediums by the 2000’s. Dipping their toes into the world of TV, special performances have been presented twice on Maryland Public Television. By the late 2010’s, BCF had presented many works either in person or virtually by Maryland natives and international composers. As the diversity of the services increased, so did the composers and ensembles. As BCF enters its 30th year, the vision of Dawn Culbertson is as alive, well and forward-looking as ever. With over one thousand original works presented by Baltimore area composers so far, BCF is hoping to continue fulfilling its mission for thousands more.

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