ISCM Canadian Section Call for Works for ISCM World New Music Days 2024 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, June 22 – June 30, 2024
DEADLINE: August 11, 2023
The International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) Canadian Section is pleased to announce a call for works to select the Canadian Section’s submission for the upcoming ISCM World New Music Days 2024 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. The jury will be announced publicly in the coming weeks.
Six works will be chosen for submission with a guarantee that at least one will be selected for performance in the Faroe Islands. It is the goal of the jury to select works of excellent artistic calibre to be the Canadian Section’s submission to ISCM World New Music Days. The jury assesses the submissions together to ensure that the chosen works encapsulate the dynamic and diverse output of Canadian composers and sound artists working in a broad range of aesthetics, media, identities, and contexts.
Submissions are encouraged in a wide variety of styles, reflecting the plurality of sonic arts today. Diversity in all its forms (race, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, language, physical ability, and age) will be a guiding factor. We particularly welcome applications from artists who are women, non-binary, trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, as well as artists from traditionally under-represented populations.
For all works being submitted to the ISCM Canadian Section for WNMD 2024, it will be the responsibility of each composer to secure rights for the inclusion of that composer’s work in the ISCM Canadian Section promotional website.
By submitting works to this call, composers are agreeing that if their work is selected for performance/presentation, then 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.
The ISCM World New Music Days 2024 are being hosted by the ISCM Faroe Islands Section. In their official call, they write:
Priority will be given to works shorter than 10 minutes in duration and composed after 2014,
with highest priority given to works composed after 2019.
Only one work per composer may be submitted, either by Individual Submission or Official
Submission. If you have questions about this Call, feel free to email the Festival Organizer via
By submitting works to this Call, composers are agreeing that if their work is selected for
performance/presentation then 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.
ELIGIBILITY
1. Composers with Canadian citizenship or Permanent Residency are entitled to submit works to the jury of the ISCM Canadian Section. It is also possible to submit work(s) directly to the international jury of the ISCM by Individual Submission, conforming to the application fees and regulations of ISCM WMD 2024.
Only one work may be submitted per composer, whether through the ISCM Canadian Section or by individual submission. The preferred means of submitting works by Canadian composers for consideration is through the ISCM Canadian Section. The ISCM Canadian Section will make every attempt to notify the public in a timely fashion of the ISCM Canadian Section jury’s selected works for World Music Days 2024.
Individual Submissions should be received via the relevant ISCM 2024 Submission Form no later than 11:59pm CET on 10 October, 2023. Late submissions will not be considered. The Submission
Forms will be made available, and the links advertised on the ISCM website, from 1 September,
2023. (The CLC/ISCM Canadian Section will share this link when it becomes available)
Note: Composers whose work is selected for the official ISCM Canadian Section submission must be members of the Canadian League of Composers. If you are not a member, you may still submit, but if your work is chosen, we will ask you to join the CLC before we submit your work. In this case, the CLC will waive the $75 membership fee for the first year for composers whose works are part of the ISCM Canadian Section official submission.
2. The ISCM Canadian Section will select six works for consideration by the 2024 ISCM World Music Days Selection Jury. These works will come from at least four available categories.
3. Works by a composer whose piece(s) have been performed at the 2023 ISCM World Music Days in South Africa are not eligible for submission.
4. Preference will be given to works composed after 2014, with highest priority given to works composed after 2019.
5. All works submitted to the ISCM Canadian Section for the Call for Scores for the 2024 ISCM World Music Days must conform to the instrumentations (or subsets thereof in some cases) and durations of the available categories, as set out herein or in the Official Call for Works distributed by the ISCM Faroe Islands Section. Please contact the ISCM Canadian Section (iscm@composition.org) or the CLC (info@composition.org) for more information about the eligibility of works written for subsets of the categories.
6. Failure to conform to this will, at the discretion of the 2024 World Music Days international jury, disqualify the entire submission from the ISCM Canadian Section.
INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSIONS
1. The composer’s personal and contact information: Given names; Family name; Name as
it should appear in the programme; Date of birth; Gender; full Mailing address; Phone
no.; email address; website (if applicable).
2. Work information: Title; Submission Category; Accurate duration; Year of composition;
Statement of whether the work has been previously performed.
3. For categories 1-11, please submit a pdf of the score and a recording or MIDI realization.
For categories 12-18, please submit a project proposal, score, or lead sheet, sound files,
and/or other material that will allow the selection panel to gain a clear understanding of
the musical, and technical aspects and requirements of the work. (Especially in category
12, it would be ideal to submit a recording of the finished work.)
4. Programme notes for the submitted work in English (maximum 100 words).
5. Technical rider specifying all equipment necessary to perform the work.
6. Short biography of the composer in English (maximum 100 words).
7. High-resolution digital photograph of the composer.
SUBMISSION CATEGORIES:
1. LARGE CHAMBER ENSEMBLE: 15–19 instruments drawn from the following: 1 flute (incl.
piccolo, alto flute), 1 oboe (incl. cor anglais), 1 clarinet (incl. bass clarinet), 1 bassoon,
1 horn, 1 piano, 4 x 1st violins, 3 x 2nd violins, 3 viola, 2 cello, 1 contrabass. Live
electronics is not an option for this category.
