The California Band Director Association Social Impact Consortium is a project launched in 2020 in support of the national Black Lives Matter movement, expanding its scope and mission starting in 2022. At its core, this annual consortium serves three purposes: to commission new wind band repertoire to be premiered by California All State bands at the yearly CASMEC convention in February; to support compositional voices from underrepresented identities in the wind band repertoire; and to create an affordable buy-in consortium opportunity for national and international ensembles for pieces with deeper social meanings. Each year, one or two pieces will be commissioned from a composer (or a pair of composers) based on a social justice topic selected by the composer. Topics are intentionally broad for wide appeal and application and the Social Justice Consortium team works with curriculum developers and experts in relevant fields to build companion curriculum, program notes, and activities to support musician and community engagement with the yearly theme.

Consortium members will receive premiere rights following the world premiere by the selected California All-State ensemble, their institution’s name included in the score, as well as access to in-print and electronic materials including score and set of parts and companion curriculum.