Attn: Composers and Scholars
2021 Penn State NEW-MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SYMPOSIUM
CALL FOR SCORES AND PAPERS/PRESENTATIONS
August 20, 2020 – University Park, PA
Email contact: Baljinder Sekhon, Festival Director bss5477@psu.edu
VISIT FESTIVAL WEBSITE: https://music.psu.edu/penn-state-2021-new-music-festival-and-symposium
Online Composition Submission Form: https://forms.gle/Ff2X4PZjT2qJdCWd8
Papers/Presentations Online Submission Form: https://forms.gle/Fws5yZ4idTFfnRLp9
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Tuesday October 13, 2020 11:59pm EST
This spring, the Penn State School of Music will be holding an international new-music festival and symposium. The festival will be held March 19-20, 2021 and will consist of multiple concerts and lecture sessions. 20-25 composers will be selected to have performances of their compositions at the festival, and 12-16 scholars will be selected to present a paper/presentation on any topic related to contemporary music. Given the uncertainty of COVID-19 restrictions, the mode for the festival will be announced when the selected participants are notified. This could include performances and lectures that are held in-person, virtual, or a hybrid of these modes. When selected participants are notified, they will have the option to participate in a way that conforms with current and projected safety protocol – even if in-person participation is possible, all participants will have the option of attending virtually. The festival concerts will feature performances by Penn State faculty and student performers, guest performers, or pre-recorded performances (depending on the platform for the festival).
Participant Eligibility:
1. Composers and scholars of any nationality and age are encouraged to apply.
2. Selected participants are expected to attend the festival online or in person. If in-person concerts/lectures take place, all participants will be given the option to still attend virtually. The Penn State School of Music cannot provide any travel or lodging funding for selected participants.*
3. If selected, a registration fee of $25 will be due at the time of registration to secure participation in the festival.
4. Students currently enrolled at Penn State are not eligible.
5. A maximum of three Penn State alumni will be selected for the festival: one in each category of acoustic composition, electronic composition, and paper/presentation.
6. Requirements and submission procedures for each category (composition and papers/presentations) are outlined below.
*If in-person events are possible and participants wish to attend: The Living Music Club and Penn State Composition and Technology programs will assist with travel arrangements to and from the airport in State College if needed and provide lodging discounts through Penn State where possible. Dr. Baljinder Sekhon will provide a formal invitation for those seeking financial assistance from their institution, if needed. Living Music will make every effort to provide home stays for student composers and scholars, but this is not guaranteed.
COMPOSITION
Composition Eligibility:
- Each composer may submit up to two pieces for consideration.
- Multiple submissions must be made in different categories.
- Each submission must be made with a new complete submission form.
- All submissions should be between 5-15 minutes in duration.
- Works composed in 2011 or later are eligible.
- Works integrating video are acceptable for any category.
- Previously performed compositions are eligible.
- Works of any style, aesthetic, and notation will be accepted.
- There is no entry fee to submit a work for consideration.
- Composers may provide their own performers or submit to one of the categories below.
- Selected composers are expected to register and attend the entire symposium (in person or virtually).
The following submission categories are possible:
1. Mixed Chamber ensemble works requiring 2-10 players.*
Please see other submission categories to be sure your chamber work does not fit a more specific submission category.
(produced by Living Music and the Penn State Composition Program; Baljinder Sekhon, director)
2. Works for solo instrument or voice.
(produced by Living Music and the Penn State Composition Program; Baljinder Sekhon, director)
3. Works for 1-5 performers with fixed or live electronics (1-5 channels).
(produced by Living Music and the Penn State Music Technology Program; Steven Rice, director)
4. Works for electronic playback only (1-5 channels).
(produced by Living Music and the Penn State Music Technology Program; Steven Rice, director)
5. Chamber Winds (conducted works with a maximum of 16 players drawn from standard wind ensemble instrumentation)
(produced by Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, Director of Wind Band Studies)
6. Saxophone Quartet or Ensemble (up to triple saxophone quartet plus bass saxophone)
(produced by David Stambler, Professor of Saxophone)
7. Percussion Ensemble (maximum of 8 players) – Penn State Percussion Ensemble
8. Flute Ensemble (not to exceed six different parts, can include piccolo, flute, alto flute, and bass flute)
(produced by Naomi Seidman, Associate Professor of Flute)
