1st Biennial New Music Festival and Symposium
Date: March 26th - 28th, 2026
Submission Deadline: October 15th, 2025, 11:59pm EDT.
The Heidelberg New Music Association and School of Music & Theatre will be holding the 1st Biennial New Music Festival and Symposium on March 26th - 28th, 2026. The festival will consist of five concerts and a research presentation symposium. Featuring the work of composers and scholars selected through a call for scores and paper proposals. Selected composers will attend the festival in person, collaborate with performers, network with other participants and the Heidelberg community, and hear their compositions. Selected scholars will give presentations on topics related to contemporary music, music composition, or composition pedagogy. The festival concerts will feature performances by Heidelberg faculty, student performers, university ensembles, and featured guest artists. The keynote composer for the Inaugural Festival will be composer Stacy Garrop.
Composers can submit up to two works total and can select from 11 categories for submission.
Participant Eligibility:
1. Composers and scholars of any nationality and age are encouraged to apply.
2. Selected participants are expected to attend the festival in person. Heidelberg New Music Association may be able to provide modest travel or lodging funding for selected participants who do not have access to funding assistance from institutions or other sources on a case-by-case basis.
3. Alumni of Heidelberg University are strongly encouraged to apply.
4. A maximum of two Heidelberg alumni will be selected for the festival.
5. The 11 categories for Call for Scores that are open for submission are listed below. Category 12 is for Call for Presentations.
6. Selected Composers and Scholars will be notified no later than November 15th, 2025.
Call For Scores And Presentations Categories
Composer-Provided Performers
Any composer-performer or composer who can provide their own performers may submit works up to 10 minutes in duration for consideration. Longer works may be excerpted.
Solo
Any one of the following instruments (up to 8 minutes in duration):
flute (picc through alto), clarinet, saxophone (sop through bari), trumpet, trombone, euphonium, percussion, piano, violin, viola. Up to 8 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
Chamber
Any combination of the following up to 8 instruments (up to 10 minutes in duration):
flute (2), clarinet( 4), saxophone (4), trombone (1), percussion (2), piano (2), violin (1), viola (2). Up to 10 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
Open Instrumentation/Installations
Works for open instrumentation and/or graphic scores for up to 15 performers. Up to 10 minutes in duration.
andPlay
Works for violin and viola duo. Up to 6 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
www.andplayduo.com
Marianne Parker/Michael Hall
Works for piano solo, viola solo, or piano and viola duo. Up to 10 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
www.marianneparker.com
www.michaelhallviola.com
Tower Duo
Works for flute and saxophone duo. Up to 6 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted. Soprano or alto saxes, full range of flutes
www.towerduo.com
Single Reed Ensemble
Works up to eight parts including SATB saxophones (no more than 1 per part), Bb soprano clarinet, and Bb bass clarinet. Up to 8 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
Professor Garrett Evans, director
Chamber Choir
Works for a 12-16 voice choir. Up to 6 minutes in duration. Must be without accompaniment. Longer works may be excerpted.
Dr. Gregory Ramsdell, director
Concert Choir
Works for 30-40 member mixed chorus (max divisi: SSAATTBB), with or without piano accompaniment and obligato parts. Up to 5 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
Dr. Gregory Ramsdell, director
Wind Ensemble
Works for wind ensemble/flex ensemble. Up to 5 minutes in duration. Longer works may be excerpted.
Dr. Ben Herrick, director
Call for Presentations
Presentation slots will be 30 minutes in total, with presentations being between 20-25 minutes, with time for questions. Each scholar may submit one paper/presentation in total. A submission should include a link to a 300-word abstract and list of technical requirements for the presentation. Abstracts can include links to supplementary materials if needed. Abstracts should be uploaded through a file-sharing service and remain available until at least November 15th, 2025.