2. CHAMBER ENSEMBLE: 11–14 instruments drawn from the following: 1 flute (incl.
piccolo, alto flute), 1 oboe (incl. cor anglais), 1 clarinet (incl. bass clarinet), 1 bassoon, 1
horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone, piano, 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 contrabass, percussion
(instruments as in category 6). Live electronics is not an option for this category.
3. CHAMBER ENSEMBLE: 10–13 instruments drawn from the following: 1 flute (incl. piccolo,
alto flute) 1 clarinet (incl. bass clarinet), 1 saxophone (incl. soprano, alto, tenor and
baritone.), 1 bassoon, 1 horn, 2 trumpets, 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 piano, 1 guitar
(acoustic or electric). Live electronics is not an option for this category.
4. STRING CHAMBER ENSEMBLE: 10–13 instruments drawn from the following:
4 x 1st violins, 3 x 2nd violins, 3 viola, 2 cello, 1 contrabass. Live electronics is not an
option for this category.
5. STRING QUARTET (2 violins, viola, cello)
6. PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE: Up to 4 musicians. The following instruments are available:
marimba 5 8ve (C), marimba 4.3 8ve (A), vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, tubular
bells, crotales, timpani (set of 5), suspended cymbals, clash cymbals, tamtam,
thundersheet, snare drums (10), bass drums (2), skin tambourine (6), concert toms (8),
octobans (8), rototoms (5), congas, bongos, triangles, castanets, waterphone. Live
electronics is not an option for this category.
7. TRIOS OR QUARTETS drawn from the following instruments (one of each): voice
(soprano), flute, clarinet (incl. bass clarinet), bassoon, horn, saxophone (soprano, alto,
tenor or baritone), trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, contrabass, piano, accordion,
guitar, percussion (instruments: see category 6). Live electronics is not an option for this
Category.
8. DUOS drawn from the following instruments (one of each): voice (soprano), flute,
clarinet (incl. bass clarinet), bassoon, horn, saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor or
baritone.), trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, contrabass, piano, accordion, guitar,
percussion (instruments: see category 6), live electronics (up to 4 channels). N.B. no
fixed-media electronics as these should be proposed in category 12.
9. SOLOS for one of the following instruments: voice (soprano), clarinet (incl. bass clarinet),
bassoon, saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor or baritone), trumpet, trombone, violin, viola,
cello, piano, accordion, guitar, live electronics (up to 4 channels). N.B. no fixed-media
electronics as these should be proposed in category 12.
10. CHOIR: SATB, SMzATBarB, SA, SMzA, TB, TBarB, a cappella. The choir consists of 12
singers; divisi possible (2 per voice); sub-groupings (such as female voices only, etc.) are
Possible.
11. ORGAN SOLO: Organ: Marcussen & Søn, 1989. 3 manuals, 27 stops. Mechanical action
and mechanical stop action.
12. ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH FIXED MEDIA: Acousmatic works, fixed media alone, or fixed
media plus up to 2 performers of any instrument listed in categories 7 or 8, or supplied
by composer. Up to 10 channels (8 speakers and 2 subs).
13. COMPOSER-PERFORMER on any instrument supplied or brought by the performer, or on
an instrument provided by the venue. For electronic composer-performers, a P.A.
system with 10 channels (8 speakers and 2 subs) will be provided.
14. JAZZ ENSEMBLE 6–7 players, chosen from: voice, saxophone, piano, guitar, bass, drums
(additional instruments can be added). Different combinations are encouraged: 2 voices;
2 drums, 2 basses etc. If selected composer is also a performer she/he is encouraged to
participate in performing the composition as a part of the ensemble. In collaboration
with Havnar Jazzfelag www.jazz.fo
15. ECLECTIC MUSIC ENSEMBLE: Invitation to composers to provide material (anything from
a single line to a four-part score – can include chord symbols) for performing musicians
to complete with some elements of improvisation. The material can be based on, or
inspired by, folk or art music from any culture or tradition, and/or inspired by historical
musics/recordings. Instruments: clarinet/bass clarinet, accordion, double bass,
drums/percussion.
16. SOUND INSTALLATIONS to be shown in gallery spaces or other environments, or outside.
Up to 6 channels available.
17. POETRY & MUSIC in SMALL LANGUAGES: Our definition of small languages: a regional or minority language with less than 500.000 speakers. Works can be fully notated (for up to 4 instruments drawn from category 7), electroacoustic or with improvisational ideas. The works can be performed by a singer (soprano) and up to 4 instruments drawn from category 7, or with an audio recording of the text, spoken or sung. Before performance of each composition an actor will recite the text in Faroese and English (two actors will
participate). Submission to this Category should include:
- An English translation of the text, and
- EITHER an audio recording of the text for reference to singer, if singer is included
- OR an audio recording of the text to be integrated in musical performance as playback
18. NATURE AND MUSIC:Solo or duo music to be played in nature. Ocean sounds will be audible at all times. Instruments can be drawn from this list: 2 trumpets, 1 trombone, 1 horn, 1 saxophone.
To submit a work for consideration, please submit a complete application form, available here.
***Please note that submission via the above form requires an active Google account. In the event that you do not have one, please contact generalmanager@composition.org***
For general information on the International Society for Contemporary Music, click here.
For additional information specific to the ISCM Canadian Section, click here, or e-mail iscm@composition.org.
Sincerely,
Rodney Sharman, President, ISCM Canadian Section
Bekah Simms, Vice-President, ISCM Canadian Section
