Symphony, the award-winning bimonthly magazine of the League, discusses issues critical to the orchestra community and communicates to the American public the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform.
Professional staff, musicians, and board members in the orchestra industry and related fields; orchestra patrons and volunteers; music critics and arts media professionals. Circulation 20,000, dominated by orchestra-industry decision-makers.
1) Symphony accepts several features and columns each issue from freelance writers. We welcome new writers who have a clear command of classical-music or arts-related subjects.
2) We publish recurring columns of 1000 to 1800 words on: orchestra history; orchestra repertoire; new American orchestral music; orchestras and technology/internet; orchestral CD releases (specifically by American orchestras); recent books on music; commentary; public advocacy for orchestras. Most are open to freelance writers.
3) We publish features of 1500 to 3000 words on: classical music trends and developments in the orchestra industry; soloist and conductor profiles; orchestra profiles; festivals, etc. Half to two-thirds of our features are by freelance writers.
4) We rarely accept submitted manuscripts without substantial editing. Queries presenting ideas that we can shape, with the writer, to match our readers' interests are preferred.
5) We accept reprints and book excerpts/adaptations when they match our readers' interests.
6) Article ideas should have a specific or implied connection to the concerns and interests of the orchestra field. General interest classical-music subjects may meet our needs, but it's best to consider whether there is a specific orchestral connection in your story before pitching an idea to us.
7) Send queries by email or postal mail with writing samples or a summary of published work that relates to
Symphony subject matter. (If samples must be returned, send SASE.)
8) Fees negotiable. Payment upon acceptance; publication approximately 10 weeks after acceptance.
9) We purchase first-time print rights. Symphony requires first printing. Any requests for reprints are referred to the writer, though we do ask that articles be reprinted without edits and that a credit line run with all subsequent publications. Fee does not include Internet rights unless stipulated in writing.
Chester Lane, senior editor,
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or
Jennifer Melick, managing editor,
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Address for Queries and Submissions:
Symphony
33 West 60th St., Fifth Floor
New York, NY 10023
Sample issue on request from:
Ian Vandermeulen, associate editor,
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At present, we rarely commission photos. Most are provided to us free or at reproduction cost; we occasionally purchase rights to existing photos, particularly for our cover. However, we encourage photographers with a classical-music bent to send us samples at
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We sometimes commission original illustrations for our covers, and frequently purchase rights to existing cartoons. We encourage artists with a track record in classical-music subject matter to send samples to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it