Call for Works for the 2020 ISCM World New Music Days in New Zealand Has Been Announced

The Composers Association of New Zealand (CANZ), host of the 2020 ISCM World New Music Days, have announced the official Call for Works for the festival which will take place from 21-30 April 2020 in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand. (From 21-26 April, there will be numerous concerts as well as ISCM’s General Assembly meetings in Auckland. Then on 27 April, delegates and other festival attendees will travel to Christchurch where the festival will continue through 30 April along with the Asian Composers League Festival and General Assembly as well as a Symposium.) The festival concerts will be programmed from ISCM official submissions, independent submissions, and New Zealand works selected by the festival organizers. Member organizations should submit their submissions via the ISCM’s Submission Wizard no later than July 31, 2019 at 11:59pm CEST (Central Europe Summer Time). Late submissions will not be considered. The Submission Wizard will open to receive submissions from mid-June 2019 and close on 31 July 2019.
We would also like to draw the attention of both members and individual submitters to the ISCM Young Composer Award (YCA) presented during each ISCM WNMD festival to a composer under the age of 35 whose work was performed during the festival. The YCA consists of a cash prize and a commission for a new work to be presented at a future edition of the ISCM World Music Days.
OFFICIAL SUBMISSIONS
For Sections and Full Associate Members of the ISCM, the official submission will comprise six works across at least 4 of the 15 different Score Categories identified in this Call for Works. For an official submission to be eligible: each submitted work must be eligible; the durations specified for each work must be accurate; and the submitted works correctly aligned with the relevant category. Assuming the submission is eligible and the ISCM member is in good standing (2018 Annual Report completed and annual membership fee paid by 30 June 2019), the festival organizers guarantee that at least one of the submitted works will be presented during the 2020 ISCM World New Music Days. Submissions by composers whose work was performed in the ISCM World Music Days 2019 in Tallinn, Estonia will not be considered.
For Affiliated Associate Members, an official submission will comprise up to three works. While there is no guarantee that one of the works will be selected, the organizer will strive to include them where possible.
For more information how to submit via official submissions, please contact your local ISCM section representative.
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS
Individual Submissions must be submitted by an independent composer or a composer’s authorized representative. Submissions should be sent via email to [email protected] with the email title “ISCM Individual Submission”. An entry fee of €53.05 applies to Individual Submissions and is payable at the time of submission through an online payment link on the ISCM New Zealand web page https://iscm.org/activities/wmds/iscm-wmd-2020-new-zealand. Individual submissions are not guaranteed a performance. Space for Individual Submissions is limited, but we will consider all submissions to the best of our ability. Please promote this information via your networks.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Priority will be given to works shorter than 12 minutes in duration, except where specifically noted in a category description (see below). Furthermore, priority will be given to works written since 2012. Only one work per composer may be submitted, by either Individual submission or Official submission. By submitting works to this Call, composers are agreeing that if their work is selected for performance/presentation that they grant automatic permission for the ISCM performance/presentation of their work to be recorded, broadcast, and streamed from the website without additional financial liability to the ISCM or the Festival Organizers.
INFORMATION REQUIRED
There is specific information required for each work that is submitted.
The composer’s personal and contact information: given names; family name; name as it should appear in the programme; date of birth; full mailing address; gender; phone number; email address; and website (if applicable).
Work information: title; submission category; accurate duration; year of composition; statement of whether the work has been previously performed.
The score (.pdf document preferred) or audio/video documentation if the work does not have a written score – as described in the Work Categories.
An audio or video recording of the work (if available).
Programme notes for the submitted work in English (maximum 100 words).
Technical rider specifying all equipment necessary to perform the work.
A short biography of the composer in English (maximum 100 words).
A high-resolution digital photograph of the composer.
