2026 Northwest Chapter Conference

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Submission Deadline: 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 9, 2025

The Northwest Chapter of The College Music Society will hold its 37th Conference on March 20-21, 2026, at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR.

The Program Committee welcomes submissions of original works to be performed at concerts during the conference. Composers must either perform their own works or provide their own performer(s). The Committee solicits 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 composers.

The Composition Review Committee welcomes proposals from all compositional perspectives, including compositional approaches that represent progressive trends such as improvisation, extended techniques, electronic instruments, unconventional instrumentation, and sound creation.

The Program Committee particularly encourages student composers, and proposals that relate to the Northwest region’s rich musical heritage.

CONSIDERATIONS

• Proposed works must be 15 minutes or less in duration.
• Composers who will provide their own performers must communicate with their performers prior to submission, regarding their interest and availability. Proposals which do not list all performers will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered. 
• Video projection is available in the hall. Should live processing of sound be included, the composer may be required to provide all necessary equipment (e.g., laptop, interface, etc.). If you have questions about specific technological possibilities, please reach out before submitting your proposal. 
• Composers may wish to refer to the online CMS Player’s Roster to locate performers who have volunteered their services for this conference. 
• All composers whose work is selected for inclusion on the program are expected to register for and attend the entire conference. Performers on this concert, who may or may not be members of CMS, are not expected to register and attend the conference unless they wish to, but their attendance will be limited to the concert and any rehearsals if they do not register.
• Composers/improvisers 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 travel expenses of accepted presenters or performers.
• Proposers must submit their own work and may not submit proposals on behalf of their students or others.

STUDENTS

We highly encourage students to submit paper/panel/workshop/demo/poster proposals. If you are a CMS Northwest Chapter student member, you will have the opportunity to be considered for the Student Composition Award. 

ELIGIBILITY

Composers must be current members of The College Music Society at the time of submission. 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/or renewals is 1–2 business days.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION & PARTICIPATION POLICY

• Each member may submit a maximum of 1 proposal in response to this Call. 
• Each member may submit a maximum of 2 proposals to all calls for this conference.
• Each member may be added by others as a co-presenter (e.g., panelist or accompanist) to a maximum of 1 proposal. 
• 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 College Music Society's conference submission process is powered by Submittable. To submit a proposal, please (1) log in to the CMS members-only website using your username 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 establish one. (Click here for help using Submittable and to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions.)
• A complete proposal includes:
  1. The composition’s title, instrumentation, and duration, rounding up to the nearest half minute.
  2. A PDF copy of the full score and individual parts (anonymous), if applicable. 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. Improvisations or purely electronic compositions need not be accompanied by a score, but instrumentation and audio requirements should be clearly indicated.
  3. An anonymous digital recording of the work (please erase the metadata that is automatically saved with the file). MIDI file/software-synthesis realizations are acceptable. Most audio file formats are supported within Submittable.
  4. Program notes (not to exceed 250 words).
  5. A list of required equipment (Internet connections are not guaranteed).
  6. A brief biography of the composer (not to exceed 250 words).
  7. Name of the performing ensemble, if applicable.
  8. Biography of ensemble or performer(s) (maximum total text of 250 words). Ensemble biographies may briefly address the individual achievements of each ensemble member; however, separate biographies of each individual performer are not requested in this case.
  9. Contact for all performers, including complete contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone) and a biography (250-word maximum) for each person. If your presentation includes 3 or more persons, download this spreadsheet, save the file using your name as the file name (e.g., smith_john.xlsx), and include the requested information for all additional presenters. You will be required to upload this completed file with your proposal. 
     
     Please note: The name(s) or affiliation(s) of anyone involved in the presentation should not appear on the score or parts, in program notes, or in the file names of submitted audio samples, as submissions are evaluated anonymously. Proposals identifying the composer or collaborators will be disqualified. Names and affiliations may appear in submitted biographies and in the “Performers” section of the proposal, however, as the Score Review Committee will not have access to this part of the presentation.
• Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be considered.

TIMELINE

• Proposals must be submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 10, 2025.
• Proposers will be notified by November 27, 2025.

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding this call should be directed to:

Florian Conzetti,[email protected][email protected]Program Chair, 2026 CMS Northwest Conference

Submission Deadline: 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 9, 2025

The Northwest Chapter of The College Music Society will hold its 37th Conference on March 20-21, 2026, at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR.

The Program Committee welcomes proposals for lecture-recitals and performances to be presented at the conference. The Committee invites the broadest representation from the music profession and its interests, and welcomes proposals from students, faculty, retirees, and independent musicians and music researchers from all educational and professional settings.  

