Call for Scores for Pre-formed Ensembles

Submission Deadline: 12 Noon Mountain Time on Tuesday, June 27, 2023

The College Music Society (CMS) is pleased to announce its 66th National Conference in Miami, Florida, October 26–28, 2023, in conjunction with the 2023 National Conference of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction (ATMI).

The College Music Society National Conference’s 2023 theme is “The World Becomes What We Teach: Innovative, Inclusive, Empathetic, and Joyful.” The College Music Society's commitment to leading change is revolutionizing conversations across music in higher education about the ways in which we might better prepare musicians for the challenges and opportunities faced when living, learning, teaching, and performing music amidst a rapidly evolving globalized society.

The CMS Program Committee is excited to invite the submission of original music, 10 minutes or less in duration, scored for the ensembles outlined below: 

• Florida State University Winds – flute, soprano (B-flat) clarinet, bassoon, horn, and saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone)

• Hippocrene Saxophone Quartet – SATB or any combination of SATB except combinations with more than two baritone saxophones)

• Composite Brass Duo – trumpet (C and Bb; straight, harmon, plunger, solotone, lyric, and cup mutes possible), saxophone (soprano, alto)

We invite composers to write for the full group instrumentation of these ensembles, or any subset thereof.

If the work is accepted, scores and parts will be due Tuesday, August 29. The composer is encouraged to be available for the dress rehearsal with the ensemble prior to the performance. 

The Committee seeks the broadest representation of our profession and its interests and welcomes 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.

CONSIDERATIONS

• Proposed works should be 10 minutes or less in duration.

• Compositions programmed on previous CMS National Conferences are not eligible for consideration. 

• All composers whose work is selected for inclusion on the program will need to register for, and attend, the entire conference. Registration should be completed by early summer 2023.

• Due to the complexity of the conference schedule, composers should expect to have their works performed on any day of the conference should their proposals be accepted. 

• CMS does not fund travel expenses of accepted presenters.

• 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.

ELIGIBILITY

• Composers must be current members of The College Music Society at the time of submission. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please check your membership status well in advance of the submission deadline. Please note that the processing time for membership applications and/or renewals is 1–2 business days. 

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION & PARTICIPATION POLICY

• Each member may only submit one score in response to this call. 

• The maximum number of presentations in which a member may be involved on the conference program is two. If more than two proposals involving the same member are accepted – regardless of whether the member submitted the proposal or was added another member’s proposal – the individual in question must choose in which two presentations they will participate. 

PREPARATION OF MATERIALS

• Electronic submissions are required. Proposals sent by mail will not be considered. 

• The CMS conference submission process is powered by Submittable. To submit a proposal, please (1) log in to the CMS members-only website using your user name and password and then (2) click the “Submit” button at the bottom of this call. You will be directed to Submittable to complete your proposal. If you don’t already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to create one (Click here for help using Submittable and to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions.)

• A complete proposal includes:

1. 1. The score’s title, instrumentation, and duration, rounded up to the nearest half minute.
   2. A PDF copy of the full score and individual parts (anonymous; dedications and/or commissions should be redacted on the score for blind peer review). The score may be notated at concert pitch or transposed but the composer is asked to make this clear in the score. Multi-movement scores should be merged into a single PDF file, as should all parts.
   3. An anonymous digital recording of the work. MIDI file/software-synthesis realizations are acceptable. Most audio file formats are supported within Submittable.
   4. Program notes (250-words or less).
   5. A list of required equipment.
   6. A brief biography of the composer (250-words or less).

Please note: 

• The name(s) or affiliations(s) of anyone involved in the presentation should not appear on the score or parts, including the ensemble, performers, dedications, or commissioners (if applicable), in program notes, or in the file names of submitted audio samples, as submissions are evaluated anonymously. Proposals identifying the composers will be disqualified. Names and affiliations may, however, appear in submitted biographies, as the review committee will not have access to this part of the application. 

• Submissions must follow the guidelines outlined above in order to be considered. 

TIMELINE

Proposals must be submitted by 12 noon Mountain Time on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

Proposers will be notified of their status by Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding this call should be directed to: 
Mihoko Watanabe, 2023 Program Chair

Questions concerning conference operations should be directed to:
Charlie Chadwell, CMS Conference Planner

Submission Link: