Symphony Submission Guidelines

• Article ideas must directly address the concerns and interests of the orchestra field. Consider whether there is a specific orchestral connection in your story before pitching an idea to us.
• Topics of interest include classical music trends; orchestra repertoire; new American orchestral music; equity, diversity, and inclusion; business models; technology; emerging artists; ​music education; pops programs; public advocacy; nonprofit and board governance; and classical-music festivals.
• Writers: Symphony accepts articles from freelance writers. Send queries with a link to writing samples or a summary of published work that relates to Symphony subject matter. Symphony requires first publication; we purchase first-time print and internet rights. We welcome written queries presenting ideas that we can shape with the writer to match our readers’ interests. We welcome article proposals from writers whose backgrounds ​and perspectives are underrepresented in classical music. Payments to writers are made upon manuscript acceptance.
• Press releases and other announcements concerning orchestras and classical music may be sent to orchnews@americanorchestras.org and editor@americanorchestras.org.
• We reprint excerpts from books and articles that focus on the orchestra field.
• We welcome reprint requests. Reprints must include a line crediting Symphony that appears with all subsequent publications.

Available free of charge Online

Printed copies available upon request from Jennifer Melick, managing editor, jmelick@americanorchestras.org.

We rarely commission photos. We occasionally purchase rights to existing photos. Photographers with a classical-music bent may send us samples at editor@americanorchestras.org.

We rarely commission original illustrations or purchase rights to existing artwork. However, artists with a track record in classical-music subject matter may send samples to editor@americanorchestras.org.