Supplemental Call for Film/Visual Media Scores (Composition)

Submission Deadline: 11:59pm Mountain Time Friday, May 29, 2026

The College Music Society (CMS) is pleased to announce its 69th CMS National Conference in Grand Rapids, MI, from November 12–14, 2026, in conjunction with the Association for Technology in Music Instruction (ATMI), National Association for Collegiate Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI), and Pi Kappa Lambda (PKL).

CMS’s 2026 Conference Theme is “Adaptive Advocacy: Collegiate Music Training at a Crossroads.” This conference aims to explore what the future of music education, creation, performance, and scholarship might look like in conversation with community-based action, coalition-building, advocacy, and innovative practice across all those realms.

The 2026 Program Committee welcomes submissions of original works for film to be screened during one or more special concerts during the conference. The Committee solicits the broadest representation of our profession and its interests. We welcome submissions from all, including those (a) in academia (full-time and adjunct faculty, community college faculty, students, and retired faculty), (b) in the music industry, and (c) active as independent musicians and scholars. In addition to continuing to accept proposals in line with prior CMS submissions, the 2026 Conference is also accepting submissions for film scoring. In the spirit of the 2026 conference theme, as well as the 2026-2027 Common Topic—Collaborate!—the Program Committee particularly encourages, and will give priority to, proposals that highlight current creative work in the following areas: 

• Performances and lecture recitals that imagine new ways of understanding the music of the past and the present, with forward-thinking considerations on music-making in the coming decade
• Professional activities that illustrate the capacity for artistic expression to intersect with social action through collaboration and coalition-building
• Creative research projects that explore innovations in the field of music education, performance, scholarship, and composition, through the lens of advocacy and social justice 
• Explorations of emergent technologies that pose both opportunities and potential challenges to music-makers and educators

The Composition Subcommittee welcomes all musical voices into CMS conversations, including those from the fields of Jazz, Contemporary and Commercial Music, Music of the Americas, African American Music, Electronic Music, Film Music, Musical Theater, and Wellness (including music therapy, music as care, and music within disability studies). 

FILM SCORE CONSIDERATIONS

Composers may score any clip for which they can secure the appropriate permissions to share in an academic conference setting, or choose something freely available. Film clips may not be longer than 10 minutes, and your score should complement at least 75% of the film. Clips that are shorter than 10 minutes (trailer length, for instance) are highly encouraged. No extra value will be assigned to longer–or shorter–clips. 

FILM SCORE LOGISTICS

When submitting your music, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Include the origin of your clip (title, year, author) at the beginning of your film. 
• Include a still frame acknowledging any creative authorship for the film itself, where available, at the end of your film.
• Your submission should be a single file with high-quality video and audio (1920x1080), 16:9 aspect ratio.
• You will need to host your video on an external site (YouTube, Vimeo, personal website, etc) and share a link in the application. 
• Do not use any uncleared samples. Follow copyright guidelines according to fair use for educational purposes.
• Music should be at a consistent full volume. Composers may not adjust the volume live during their performance (but will have the opportunity to confirm playback volumes at soundcheck).

CONFERENCE LOGISTICS

• The Primary proposer must be a current member of The College Music Society. First-time CMS members can sign up for a six-month trial membership at a discounted rate of $20. Persons interested in submitting a proposal should check their membership status well in advance of the submission deadline. Please note the processing time for membership applications and renewals is 1–2 business days.
• The CMS Program Committee has issued nine Supplemental Calls for inclusion in the 2026 National Conference. Members are permitted to submit one response per call (for example, one proposal for Film/Visual Media scores, one proposal for Jazz & Improvisatory Performances participation, and one proposal for Table Talks).
• All composers whose work is selected for inclusion in the program are expected to register for and attend the entire conference. They will be expected to register by early summer 2026. 
• Composers must be willing to have their works performed on any day of the conference, should their proposal be accepted. 
• The College Music Society does not fund the travel expenses of accepted presenters or performers. 
• Two-channel amplification will be provided. If accepted, you will be asked to share your video file with the CMS Conference Organizers. Your film will screen in a concert run through a CMS-provided computer during the conference.
• Proposers must submit their own work and may not submit proposals on behalf of their students or others.
• Proposals of a commercial nature that promote products and services will not be considered.
• If the program must be moved from an in-person to an online venue for any reason, the Program Committee reserves the right to request that presenters alter the duration and structure of their presentations to better accommodate the virtual format.

TIMELINE

Proposals must be submitted by 11:59pm Mountain Time Friday, May 29, 2026

Proposers will be notified of their status by Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding this Call should be directed to: 
[email protected], 2026 National Conference Program Chair

Questions concerning conference operations should be directed to:
[email protected], CMS Conference Planner