9. Clarinet Quartet/Ensemble (up to but not exceeding: 2 Eb, 9 Bb, 1 alto, 2 Bass Cl., 1 Eb Contra Alto Cl.)
(produced by Anthony Costa, Associate Professor of Clarinet)
10. Bassoon Quartet (4 bassoons, no contrabassoon)
(produced by Daryl Durran, Professor of Bassoon)
11. Woodwind Quintet (C fl, Bb cl, ob, hrn, bsn, no doublings)
(produced by the Pennsylvania Quintet, performed by the Pennsylvania Quintet or Student Quintet)
12. Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble
(produced by Velvet Brown, Professor of Tuba and Euphonium)
13. Horn Ensemble (5-8 parts)
(produced by Lisa Bontrager, Professor of Horn)
14. Trumpet Ensemble (6-8 parts)
(produced by Langston Fitzgerald III, Professor of Trumpet)
15. Trombone Choir (minimum of 8 players)
(produced by Mark Lusk, Professor of Trombone)
16. Brass Quintet
17. TTBB Choir (up to 8-part divisi, unaccompanied works, or those requiring piano or limited instrumental accompaniment)
(produced by the Penn State Glee Club; Christopher Kiver, director)
18. SSAA Choir (up to 8-part divisi, unaccompanied works, or those requiring piano or limited instrumental accompaniment)
(produced by Oriana Singers; Kathyrn Hylton, director)
19. SATB Choir (up to 8-part divisi, unaccompanied works, or those requiring piano or limited instrumental accompaniment)
(produced by Penn State Concert Choir or University Choir; Christopher Kiver and Bryan Nichols, directors)
20. String Orchestra
(produced by Gerardo Edelstein, Director of Orchestral Studies)
*Chamber Ensemble Instrumentation (category 1): The instrumentation may be a subset of the following (if Penn State Living Music is to provide the performers):
(2) Flutes/Piccolos
(2) Oboe/English Horn
(2) Clarinets (see listing in category 9)
(2) Bassoon/Contrabassoon
(2) Saxes (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bari.)
(2) Horn
(2) Trumpets
(2) Trombones
(1) Bass Trombone
(1) Tuba
(2) Percussion
(1) Piano
(2) Violins
(1) Viola
(1) Cello
(1) Double Bass
(1) Soprano Voice
(1) Mezzo Soprano Voice
(1) Tenor Voice
(1) Harp
(1) Guitar
If the composer intends to supply their own performers, the composer must indicate so on the submission form. If this is the case, the composer may utilize any instrumentation and any amount of players. *
* If a composer would like to provide their own percussionist(s) but utilize the percussion instruments available at Penn State, please provide a clear list of required percussion instruments with the submission.
Composition Submission Guidelines:
- Submissions will only be accepted online. No hard copy submissions will be accepted.
- Submission Deadline: October 13, 2020
- Each composer may submit up to 2 pieces for consideration.
- Multiple submissions must be made in different categories.
- Each submission must be made with a new complete submission form.
- Submissions should include links to a legible score (unless irrelevant) and recording.
- Recordings are encouraged but not required.
- Scores and recordings should be uploaded to an online file sharing service and remain available until January 10, 2021. The recording link can be hosted on YouTube, SoundCloud, or a similar streaming service.
- Submissions should include brief program notes.
- Submissions should include a brief biography (100 words maximum).
- Submissions including electronics must include a complete list of technical needs (and if necessary, a routing diagram).
COMPOSITION ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM: https://forms.gle/Ff2X4PZjT2qJdCWd8
For additional information, please email Dr. Baljinder Sekhon: bss5477@psu.edu
Selected composers will be informed no later than January 10, 2021.
The festival registration fee of $25.00 will be due at the time of invitation acceptance.
PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS
Papers/Presentations Eligibility:
- Papers/Presentations should be no longer than 20-25 minutes, with time remaining for questions.
- Presentation slots will not exceed 30 minutes.
- Any topic related to contemporary music is eligible (theory, musicology, ethnomusicology, composition, electronic music, interdisciplinary arts, philosophy, etc.).
- Research presentations can take the form of paper readings, PowerPoint presentations, or other lecture formats as appropriate.
- Selected presenters are expected to register and attend the symposium.
- In the case that in-person presentations are possible, selected presenters will have the option to attend and present virtually.
Paper/Presentation Submission Guidelines:
- Submissions will only be accepted online. No hard copy submissions will be accepted.
- Submission Deadline: October 13, 2020
- Each scholar may submit 1 paper/lecture for presentation.
- A submission should include a link to a 300-word abstract.
- Abstracts should include a list of technical requirements for the presentation.
- Abstracts can include links to supplemental materials, if needed.
- Abstracts should be uploaded to an online file sharing service and remain available until January 10, 2021.
PAPERS/PRESENTATIONS ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM: https://forms.gle/Fws5yZ4idTFfnRLp9
For additional information, please email Dr. Baljinder Sekhon: bss5477@psu.edu
Selected scholars will be informed no later than January 10, 2021.
The symposium registration fee of $25.00 will be due at the time of invitation acceptance.