ISCM World New Music Days 2021 Call for Scores Announced

December 6, 2020 / ISCM
Shanghai City skyline

We are pleased to announce the official Call for Works for the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) World New Music Days 2021. Members are invited to submit scores/projects for the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) World New Music Days 2021, taking place in Shanghai and Nanning from September 17 – 20, 2021 (Shanghai) and September 21 – 25, 2021 (Nanning).

Member organizations should submit their submissions via the ISCM’s Submission Wizard no later than March 16, 2021 at 11:59pm CET (Central European Time). Late submissions will not be considered. The Submission Wizard will open to receive submissions from January 18, 2021 and close on March 16, 2021.

OFFICIAL SUBMISSIONS

For Sections and Full Associate Members of the ISCM, the official submission will comprise six (6) works across at least four (4) of the twelve (12) 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 (2020 Annual Report completed and annual 2020 membership fee paid), we guarantee that at least one of the submitted works will be presented during the ISCM World New Music Days 2021.

For Affiliated Associate Members, an official submission will comprise up to three (3) works. While there is no guarantee that any particular work will be selected, the organizer will strive to include them where possible.

INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS

Individual Submissions must be submitted by an independent composer or a composer’s authorized representative.  Submissions will be accepted from January 18, 2021 until March 16, 2021 at 11:59pm CET (Central European Time) at https://iscm.org/individual-submissions/. An entry fee of €53.05 applies to Individual Submissions, payable at the time of submission by PayPal through the ISCM website.

Individual Submissions are not guaranteed a performance. Space for Individual Submissions is limited, but all submissions will be considered. Please promote this information via your networks. 

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Priority will be given to works within the recommended duration for each category. 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, they automatically grant 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

Information required for each Work to be submitted is:

  1. 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).
  2. Work information: Title; Submission Category; Accurate duration; Year of composition; Statement of whether the work has been previously performed.
  3. The score (.pdf document preferred), or audio/video documentation if the work does not have a written score – as described in the Work Categories.
  4. An audio or video recording of the work (if available).
  5. Programme notes for the submitted work in English (maximum 100 words).
  6. Technical rider specifying all equipment necessary to perform the work.
  7. Short biography of the composer in English (maximum 100 words).
  8. High-resolution digital photograph of the composer.

WORK CATEGORIES

Category I: Orchestral Works

  1. Instrumentation: 3 fl (II=picc, III=picc,afl). 3 ob (III=corA). 3 cl (III=bcl). 3 bn (III=dbn). – 4 hn. 3 tpt. 2 trbn. 1 btrbn. 1 tuba – 3 perc. 1 timp. 1 hrp – full strings
  2. Soloists are NOT allowed in the Composition, nor Piano.
  3. Works shorter than [12 minutes] will be given priority.

Category II: Works for Chinese Orchestra

  1. Instrumentation: 2 Bangdi (I=Xiaodi, II=Qudi 2). 1 Qudi. 2 Xindi. 2 Soprano Sheng, 2 Alto Sheng. 1 Bass Sheng. 2 Soprano Suona.1 Alto Suona. 1 Tenor Suona. 1 Bass Suona. 1 Guan in C. 2 Yangqin. 2 Liuqin(II=Zhongruan). 4 Pipa. 4 Zhongruan. 2 Daruan. 1 Sanxian. 2 Guzheng. Timpani. 3 perc. Chinese Strings (Gaohu, Erhu, Zhonghu, Violoncello, Double Bass).
  1. Soloists are NOT allowed in the Composition, nor Piano.
  2. Works shorter than 12 minutes will be given priority.

Category III: String Quartet

  1. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
  2. Extended techniques are allowed.

Category IV: Chamber Music Group A

  1. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
  2. Instrumentation: 1 fl. 1 cl. 1 vln. 1 vc. 1 pno.
  3. Composers may choose any combination of 2 – 5 among the above instruments.
  4. Extended techniques on each instrument allowed.

Category V: Chamber Music Group B

  1. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
  2. Instrumentation: 1fl. 1ob. 1cl. 1trbn. 1perc. 1pno. 2vln. 1vla. 1vc. 1db. 1dizi 1erhu 1pipa
  3. Composers may choose any combination of 6 – 14 among the above instruments, but at least 1 must be included from Dizi, Erhu, or Pipa.
  4. Extended techniques on each instrument allowed.
  5. The intro video of Chinese Instruments: Dizi, Erhu, and Pipa will be posted on the official website: https://nmw.shcmusic.edu.cn/.
  6. The list of percussion instruments is attached at the end of Call for Works.

