Samuel Hvozdík on his Young Composer Award commission ‘Lichtmusik IV’
At every ISCM World New Music Days Festival, an international jury (constituted from the ISCM membership) presents an award to a composer under the age of 35 whose work is performed at the current festival. The winner gets a monetary prize and a commission for a new piece to be performed at a future edition…
Madli Marje Gildemann Sink on her Young Composer Award commission ‘Faux Flora’
At every ISCM World New Music Days Festival, an international jury (constituted from the ISCM membership) presents an award to a composer under the age of 35 whose work is performed at the current festival. The winner gets a monetary prize and a commission for a new piece to be performed at a future edition…
Artistic creation in times of war
| by Karmella Tsepkolenko, President of the ISCM Ukraine Section | The war has changed the direction of the compositional strategies of many composers. For some, considering the various circumstances — the destruction of their homes, the presence of military operations in the areas where they lived, constant fear and threats to life — leaving…
Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation Awards Project Funding to ISCM Commissions to Madli Marje Gildemann Sink and Samuel Hvozdík
The ISCM Executive Committee is pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation has decided to support two ISCM Young Composer Award commissions in 2026. This year we can look forward to the premiere of two works commissioned from recent ISCM Young Composer Award winners: Estonian composer Madli Marje Gildemann Sink (YCA…
We’re launching an ISCM Newsletter!
Something transformative happens when we come together each year and share with each other musical experiences from our respective places. For many of us, the conversations we engage in between official meetings and concerts are the heart and soul of the International Society for Contemporary Music. Every year when we gather, people ponder how we can keep these conversations going throughout the rest of the year. This new ISCM Newsletter is an attempt to address this wish. It is an opportunity to share important news as well as to describe events that can inspire all of us.
Romania Announces Works Chosen for the 2026 ISCM World New Music Days
SNR-SIMC, the Romanian Section of the ISCM and the host of the 2026 ISCM World New Music Days Festival titled “Columna Infinita”, has announced the works that have been selected for performance on the festival, which will take place in Bucharest from 23 to 31 May, from the official submissions from ISCM member organizations as well as from individual…
“New Music Islands” presents music from Faroe Islands, Aotearoa New Zealand, Gotland, and Canary Islands
Following discussions at the World New Music Days in Portugal 2025, the Faroe Islands Section, New Zealand Section (CANZ), Gotland Section (VICC), and COSIMTE (ISCM Affiliated Associate Member from the Canary Islands) are presenting the project “4 Islands”.
One more week to submit works for the ISCM World New Music Days 2026 in Romania
There’s just one more week before the Call for Works for the ISCM World New Music Days 2026 (Romania) closes on 1 October! Until then we are looking forward to receiving submissions from both ISCM Sections, Members and individual composers. If you are a composer and your work has not been submitted by an ISCM Section or…
Pedro Lima Wins 2025 ISCM Young Composer Award
Pedro Lima Soares (b. 1994 in Braga, Portugal) has been awarded the 2025 ISCM Young Composer Award for his postmodern composition You Should (Should!) Be Dancing scored for chamber ensemble with electronics which received its world premiere performance by the Remix Ensemble of Porto’s Casa da Música under the direction of Ilan Volkov during the…
Jacqueline Fontyn & Karin Rehnqvist Named Honorary Members of the ISCM
Composers Jacqueline Fontyn and Karin Rehnqvist have been named Honorary Members of the International Society for Contemporary Music in a unanimous vote by the delegates to the 2025 ISCM General Assembly at the O’culto da Ajuda in Lisbon on 3 June 2025 during the 2025 ISCM World New Music Days in Portugal. Jacqueline Fontyn, born…