The Program Committee particularly encourages student submissions, and proposals that relate to the Northwest region’s rich musical heritage.

CONSIDERATIONS

• Performances are intended to present live music, and speaking is generally limited to brief introductory comments. Two types of performances are possible:
  1. Stand-alone Performance: A 25-minute program from a single performer or ensemble may be proposed that features music by one or more composers. The time limit is inclusive of set-up and tear-down.
  2. Showcase Performance: Brief performances of 10 minutes or less may be proposed which will be included on a larger concert organized by the Program Committee. The time limit is inclusive of set-up and tear-down.
• Lecture-recitals are limited to 25 minutes each, inclusive of delivery, discussion, and/or questions as appropriate. Lecture-recitals differ from performances in that they provide opportunities for performing combined with a significant amount of speaking.
• The same topic may not be submitted as both a lecture-recital and performance.
• This call is primarily for performers. Composers may submit their works through the Call for Composition.
• Prior to submission, proposers must communicate with all collaborators regarding their interest and availability. This includes collaborative pianists. Proposals not listing all participants will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered. 
• All persons whose work is selected for inclusion on the program are expected to register for and attend the full conference. If the proposal is accepted, proposers will be asked to communicate with all participants in the presentation to ensure their registration. 
• Proposers agree to present on any day of the conference should their proposal be accepted.
• The College Music Society does not fund travel expenses of accepted presenters or performers.
• Proposers must submit their own work and may not submit proposals on behalf of their students or others.

STUDENTS

We highly encourage students to submit paper/panel/workshop/demo/poster proposals. If you are a CMS Northwest Chapter student member, you will have the opportunity to be considered for the Student Performance Award. 

ELIGIBILITY

• The Primary proposer must be a current member of The College Music Society. 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/or renewals is 1–2 business days.
• It is not necessary for collaborators to be current members at the time of submission; however, if invited to the program, every person involved in the presentation must join CMS and register for the conference.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION & PARTICIPATION POLICY

Each member may submit a maximum of 1 proposal in response to this Call. 

• Each member may submit a maximum of 2 proposals to all calls for this conference.
• Each member may be added by others as a co-presenter (e.g., panelist or accompanist) to a maximum of 1 proposal. 
• 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.
• To support the anonymous review process, the name(s) and/or affiliation(s) of anyone involved in the presentation, including the ensemble, performers, dedications or commissioners (if applicable), should not appear in the title, abstract, or program notes, nor in the file names or body of submitted supplementary materials. Submissions are evaluated anonymously and proposals identifying the proposer or co-presenters will be disqualified. Names and affiliations may appear in the “Collaborators” section of the proposal and in submitted biographies, however, as the review committee will not have access to this information.
• The College Music Society's conference submission process is powered by Submittable. To submit a proposal, please (1) log in to the CMS members-only website using your username 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 establish one. (Visit this page for help using Submittable and to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions.)
• A complete proposal includes:
  1. The proposal’s title and format.
  2. Abstract / Program Notes
     1. Lecture-recital proposals require an abstract of 250 words or less.
        
        Preparing an Abstract: The Program Committee chooses presentations based primarily on the abstract as submitted, so it is important to write an abstract that the Committee will understand and can evaluate fairly. The purpose of the abstract is to convey to the reader what will be said in the presentation. Do not merely describe the subject or list the topics to be covered. Rather, state the main point of the presentation, online the subsidiary points, and summarize the evidence offered, so that someone who has not heard the presentation can know in brief what it will say and can evaluate its contribution to our knowledge and understanding of music. The abstract, like the presentation itself, should be clear to an audience of musicians and music educators of all kinds, not just to those with a narrow specialty. While it may be necessary to set the context or lay out the problem to be addressed, this should be kept to a minimum.
        
        
     2. Performance proposals require program notes of 250 words or less, as well as a list of all titles, movements, and composers being proposed, an indication of the instrumentation, and duration of each work. If a proposal includes lengthy pieces which will not be played in their entirety, please clarify within the program notes which sections will be performed. 
        
        Preparing Program Notes: In conjunction with supporting audio files, Program Notes should convince the review committee that your proposal merits programming. Your program notes will also be published in the concert program and/or conference materials to describe the performance to attendees. Please write in clear and direct prose that informs and enlightens the reader. Avoid listing the full program again to avoid redundancy. Your program notes should offer insight into the selected repertoire and should be written in such a way that they will increase the audience’s understanding and enjoyment of the music. You may consider addressing elements of structure, style, content, and/or historical relevance, or you may wish to highlight the significance of the program and/or the connection of the composer(s) to the conference destination. Due to available space, in-depth analysis should be avoided.
        