Category VI: Choir Works (SATB)

  1. Works shorter than 5 minutes will be given priority.
  2. It can be a capella. If not, the only instrument that can be included is piano.
  3. Extended piano techniques will not be accepted.

Category VII: Solo Piano Works

  1. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
  2. Extended techniques allowed on piano, performers are allowed to play inside the piano.
  3. Prepared piano works will not be accepted.

Category VIII: Percussion Works

  1. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
  2. The list of percussion instruments that can be used is:

6 Tom-toms
5 Suspended Cymbals
2 Tambourine
2 Snare Drums
3 Triangles
1 Bass Drum
1 Marimba
1 Vibraphone
1 Glockenspiel
1 Xylophone
1 Cymbals (paired)
1 Wind Chime
2 Maracas
1 Tempo Block (5 Blocks) 2 Bongo
2 Conga
1 Tam-tam
4 Timpani

If the work requires any percussion instrument not listed above, the composer must bring the instrument to the rehearsals and concert.

  1. Compositions may be for 2-8 percussionists.

Category IX, X, XI, XII: Electronic Music

  1. Works shorter than 10 minutes will be given priority.
  2. There are four (4) Electronic Music Categories; be sure that the composition submitted fits one of these.

Category IX : Electronic Music (Fixed Media/Tape Music Only)

  1. Composers must provide an audio file of the work in .wav format. The audio file can have maximum 8 channels. (Format options are: stereo; 4 channels; 5.1; and 8 channels.)
  2. Composers must supply a diagram showing the speaker layout.

Category X : Electronic Music with 1 Instrumentalist (Fixed Media/Tape Music)

  1. Composers must provide an audio file of the work in .wav format. The audio file can have maximum 8 channels. (Format options are: stereo; 4 channels; 5.1; and 8 channels.)
  2. Composers must supply a diagram showing the speaker layout.
  3. Only one (1) instrument should be included, selected from the following instruments: Flute; Oboe; Clarinet; Bassoon; Horn; Trumpet; Trombone; Violin; Viola; Violoncello; Dizi; Erhu; or Pipa.

Category XI : Electronic Music (Live Electronics Only)

  1. Only one (1) Operator is allowed for live performance.
  2. It is recommended that the Composer or the operator bring their own laptop for the live performance. Only 1 laptop is allowed in the performance.
  3. No instrument can be linked to the electronics in this Category. The work can have maximum 8 channels, and the composer must supply a diagram showing the speaker layout.
  4. Any special sensor or devices that the composer used should be brought to the performance by themselves. We don’t provide any kind of sensor or trigger devices.
  5. If the composer needs to use our Mac or PC for performance, the only software we can provide is Max-MSP. We strongly recommend you bring your own laptop.

Category XII: Electronic Music (Live Electronics with 1 instrumentalist)

  1. The performance allows only 1 operator and 1 instrumentalist in this Category.
  2. Only one instrument may be selected from following instruments: Flute; Oboe; Clarinet; Bassoon; Horn; Trumpet; Trombone; Violin; Viola; Violoncello; Dizi; Erhu; or Pipa.
  1. The selected instrument can be linked to the electronics. But the sensor or any linked devices should be provided by the composer.
  2. We strongly recommend that the devices that the composer provides are common and universal, with connecting ports such as USB2.0, USB3.0, USB-C or any audio port. Bluetooth is recommended for any wireless connections.
  3. We suggest the Composer or the operator brings their own laptop for the live performance. Only 1 laptop allowed in the performance.
  4. The work can have maximum 8 channels, and the composer must supply a diagram showing the preferred speaker layout.

ARTISTIC TEAM

Zhou Xianglin
Music Director of Shanghai Contemporary Festival
Chair of Composition Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music

Zhong Juncheng
Music Director of China-Asean Music Festival

Yin Mingwu
Vice-Chair of Composition Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music

Chen Musheng
Professor of Composition Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music

Liang Nan
Composition Teacher of Composition Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music

CONTACTS

Peng Rongxin
Secretary General of Chair of Composition Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music
Secretary General of Shanghai Contemporary Festival
Email: [email protected]

Fan Ning
Secretary of China-Asean Music Festival
Email: [email protected]


ISCM

 

ISCM

The International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) is a premier forum for the advancement, dissemination and interchange of new music from around the world. Through ISCM, our members promote contemporary music in all its varied forms, strengthening musical life in their local contexts and making their music and its creators known to world.