Call for Scores

Call for Scores for Performance at the 2024 Joint Conference at Brandon University

Deadline: January 15, 2024
Duration: 6 to 14 minutes
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 The Canadian University Music Society (MusCan) is pleased to announce a call for scores to be performed at its next annual conference, May 10 – 15, 2024.  The conference will be hosted by the School of Music at Brandon University, in conjunction with the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition and the Canadian Network for Musicians’ Health and Wellness. Brandon University is located in Treaty 2 territory, home to Anishinaabe, Dakota, Cree, Oji-Cree, and Dene peoples, as well as the homeland of the Red River Métis. Treaty 2 was signed in 1871 by the Crown and six Anishinaabe representatives at Manitoba House.

Compositions in any contemporary musical style or aesthetic are welcome.

Instrumentation: Any combination of the following instruments are available:  violin (3 players); cello (3 players); flute; French horn; trombone or euphonium; jazz saxophone (1 player: alto, tenor, or soprano); pianos (4 players, two pianos available, as well as an electronic harpsichord); conductor (optional); graphic scores and scores with no fixed instrumentation are also welcome–such scores must not require performing forces exceeding six players.

Compositions that include an electro-acoustic component will also be considered. For pieces with live electronics, the composer must attend and perform. For any questions regarding available equipment, please contact Jason Young: YoungJ@BrandonU.ca.

Performance Faculty and Graduate Students of the Brandon University School of Music will perform the selected works as part of a concert of contemporary music to be presented on May 14, 2024.  As many submissions as possible will be performed in this concert. Eligible students who submit scores will automatically be considered for the MusCan Composition Competition (see information on our competition rules page).

The new music concert will only be available to in-person conference attendees. Composers whose scores have been selected for performance are strongly encouraged to attend the concert, including a rehearsal and, in the case of works that include electronics, technical rehearsals. Composers will also be invited to participate in a Composers Round-Table during the conference, either in person or via electronic means. NOTE—see the remarks regarding MusCan membership and Conference registration, below.

Conditions for submitting scores:

  1. Submission of a score to the competition denotes willingness to become a member of MusCan and willingness to register and attend the 2024 MusCan Composers whose scores are selected for performance must be members of MusCan before their submissions can be accepted for inclusion for the program and must register for the MusCan 2024 conference by March 31, 2024.  Annual MusCan membership dues for 2024 are $95 for regular members, and $50 for part-time faculty, students, independent scholars, and retired persons. MusCan membership information is available through its web site www.muscan.org.
  2. Plan to submit scores online no later than 11:59 pm EST on January 15, 2024. The submission portal can be found on our website; it will be open to accept submissions beginning November 30, 2023.
  3. Include one copy of each score as a pdf file, a recording as an mp3 file and a biography of no more than 100 words. NOTE—uploaded scores should not give any indication of the composer’s name or affiliation(s).  Works that include electronics must also include a detailed list of technical requirements and, where possible, a stereo recording of the work.
  4. Each composer may submit up to two scores. Scores must have a duration between 6 and 14 minutes.

Scores chosen for performance will be announced by March 15, 2024.  A composer whose work is selected for performance must submit (a) a set of parts for the selected work, (b) proof of paid, up-to-date MusCan membership for 2024, and (c) proof of MusCan 2024 conference registration.  All of these conditions must be met by April 1, 2024.

For further information, please contact pastpresident@muscan.org or Dr. Leanne Zacharias (ZachariasL@BrandonU.ca), co-coordinator for the concert.

Composition Committee Co-Chairs: Jason Young and Leanne Zacharias
Local Arrangements Committee Chair: Gretta Sayers and Nora Wilson