The International Society of Contemporary Music
and World New Music Days
The International Society of Contemporary Music (ISCM) is a global network of members of over 50 countries and over 60 member sections devoted to the presentation and advancement of contemporary music. Its members promote contemporary music within their own countries and provide opportunities for their creators to present their work internationally.
The ISCM holds an annual festival, World New Music Days (WNMD), which showcases composers and creators from its members. The festival is organized and hosted by a different member country each year; the next edition will be held in Lisbon and Porto, Portugal, from May 30-June 7, 2025.
Canadian composers, landed Immigrants, and permanent residents can submit their work for consideration to the WNMD festival through the ISCM Canadian Section Call for Scores. A jury selects six compositions to be submitted to the host nation; at least one of these compositions will be presented at the festival. This is a valuable opportunity for CLC members to have their work recognized in an international festival alongside composers from around the world. Selected composers must become CLC members.
ISCM Commissioning Project for Indigenous Artists
Every two years, the ISCM Canadian Section commissions a new work from an Indigenous artist working in music and/or sound. The selected artist receives:
- a commissioning fee for the work in accordance with the CLC commissioning rate for a 10-minute work for solo piano with or without electronics (can be for composer-performer);
- a public performance of the commissioned work and a high-quality recording;
- automatic inclusion of the commissioned work as one of the six submissions from the Canadian Section to the WNMD festival, which may be selected by the ISCM host nation to be included in their festival.
The first version of this project was launched in partnership with the Canadian Music Centre British Columbia. Cree composer and cellist Cris Derksen was commissioned to create a new work for piano electronics, which was then premiered by powerhouse contemporary music pianist Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa at “Queering the Air” at the SUM Gallery in Vancouver. “the bells” was then included as part of the ISCM Canadian Section’s submission for the 2023 World New Music Days festival in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa.
In June of 2023, we were thrilled to learn that the 2023 World New Music Days had selected “the bells” to represent the Canadian Section at the 2023 festival. Click here to hear Rachel Kiyo Iwasaa perform “the bells.”
In the fall of 2024, Blackfoot composer Sonny-Ray Day Rider was commissioned to compose a new work for solo piano. This work will be premiered, and recorded by Wesley Shen in late 2025 / early 2026 at the Canadian Music Centre in Toronto, and will be included as part of the ISCM Canadian Section submission to the 2027 World New Music Days Festival (location TBC).
For future editions, the Indigenous artist to be commissioned will be selected by a committee of three Indigenous music creators, including the previously commissioned composer, assembled by the CLC.
This project will help to promote Indigenous artists within Canada, creating the opportunity for an Indigenous artist to develop a new work to be performed and recorded, as well as the potential for an international performance through the ISCM WNMD festival.
Notice of Special Meeting of Members
A Special Meeting to review some of our by-laws.
Alliance for New Music and Sound Art in Canada
An initial group of national organizations that serve new music and sound art communities have formed an Alliance to collaborate on strategic action.
In Memoriam: Frank Brickle
It is with profound sadness that the CLC announces that Frank Brickle passed away on February 9, 2025.