Face the Music performs the world premieres of new works by teen composers selected to participate in the second year of Luna Composition Lab, a new program for young women composers noted in The New Yorker, The New York Times, WQXR, HuffPost and MusicalAmerica. The program also includes works by established composers.

Kaufman Music Center’s Face the Music is the country’s first youth ensemble dedicated to studying and performing music by living composers. Called “a force in the New York new-music world” by the New York Times, Face the Music is a unique youth orchestra: An ensemble and collective music-making program where young and committed musicians use the music of today as a vehicle to explore collaborative decision-making and develop leadership skills. Face the Music features a collection of ensembles including chamber orchestras, a jazz big-band, an improvisation collective, string quartets and mixed chamber-groups.

In 2016, composers Ellen Reid and Missy Mazzoli co-founded Luna Composition Lab, a mentorship program directed at young self-identified female and gender non-conforming composers, in partnership with Face The Music at the Kaufman Music Center. The program addresses the gender imbalance in the field of classical music by providing role models, mentorship, performance opportunities, and high quality recordings for aspiring young female composers in order to foster their confidence and encourage them to pursue their dreams.