Young Composer in Residence 2025

The Young Composer in Residence project is a joint initiative of three international institutions - the Curtis Institute of Music, the Athens Conservatory, and the Schwarz Foundation1 designed to support and showcase emerging talent in contemporary music composition.

For the 2025 programme, Elise Arancio has been selected as the Young Composer in Residence. She is currently undertaking the first phase of her residency in Athens. Elise is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied composition with Steve Mackey, Amy Beth Kirsten, Jennifer Higdon, Richard Danielpour, Nick DiBerardino, and David Serkin Ludwig. In autumn 2025, she will continue her studies at the Juilliard School as a recipient of the prestigious Kovner Fellowship.

During her time in Athens, Elise has engaged in meaningful exchanges with key figures of the contemporary music scene. Her visit to the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Music (CSCM) included a presentation of the historic Synthi 100 analogue synthesiser and active participation in a Centre-led seminar. At the Athens Conservatory, she presented selected works and held discussions with composition students under the guidance of Professor Philippos Tsalahouris, fostering an intensive educational dialogue. Her experience in Athens concluded with attendance at an improvisation rehearsal at the Conservatory, providing direct engagement with local musical practice.

Elise’s residency in Greece continues during the summer on Samos, where she will compose a new work to be presented as part of the Samos Young Artists Festival, situating her artistic creation within the festival’s broader international context.

This programme exemplifies the power of cross-institutional collaboration to support emerging composers, offering a transformative, immersive environment that nurtures creativity, experimentation, and global artistic exchange.