Call for Scores Announced for 2026 ISCM WNMD in Romania
The Union of Composers and Musicologists from Romania (UCMR) and ISCM Romania are proud to organize again the World New Music Days festival in 2026 (Bucharest, 23-31 May), after a break of 27 years. We are looking forward to put a light on the wonderful diversity of the musics of the world, as well as on the vivid Romanian new music scene. For the theme of the festival, we have chosen to pay homage to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi. COLUMNA INFINITA – The Infinite Column – is a symbol of novelty and openness to new heights and wholeness. By it we understand eternity and rhythm, freedom and audacity. Brâncuși’s column contains 15 octahedral cast-iron modules, with half a module at the base and top. At the top there’s an opening, suggesting an infinite continuation towards the sky. We like to think that’s where the stream of new music begins. After all, if one looks at the shape of Brâncuși’s column and turns it horizontally, it is the very shape of sound waves.
We invite the ISCM Sections, Members, and Individual Applicants to submit works for the festival. Please note, the ISCM has pledged to realize equitable representation in the programming of the WNMD, including of nationality, ethnicity, gender, and age of composers and musicians. Young composers (under 35) whose works are selected for performance in the WNMD could also be eligible for the ISCM Young Composer Award.
The works’ submission process will open on 30 May 2025. Submissions should be made via the relevant forms available on the ISCM website no later than 11:59 p.m. CET on 1 October 2025. Works submitted after the deadline will not be considered. The official announcement of the selected works will occur in January 2026.
There are two ways for composers to submit works for consideration:
- Official Submissions. The ISCM Sections or Member organisations will issue a Call and invitations for the composers to present their works for potential inclusion in the Official Submissions.
- Composers can make Individual Submissions. For additional information, please contact the organiser by e-mail: [email protected].
OFFICIAL SUBMISSIONS
For OFFICIAL SUBMISSIONS, the ISCM Sections and Members must use the ISCM WNMD 2026 Form, which will be available on the ISCM website from 30 May 2025 until 11:59 p.m. CET on 1 October 2025, after logging into the ISCM intranet (Members Area). Please note that ISCM Romania can only consider submissions from Sections and Members in good standing (an annual report for the year 2023 must be completed and the annual membership fee for 2024 must be paid). An Official Submission cannot include a work by any composer who had music performed at the ISCM World New Music Days 2025 in Portugal. In the case of ISCM Sections and Full Associate Members, each Official Submission must include six works across at least four different Categories in the Call for Works. It is possible to submit only one work per composer. For these Official Submissions to be valid, each submitted work must be eligible, the durations specified for each piece must be accurate, and the submitted works must be correctly aligned with the relevant category. Assuming the submission is eligible, and the ISCM Section or Full Associate Member is in good standing, at least one submitted work will be presented during the ISCM World New Music Days 2026 in Romania – Bucharest. In the case of ISCM Affiliated Associate Members, an Official Submission can only include up to three pieces, and the selection of at least one of the works is not guaranteed.
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS
Independent composers or their authorized representatives can make INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS for the ISCM World New Music Days 2026 in Romania – Bucharest. It is possible to submit only one work per composer. The works should be submitted via the ISCM WNMD 2026 Individual Submission Form, which will be available on the ISCM website (https://iscm.org/wnmd/2026-romania/) from 30 May 2025 until 11:59 p.m. CET on 1 October 2025. An entry fee of €55.00 applies to Individual Submissions, payable via PayPal using the link available on the ISCM website from 30 May 2005. A PDF of the PayPal receipt must be included in the submission. Individual submissions are not guaranteed a performance. The jury will consider and evaluate all submitted works, and those selected by the jury will be included in the ISCM WNMD 2026 programme and performed during the festival.
GENERAL REMARKS
The festival director and the artistic team have selected the best musicians (soloists, conductors, orchestras and ensembles) in Romania in order to guarantee the highest level of performance of the selected works for the festival. The selection will be made by the festival director and team, while the conductors, ensemble directors and soloists will also have an input in the final selection.
Jury members:
Dan Dediu – Artistic director
ISCM Romania team – Diana Rotaru (president), Irinel Anghel, Gabriel Mălăncioiu,
Alexandru Murariu, Constantin Basica
In the selection process, the jury will give preference to pieces that are up to 10 minutes long, as well as to works created in the last 10 years, with maximum priority being given to the works created in the last 5 years. The submissions can include already premiered, performed, and yet-to-be-premiered works; the submitted pieces can be published or unpublished.
By submitting works in response to the ISCM WNMD 2025 Call for Works, composers agree that if their work is selected for performance/ presentation, then they grant automatic permission for the performance, as well as for the recording, broadcasting, and streaming the ISCM performance/presentation of their work without additional financial liability to the ISCM or the ISCM WNMD 2026 organisers.
If you have questions concerning this Call, please e-mail the organizers at [email protected].
