New Music SA Newsletter - January 2021

Dear Members of NMSA

After a period of relative inactivity due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a restructuring of the organisation, NMSA is happy to announce a few upcoming events. For the moment, we have decided to break with our tradition of Indaba and Unyazi festivals due to the unpredictability of the pandemic. By programming separate events in different locations, we can reach more people, and if an event has to be postponed due to a lockdown, other concerts are not necessarily affected.

I. House Keeping
We will be having an online AGM on the 28th of February 2021. Due to the difficulties experienced in the previous year, we have had to postpone the AGM until now. Details concerning the time and platform for the AGM will be released closer to the time. We look forward to seeing you all there. 

II. Concert Series
In three upcoming concerts, which have been made possible through the generous support of the Rupert Music Foundation, we will celebrate anniversaries. Each concert will feature the music of several composers, including a newly commissioned work. The names of the performers and more detailed information will be announced soon.
CONCERT 1: Sunday 7 March, 3 pm, Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre, Sophiatown, Johannesburg:
Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (230th anniversary of death), Todd Matshikiza (100th birthday), and Dimitri Voudouris (world premiere; 60th birthday) 
CONCERT 2: Sunday 4 April, 3pm, Kalashnikov Gallery, Johannesburg
Works by Igor Stravinsky (50th anniversary of death) and Hannes Taljaard (world premiere; 50th birthday)
CONCERT 3: Sunday 9 May (TBC), 3pm, venue TBC, Cape Town
Works by Ludwig van Beethoven (250th birthday in 2020), Joseph Shabalala (1st anniversary of death in 2021; 80th birthday in 2020), and Neo Muyanga (world premiere)

III. Call for Scores
We are announcing two calls for scores:
1. A call In conjunction with the three concerts above.
2. A call for the ISCM World New Music Days in September 2021, in China.

Call 1: You are invited to submit scores to be performed at the three concerts in March, April and May.
For Concert 1, you may submit works for violin and viola (either instrument solo, or as a duet).
For Concert 2, you may submit works for clarinet and percussion (either instrument solo, or as a duet; percussion is primarily marimba).
For Concert 3, you may submit works for violin, cello and piano (any of these instruments solo, any duo configuration of these instruments, or as a trio).
Also, for any of the concerts (please indicate preferred concert), you may submit a solo work that you will perform. This can be for any instrument as long as you bring your own instrument. If you would like to perform on piano, an instrument will be available at concerts 1 and 3, but not at concert 2. If you would like to perform on electronics, a p.a. system will likewise be available at concerts 1 and 3, but not at concert 2. Please note, however, that we are not able to pay any honorarium for performances originating from the call for scores.
If holding public events is impossible due to Covid restrictions, concerts will either be recorded without an audience, or postponed. In any case (with or without audience), they will be recorded on video for later posting online.
The works to be performed (including those performed solo by submitting artists themselves) will be selected by the musicians solicited by NMSA to perform at that concert.
There is no limitation on age, nationality, etc. of composers, nor on when the piece was composed or first performed. Works may be in any style and use any approach to notation; however, please be aware that the performers are generally classically-trained and most accustomed to the notational conventions of contemporary classical music. Works may already have been performed, or may be premieres. They may be of any length, though shorter works probably have a better chance of being selected (please indicate the length of the piece in your submission email). No fees will be paid to the composer(s).
Please submit proposals by email to <[email protected]>. Proposals should include a score and recording where available (the latter can be a MIDI realisation), as well as all relevant information (title, duration, instrumentation, any other information you deem necessary). If files are too large to send in an email message, please send these files via wetransfer to the same email address, and also send an email with information, indicating that you are also sending file(s) via wetransfer.
The deadline for ALL submissions for this call for scores (regardless of which concert it is intended for) is SUNDAY, 7 FEBRUARY at 23:59 SA time. Late submissions will not be accepted.
By submitting works to this Call, composers are agreeing that if their work is selected for performance/presentation, they automatically grant permission for the NMSA performance/presentation of their work to be recorded, broadcast, and streamed from the website without additional financial liability to NMSA.