        
  3. A list of required equipment and internet needs (internet connections are not guaranteed).
  4. A digital recording of the performer(s) to demonstrate proficiency. The duration of each recording should be a minimum of 3 minutes, but no longer than 8 minutes. Preference will be given to submissions that include a recording of the proposer performing the actual work being proposed. When this is not possible, the submitted example must be of a comparable style, genre, or historical period. Most audio file formats are supported within Submittable. File names should not identify the proposer or any collaborators (please erase the metadata that is automatically saved with the file).
  5. If performing a work based on music notation, PDF reference scores to accompany the audio samples submitted under item #4.
  6. Optional: In addition to the two required audio samples of the performer(s), an additional reference recording of the proposed work being performed by someone else may be added to support the submission. This is recommended in cases where the proposer(s) have not recorded the proposed work.
  7. Optional: You may add up to 3 supporting materials to your proposal. These might include printed music examples, photos, statistics, or relevant data. Do not include lengthy documents, dissertations, CVs, resumes, or PowerPoint presentations.
  8. Contact details and a brief biography of the proposer (not to exceed 250 words).
  9. Name of performing ensemble, if applicable.
  10. Collaborator Biographies:
      1. If the presentation will be given by a named ensemble, a biography of ensemble must be included (not to exceed 250 words). Ensemble biographies may briefly address the achievements of each ensemble member; however, separate biographies of each individual performer are not requested in this case.
      2. If the presentation will not be given by a named ensemble, biographies of individual performers should be included (not to exceed 250 words per person).
  11. Details regarding all personnel involved in the presentation, including complete contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone) and a biography (250-word maximum) for each person. If your presentation includes 3 or more persons, download this spreadsheet, save the file using your name as the file name (e.g., smith_john.xlsx), and include the requested information for all additional presenters. You will be required to upload this completed file with your proposal.
      
      Please note: To support the anonymous review process, the name(s) or affiliation(s) of anyone involved in the presentation should not appear in the title or abstract, nor in the file names or body of submitted supplemental materials, as submissions are evaluated anonymously. Names and affiliations may appear in the “Co-Presenter” section of the proposal in the submitted biographies, however, as the review committee will not have access to this information.
      
      When referencing one’s own previously published research, the proposer should refer to such research in the third person to avoid identifying themselves. For example, hypothetical proposal submitter D. Graham should write, “D. Graham’s article, ‘XYZ,’ summarizes pertinent issues,” instead of writing, “My article, ‘XYZ,’ summarizes pertinent issues.” The wording in the first example protects the anonymity of the author, while the second compromises the author’s anonymity by linking the author of the proposal to previously published work by a named author.
• Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be considered.

TIMELINE

• Proposals must be submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 10, 2025.
• Proposers will be notified by November 27, 2025.

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding this call should be directed to:

Florian Conzetti,[email protected][email protected]Program Chair, 2026 CMS Northwest Conference

Submission Deadline: 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 9, 2025

The Northwest Chapter of The College Music Society will hold its 37th Conference on March 20-21, 2026, at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR.

The Program Committee welcomes proposals for scholarly research papers, panels, demonstrations, discussion forums, and workshops relating to all aspects of music creation, performance, scholarship, teaching learning, career considerations, and other areas of interest to the music professional. The Committee invites the broadest representation from the music profession and its interests, and welcomes proposals from students, faculty, retirees, and independent musicians and music researchers from all educational and professional settings.  

The Program Committee particularly encourages student submissions, and proposals that relate to the Northwest region’s rich musical heritage.

CONSIDERATIONS

• Demonstrations enable conference attendees to learn about methods, resources, or tools, and differ from workshops in that they are not interactive. Demonstrations are limited to 25 minutes.
• Panels provide an opportunity to examine a topic in depth. A panel comprises at least two panelists and is facilitated by a moderator. The moderator may either engage panelists with curated questions or may provide initial remarks before inviting each panelist to share their perspective within a pre-established time frame. Panels might conclude with an audience Q&A session, a summation of key points, and acknowledgements. Panels are typically 55 minutes.
• Papers are 25-minute presentations of research or a significant discovery. These are spoken presentations but may include audiovisual elements and/or time for Q&A.
• Posters present an idea or project via a compelling visual display. Time will be scheduled during the conference for poster presenters to interact with attendees regarding their research. 
• Workshops enable conference attendees to learn about specific methods, tools, resources, or projects through hands-on interaction, and are generally designed to teach something or develop a specific skill, or set of skills, rather than present original research. Workshops are typically 55 minutes.
• Prior to submission, proposers must communicate with all co-presenters regarding their interest and availability. Proposals not listing all participants will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered.
• All persons whose work is selected for inclusion on the program are expected to register for and attend the full conference. If the proposal is accepted, proposers will be asked to communicate with all participants in the presentation to ensure their registration by the end of the calendar year. At its discretion, the Program Committee may exempt from the membership and registration fee requirements specific individuals, such as invited speakers or guest panelists who are non-music professionals. It is the responsibility of the individual who submits the proposal to, upon acceptance, make conference planners aware of all non-music professionals involved in their presentation and to request such an exemption.
• Proposers agree to present on any day of the conference should their proposal be accepted.
• The College Music Society 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 or services will not be considered.
• Poster presentations will be part of the social activities.