REQUIRED INFORMATION AND MATERIALS
The information/ materials required for each submitted work, both in Official and Individual Submissions, are:
- Composer information: given names; family name; name as it should appear in the programme;
date of birth; gender; full mailing address; phone number; e-mail; website (if applicable). - Work information: title; submission category; accurate duration; composition year; information
about previous performances and/ or if the work has been premiered or not. - Programme notes in English – maximum 150 words (possible file formats: odt, doc, docx).
- Short biography of the composer in English – maximum 150 words (possible file formats: odt,
doc, docx). - High-resolution digital photo of the composer (possible file formats: png or jpg).
- Technical rider specifying the accurate instrumental set, equipment and means necessary for the
performance of the submitted work (possible file formats: odt, doc, docx). - For categories 1-12: a PDF with the score and an audio file with a recording or a MIDI
realisation (possible file formats: mp3, mp4, wav, mov). For recordings, please provide the date,
venue, and names of performers. - For category 13-14, please submit sound files with the finished work (possible file formats:
mp3, mp4, wav, mov). Please provide a stereo version for multi-channel works (up to 8 channels).
NB1: while submission of a compressed file is acceptable for the selection process, if a work is
selected then uncompressed files will be required
NB2: Please ensure all the submitted documents and materials related to each work are labelled
with the composer’s name and title.
CATEGORIES
1. SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (with or without soloist[s])
Possible soloists from the following instruments: flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, cimbalom
The Romanian National Radio Orchestra (max. 3.3.3.3. – 4.3.3.1. – 3 perc. – piano – harp – 14.12.10.8.6)
The „George Enescu” Philharmonic Orchestra (max. 3.3.3.3. – 4.3.3.1. – 3 perc. – piano – harp – 14.12.10.8.6)
Doubling possibilities: 1 cor anglais, 1 bass clarinet, 1 contrabassoon
For this category, no electronic/fixed media is possible.
2. CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
The Romanian Chamber Radio Orchestra
(max. 2.2.2.2. – 2.2.0.0. – timpani (1 player) – piano – 6.5.4.2.1)
For this category, no electronic/fixed media is possible.
3. STRING ORCHESTRA (with or without stereo fixed media – “tape music”)
The „Concerto” Orchestra of the National University of Music in Bucharest (max. 8.6.5.4.2)
4. LARGE ENSEMBLE – 10-16 musicians (with or without stereo fixed media – “tape music”)
PROFIL Sinfonietta (max. 1.1.1.1. – 1.1.1.1. – piano – harp – 1 perc – 2.1.1.1.)
5. MEDIUM ENSEMBLE – 7-9 musicians (with or without stereo fixed media – „tape music”)
Ensemble Couleurs (fl, cl, 2 vn, vla, cello, harp, pno, 1 perc)
6. SMALL ENSEMBLE (with or without stereo fixed media – „tape music”)
6.a. ATEM Ensemble – 5 musicians (fl, cl, vn, cello, pno)
6.b. LARSON Trio – 3 musicians (vn, cello, pno)
7. SMALL PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
Ensemble PULSAR(T) – 2-4 musicians
List of instruments: 2 Bass Marimbas (C2-C7), 2 Vibraphones (F3-F6, tuning 442), 2 Concert Bass Drums, 2 Xylophones (F3-C7), 2 Glockenspiel (G3-C6), 1 set of chromatic Crotales, 1 pair of Congas, 2 pairs of Bongos, 2 pair of Tom-Toms, Tamn-Tam, unpitched gongs, small percussions
For this category, no electronic/fixed media is possible.
8. STRING QUARTET (2vn, vla, cello)
Arcadia String Quartet
Gaudeamus String Quartet
For this category, no electronic/fixed media is possible.
9. DUO (with or without stereo fixed media – „tape music”)
9.a. Viola and clarinet
9.b. Any duo combination between: flute (can double Piccolo, Alto, Bass Flute), clarinet
(can double Bb Bass Clarinet), violin, cello, piano
10. SOLO WORKS (with or without live electronics* / stereo fixed media – „tape music”)
From: flute (can double Piccolo, Alto, Bass Flute), clarinet (can double Bb Bass Clarinet),
violin, cello, piano
*Recommended DAWs: Reaper, Ableton Live or Max/MSP and an up-to-four-channel loudspeaker
system. Any additional plug-ins should be freeware and/ or be supplied by the composer.
11. SOLO CIMBALOM (with or without stereo fixed media – „tape music”)
12. CHOIR (a cappella or with piano accompaniment; possible small percussions)
12.a. Madrigal Choir – SATB Choir (35 singers, with a division option of 6-12 voices)
12.b. Madrigal Children Choir (24-30 children, with a division option of 3-4 voices)
13. AUDIO-VIDEO WORKS (up-to-eight-channel loudspeaker system)
Video file formats: mp4, mov
14. ELECTRONIC WORKS (up-to-eight-channel loudspeaker system)