Call 2: The 2021 edition of the ISCM World New Music Days is scheduled to take place in Shanghai from the 17th to the 20th of September and in Nanning from the 21st to the 25th of September, China. You can submit works for peformance in two ways:
a) Through NewMusicSA. This submission is free; works to be forwarded to the festival’s selection panel will be preselected by a NMSA panel that will choose 6 works across at least 4 of the 12 score categories (see below). At least one of the works forwarded by NMSA will be selected by the festival's selection panel for inclusion in the festival. The deadline for submissions is SUNDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2021 at 23:59 SA time.
Please submit proposals by email to <[email protected]>. Proposals should include a score and recording where available (the latter can be a MIDI realisation), as well as all relevant information (title, duration, instrumentation, any other information you deem necessary). If files are too large to send in an email message, please send these files via wetransfer to the same email address, and also send an email with information, indicating that you are also sending file(s) via wetransfer.
b) Individually. You can submit your work via www.iscm.org; there is a submission fee of EUR 53.05 payable by PayPal at the time of submission. Here your submission goes directly to the festival's panel which will select several works from among all individual submissions. The deadline is 16 March 2021 (Shanghai time).
Below are the 12 score categories in which both NMSA and the festival panel will be accepting submissions, as well as further guidelines for your submission (valid both for submissions via NMSA and individual ones):
Thank you and best wishes,
The NMSA Board
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ISCM WNMD SUBMISSIONS
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:
0. 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 no.; email address; website (if applicable).
0. Work information: Title; Submission Category; Accurate duration; Year of composition; Statement of whether the work has been previously performed.
0. The score (.pdf document preferred), or audio/video documentation if the work does not have a written score - as described in the Work Categories.
0. An audio or video recording of the work (if available).
0. Programme notes for the submitted work in English (maximum 100 words).
0. Technical rider specifying all equipment necessary to perform the work.
0. Short biography of the composer in English (maximum 100 words).
0. High-resolution digital photograph of the composer.
WORK CATEGORIES
Category I: Orchestral Works
0. 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
0. Soloists are NOT allowed in the Composition, nor Piano.
0. 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).
0. Soloists are NOT allowed in the Composition, nor Piano.
0. Works shorter than 12 minutes will be given priority.
Category III: String Quartet
0. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
0. Extended techniques are allowed.
Category IV: Chamber Music Group A
0. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
0. Instrumentation: 1 fl. 1 cl. 1 vln. 1 vc. 1 pno.
0. Composers may choose any combination of 2 - 5 among the above instruments.
0. Extended techniques on each instrument allowed.
Category V: Chamber Music Group B
0. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
0. Instrumentation:1fl. 1ob. 1cl. 1trbn.1perc. 1pno. 2vln. 1vla. 1vc. 1db. 1dizi. 1erhu.1pipa
0. Composers may choose any combination of 6 - 14 among the above instruments, but at
least 1 must be included from Dizi, Erhu or Pipa.
0. Extended techniques on each instrument allowed.
0. The intro video of Chinese Instruments: Dizi, Erhu and Pipa will be posted on the official
website.
0. The list of percussion instruments is attached at the end of Call for Works.
Category VI: Choir Works (SATB)
0. Works shorter than 5 minutes will be given priority.
0. It can be a capella. If not, the only instrument that can be included is piano.
0. Extended piano techniques will not be accepted.
Category VII: Solo Piano Works
0. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
0. Extended techniques allowed on piano, performers are allowed to play inside the piano.
0. Prepared piano works will not be accepted.
Category VIII: Percussion Works
0. Works shorter than 8 minutes will be given priority.
0. 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.
0. Compositions may be for 2-8 percussionists.
Category IX, X, XI, XII: Electronic Music
0. Works shorter than 10 minutes will be given priority.
0. 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)
0. 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.)
0. Composers must supply a diagram showing the speaker layout.
Category X : Electronic Music with 1 Instrumentalist (Fixed Media/Tape Music)


0. 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.)
0. Composers must supply a diagram showing the speaker layout.
0. 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)
0. Only one (1) Operator is allowed for live performance.
0. 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.
0. 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.
0. 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.
0. 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.
3. The selected instrument can be linked to the electronics. But the sensor or any linked
devices should be provided by the composer.
4. 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.
5. We suggest the Composer or the operator brings their own laptop for the live performance.
Only 1 laptop allowed in the performance.
6. The work can have maximum 8 channels, and the composer must supply a diagram
showing the preferred speaker layout.