STUDENTS

We highly encourage students to submit paper/panel/workshop/demo/poster proposals. If you are a CMS Northwest Chapter student member, you will have the opportunity to be considered for the Student Paper Award. Please note that while only an abstract is due at the time of the submission, a full paper will need to be submitted prior to the conference to be eligible for the Student Paper Award.

ELIGIBILITY

• The Primary proposer must be a current member of The College Music Society. 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/or renewals is 1–2 business days.
• It is not necessary for co-presenters to be current members at the time of submission; however, if invited to the program, every person involved in the presentation must join CMS.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION & PARTICIPATION POLICY

• Each member may submit a maximum of 1 proposal in response to this Call. 
• Each member may submit a maximum of 2 proposals to all calls for this conference.
• Each member may be added by others as a co-presenter (e.g., panelist or accompanist) to a maximum of 1 proposal. 
• 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. 
• To support the blind review process, the name(s) or affiliation(s) of anyone involved in the presentation should not appear in the title or abstract, nor in the file names or body of submitted supplementary materials, as submissions are evaluated anonymously. Proposals identifying the proposer or co-presenters will be disqualified. Names and affiliations may, however, appear in the “Personnel” section of the proposal and in submitted biographies, as the review committee will not have access to this part of the application.
• The College Music Society's conference submission process is powered by Submittable. To submit a proposal, please (1) log in to the CMS members-only website using your username 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 establish one. (Visit this page for help using Submittable and to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions.)
• A complete proposal includes:
  1. The proposal’s title.
  2. An abstract of 250 words or less.
     
     Preparing an Abstract: The Program Committee chooses presentations based primarily on the abstract as submitted, so it is important to write an abstract that the Committee will understand and can evaluate fairly. The purpose of the abstract is to convey to the reader what will be said in the presentation. Do not merely describe the subject or list the topics to be covered. Rather, state the main point of the presentation, online the subsidiary points, and summarize the evidence offered, so that someone who has not heard the presentation can know in brief what it will say and can evaluate its contribution to our knowledge and understanding of music. The abstract, like the presentation itself, should be clear to an audience of musicians and music educators of all kinds, not just to those with a narrow specialty. While it may be necessary to set the context or lay out the problem to be addressed, this should be kept to a minimum.
     
     
  3. You may add up to 3 supporting materials to your proposal (optional). These might include printed music examples, photos, statistics, or relevant data. Do not include lengthy documents, dissertations, CVs, resumes, or PowerPoint presentations. Neither file names nor uploaded materials should identify the proposer or any collaborators.
  4. A list of required equipment and audio-visual needs.
  5. A biography of the proposer and each co-presenter, if applicable (250-word maximum per person).
  6. Details regarding all personnel involved in the presentation, including complete contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone) and a biography (250-word maximum) for each person. If your presentation includes 3 or more persons, download this spreadsheet, save the file using your name as the file name (e.g., smith_john.xlsx), and include the requested information for all additional presenters. You will be required to upload this completed file with your proposal.
• Please note: To support the anonymous review process, the name(s) or affiliation(s) of anyone involved in the presentation should not appear in the title or abstract, nor in the file names or body of submitted supplemental materials, as submissions are evaluated anonymously. Names and affiliations may appear in the “Co-Presenter” section of the proposal in the submitted biographies, however, as the review committee will not have access to this information.
  
  When referencing one’s own previously published research, the proposer should refer to such research in the third person to avoid identifying themselves. For example, hypothetical proposal submitter D. Graham should write, “D. Graham’s article, ‘XYZ,’ summarizes pertinent issues,” instead of writing, “My article, ‘XYZ,’ summarizes pertinent issues.” The wording in the first example protects the anonymity of the author, while the second compromises the author’s anonymity by linking the author of the proposal to previously published work by a named author.
  
  
• Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be considered.

TIMELINE

• Proposals must be submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 10, 2025.
• Proposers will be notified by November 27, 2025.

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding this call should be directed to:

Florian Conzetti, [email protected][email protected] 
Program Chair, 2026 CMS Northwest Conference