Call for scores: 2023 ISCM World New Music Days in SA

As the official South African member of the ISCM, NewMusicSA is entitled to select and submit six works that meet the specified categories and criteria, for consideration by the festival’s programming committee. One of these works will be performed during the festival.

In order to apply to the ISCM South African section call, applicants need to be registered members of NewMusicSA. Membership is free of charge.

To become a member of NewMusicSA (or renew your membership), applicants should first complete the membership form here.

Application process

There are 16 categories for different ensembles with specified forces. Artists can submit their works by sending a PDF version of the score plus an audio or video recording of the work (if available), or audio/video documentation if the work does not have a written score.

Note: Applicants should submit the correct supporting documents for their chosen category.

A jury set up by NewMusicSA will review submitted pieces and select six works for submission to the festival’s selection committee. Submissions need to cover at least four of the listed categories. Provided NewMusicSA meets these requirements, at least one work submitted by ISCM South Africa will be included in the World Music Days Festival.

For more information about previous works selected for World Music Days Festival, see ISCM South Africa’s Wikipedia page.

Applicants are also free to send an individual submission to the ISCM. As opposed to submitting via NewMusicSA, which is free of charge, individual submissions require payment of a fee of €53.50 ($65).

Individual submissions do not require NewMusicSA membership, and these submissions will be forwarded directly to the festival’s programming committee. However, as opposed to submissions to NewMusicSA, of which at least one of the six shortlisted works will be performed at the festival, there is no guarantee that any of the individually submitted works will be performed.

“Since NewMusicSA is the host of this year’s festival, which will take place in South Africa, we have a certain home-team advantage, and we will use this to present a much wider selection of South African music than would normally be the case at such a festival,” NewMusicSA said.

“Thus, while this call for works and the possibility to submit individually to the ISCM are the only ways to channel into the official ISCM selection for the festival, there also are other avenues to having your work featured at the festival. We will soon open another call for works, with different conditions and different selection criteria, aimed at maximising the opportunity to showcase music from Africa at the festival.”

Applicants can apply online before 8 March.

View the original call here.