WORK CATEGORIES
1. Piano plus
1a) Solo piano1b) Solo piano (prepared)1c) Solo piano with fixed audio media
2. Violin plus
2a) Solo violin / viola2b) Violin or viola, and piano2c) Violin or viola, and percussion (1 player: glockenspiel, vibraphone, pr bongos, suspended cymbal, large tam-tam, kick drum, concert bass drum, triangle, woodblock, cowbell and auxiliary percussion or found objects that would fit on a trap table)
3. Percussion plus
3a) Percussion (solo performer) – glockenspiel, vibraphone, pr bongos, suspended cymbal, large tam-tam, kick drum, concert bass drum, triangle, woodblock, cowbell and auxiliary percussion or found objects that would fit on a trap table.3b) Percussion (solo performer) with electronics. Percussion instruments as above. Electronics: Roland SPD-SX, Laptop with RME UFX interface, Ableton Live, Protools, Logic, Max, or other electronics if the composer supplies the necessary software/components. Ideally, the set-up will be relatively simple. Quad speaker arrangement is possible.
4. Taonga Pūoro plus
Taonga pūoro soloist, with/without flute/piccolo soloist (information sheet available)
5. Piano Trio
Violin, cello, piano
6. String Quartet
6a) String quartet6b) String quartet with fixed audio media6c) String quartet with percussion (1 player: glockenspiel, vibraphone, pr. bongos, suspended cymbal, large tam-tam, kick drum, concert bass drum, triangle, woodblock, cowbell and auxiliary percussion or found objects that would fit on a trap table)
7. Small Ensembles
Works for all or some of the following instruments:7a) harp, percussion, and double bassor7b) saxophone, trombone, piano, and double bassor7c) clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and percussion(1)or7d) flute/piccolo, oboe, and violin
8. Medium Chamber Ensemble
Works for 3–8 players, instruments drawn from the following list: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion(1), piano, violin, double bass
9. Youth Orchestra
5 – 7 minute works written for Youth Orchestra, players aged 14 – 24 years3 fl (III=picc). 3 ob (III=corA). 3 cl (III=bcl). 3 bn (III=dbn) – 4 hn. 3tpt. 2 trbn. 1 btrbn. 1 tuba – 5 perc. 1 timp. pft. – full strings
10. Orchestra
3 fl (II=picc, III=picc,afl). 3ob (III=corA). 3cl (III=bcl). 3 bn (III=dbn). – 4hn. 3 tpt. 2trbn. 1 btrbn. 1 tuba – 3 perc. 1 timp. 1 hrp – full strings
11. Choir
A capella choir – SATB, SSATB, or SSA (no divisi)
12. Electroacoustic
12a) Electroacoustic music for fixed media, with up to 8 channels12b) Works involving live electronics, with up to 8 channels
Speakers are normally positioned as an 8.1 system in a semi-circular array.
There is also the possibility of some upper reinforcement from a trio of hanging speakers.Single screen video is also possible in conjunction with the above.Works of up to 20 minutes in duration may be considered in this category.
13. Composer-Performer
Open to composer-performers who work with an expanded approach to composition, artists engaged with the practice of researching and developing new compositional and performative tools which may work in an intersection of the physical, theatrical and visual. This may include performers exploring creation, composer-performer collectives, non-Western instruments, found/built instruments, electronics and extra-musical elements. Composer-Performers are required to bring all necessary materials for the performance, including their own computer with all software and additional hardware as well as all props and any other necessary materials.
Please submit an artist CV in English (up to 2 pages), .pdf description of the work (500 word max), a video of the composer-performer’s work, and a technical rider for the performance.
Works of up to 20 minutes in duration may be considered in this category.
14. Improvising Ensemble
Open to composers-improvisers who may wish to perform with local improvisers (violin, saxophones, percussion and/or keyboards). Composers are requested to send some demo material.
15. Audiovisual and Installation Works
For gallery/exhibition presentation (i.e. non-concert presentation). Some installations may be positioned in an outdoor environment. Preference will be given to works that bear some relationship to the theme of Music Ecosystems.
Please submit an artist CV in English (up to 2 pages), .pdf description of the work (500 word max), a list of equipment and installation materials, and online support material (2 examples of work). Short-listed applicants will be contacted for additional materials.
Works longer than 12 minutes will be considered in this category.
ARTISTIC TEAM
The artistic team for the 2020 ISCM World New Music Days is Glenda Keam (Festival Director, and President of the ISCM), Samuel Holloway (Associate Director – Artistic), and Chris Gendall (CANZ President, and ExCom member of the ACL).
CONTACT
For more information, please contact [email protected].