Music Citation Guide: Chicago Style (18th ed.)

Your footnote should focus on a specific item that you're referencing in the text (CMOS 14.120). Your bibliography entry can be the entire collection, especially if you use more than one item from a collection. Some archives will provide specific information they would like to be cited. There isn't 100% agreement on the sequence of information within a citation, but do your best to include at least "the title and date of the item, series title (if applicable), name of the collection, and name of the depository" (as quoted in CMOS 14.119). The key is to make the sequence consistent in your paper, but below are some suggestions for ordering your citations.

Bibliography Entry:

Series. NameofCollection. NameofLibrary, City, State.

Music, 1931-1955. Alfred Newman film music manuscripts, 1931-1955. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Footnote/Endnote:

#. FirstName LastName, "Title," date, series, collection, NameofLibrary.

1. Alfred Newman, "The Song of Bernadette Main title," 1943, Music, 1931-1955, Alfred Newman film music manuscripts, 1931-1955, Library of Congress.

In-text citation:

(LastName Year) - if single item

(Newman 1943)

OR

(Collection) - if more than one item

(Alfred Newman film music manuscripts, 1931-1955)

Include as much of the following information as possible. If the program notes were consulted online, include an Accessed Date and the URL.

Bibliography Entry:

AuthorLastName, FirstName. “Title.” Program notes for Ensemble/Performer, ConcertTitle. OtherContributors. ConcertDate, Location.

McBrien, Kevin. "About the Music." Program notes for The Cleveland Orchestra, Trifonov Plays Brahms. Conducted by Franz Welser-Möst. October 9–11, 2025, Severance Music Center, Cleveland, OH. Accessed October 7, 2025. https://programs.clevelandorchestra.com/2025-26-classical/trifonov-plays-brahms. 

Footnote/Endnote:

#. AuthorFirstName LastName, “Title,” program notes for Ensemble/Performer, ConcertTitle, OtherContributors, ConcertDate, ConcertLocation.

1. Kevin McBrien, "About the Music," program notes for The Cleveland Orchestra, Trifonov Plays Brahms, conducted by Franz Welser-Möst, October 9–11, 2025, Severance Music Center, Cleveland, OH. Accessed October 7, 2025, https://programs.clevelandorchestra.com/2025-26-classical/trifonov-plays-brahms.

In-text citation:

(LastName Year, PageNumber)

(McBrien 2025)

There are many ways to cite manuscripts of books and/or scores that are unpublished or untraditionally published:

• If they are found in an archive, collection, or repository, cite it as an item from a special collection.
• If you find a digitized manuscript not included within a special collection, include as much information from a book/score citation as possible and include the URL. 
• If it's a book/score that has been self-published but not through a traditional publisher, use (pub. by the author, Year) in a footnote or "Published by the author, Year." in a bibliography entry.