Through an inclusive, collaborative environment, the Composers Conference offers a unique opportunity for exceptional emerging composers, professional musicians, amateur chamber players, and conservatory-level musicians to come together as colleagues, audience, teachers and students in an atmosphere of fertile creativity and concentrated, high-level music making each summer at Brandeis University. The Composers Conference is a musical utopia that fosters, teaches, cultivates, shares, creates, and performs the best contemporary music with the highest artistic standards. The result allows for exploration and invention with integrity and honesty.

The Composer Fellows participate in intensive seminars, rehearsals, workshops and public colloquia with Kurt Rohde (Artistic Director) and two distinguished Guest Composers summer. Each of the Fellow has a work publicly performed and professionally recorded by the Conference Ensemble under the direction of James Baker. These new music specialists work closely with the Fellows, Contemporary Performance Institute participants, and Guest Composers. The concerts by the Conference Ensemble featuring music from throughout the ages, including new work of the Composer Fellows and Guest Composers.

The Chamber Music Workshop, directed by Jessica Tong, offers amateur chamber musicians a tailor-made experience that includes daily coachings, workshops, masterclasses, ensemble readings, performance opportunities and evening concerts.

Students in the Contemporary Performance Institute join the community to study, rehearse, and perform challenging repertoire from music of the 20th and 21st centuries. They are coached by director Margaret Kampmeier and members of the Conference Ensemble, culminating in two public concerts.