2026 South Central Chapter Conference
2026 South Central Chapter Conference
University of Texas at El Paso (El Paso, TX)
March 19-21, 2026
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Schedule
Conference Site Host: Dr. Stephen Nordstrom ([email protected])
Conference Program Chair: Dr. Kyle Gullings ([email protected])
All times in Mountain Daylight Time
All non-clarinet works: Zepeda, Gullings (Two Simple), Dickinson (Sonnets), Kinney, Kindred, Mankins, Crabtree (Vardoger)
- All Performances, Lecture Recitals, and Composers’ Concerts: Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall
- All Papers, Demos, and Poster Sessions: Fox Fine Arts Room M402
- All Panels and Workshops: Fox Fine Arts Room M340 (Choir Room)
- Registration: Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall Lobby (2nd floor)
- Officer Board Meeting: Fox Fine Arts Room M300 (Faculty Conference Room)
- Hospitality Room: Fox Fine Arts Room M300 (Faculty Conference Room)
- Provided Luncheon & General Membership Meeting: Fox Fine Arts Room M402
- Practice and Rehearsal Rooms: Fox Fine Arts Rooms M101, M102, M336, M340, M343, & M402*
Note: Practice room hours availability will be shared at a later date.
Call for Oral and Poster Presentations
Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Friday, October 24, 2025
The South Central chapter of The College Music Society will hold its 41st Conference March 19–21, 2026, at the University of Texas El Paso in El Paso, Texas.
The Program Committee welcomes proposals for demonstrations, discussion forums, panels, scholarly research papers, posters, 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 from all educational and professional settings.
The Program Committee particularly encourages, and will give priority to, proposals that:
- Explore music’s historical role in connecting people across diverse experiences and backgrounds, igniting change in the face of social injustice, and inspiring communities to be more curious, creative, and collaborative.
- Promote ethical scholarship, performance, and teaching of musical cultures of marginalized populations, particularly Indigenous, Black, and 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples.
- Celebrate globally diverse musical traditions, with special attention to the cultural and musical heritage of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
- Welcome new voices into CMS conversations, including those from the fields of jazz, contemporary and commercial music, music of the Americas, African American music, electronic music, music therapy, and musical theatre.
- Unpack educational models that embrace high-impact practices, inclusive pedagogies, and transdisciplinary studies as we together shape new ways of teaching and learning music in the 21st century.
- Elevate presentational formats designed to engage audiences through participation, playfulness, and music-making.
FORMATS
- 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.
- Discussion Forums create a venue for attendees to interact and discuss specific topics related to the profession. While moderated, most of the information and knowledge sharing is generated by the audience rather than the presenter. Forums are less formal than speaker-led presentations. Forums are typically 55 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.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- 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.
SOUTH CENTRAL CHAPTER STUDENT COMPETITION
The annual CMS South Central Student Award is open to any student who presents scholarship, a performance, or an original composition on the South Central Conference program.
To be eligible, the student must be enrolled full- or part-time in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college or university within the South Central Chapter as of the date of the upcoming chapter conference. Students who already hold the degree of Ph.D., D.M.A., D.M., Ed.D., or other terminal degree (excluding M.F.A.) are not eligible. Awardees of the previous year’s competition are ineligible for this year’s competition but are invited to submit proposals to the conference.
Collaborative proposals involving multiple students are eligible and will be considered a single entry; any monetary award will be made to the primary proposer only. Proposals involving a student working with a faculty accompanist are eligible, as are original student compositions performed by faculty. All other proposals involving faculty as collaborative presenters are not eligible.
An adjudication panel of faculty or professional musicians will determine first ($500), second ($300), and third ($200) place awards. The panel reserves the right to make fewer than three awards, or to make none. Panel members employed by the same school in which a submitting student is enrolled will not serve on the panel. All presentation types will be adjudicated together regardless of category (paper, lecture recital, composition, etc.).
There is no separate student award application. All student members who are selected to present at the conference will be automatically considered for an award.
The first place winner of the South Central Chapter Student Competition will receive an automatic invitation to present the same proposal at the subsequent CMS National Conference, subject to the approval of the CMS National Conference Program Committee each year. This invitation is open to all student proposal formats, including paper, performances, original compositions, etc.
In the case of collaborative proposals, personnel substitutes are allowed as needed, provided that the primary proposer student is still included.
For original composition proposals, all efforts will be made to secure suitable performer(s) at the CMS National Conference, but availability cannot be guaranteed.
If for any reason the first place awardee is unable to present at the subsequent CMS National Conference, the CMS South Central Board may, at its discretion, extend this invitation to other awardees in turn.
Student travel support is often available through The CMS Fund or CMS Chapters.
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. CMS provides a variety of membership options, including discounted first-time trial memberships ($20), and discounted rates for students, low-income, retired, and various institutional group options.
- 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 two proposal(s) in response to this call.
- Each member may submit a maximum of three proposal(s) 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 two proposals.
- The maximum number of presentations in which a member may be involved in 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 to another member’s proposal – the individual in question must choose in which two presentations they will participate.
PREPARATION OF MATERIALS
- Electronic submissions on Submittable are required. Proposals sent by mail or email 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- The proposal’s title and format.
- An abstract of 250 words or less.
- 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.
- A list of required equipment and audio-visual needs.
- A biography of the proposer and each co-presenter, if applicable (250-word maximum per person).
- Contact details for all personnel involved in the presentation, including an email address, mailing address, phone number, an institutional affiliation (if applicable), and student membership status (if applicable), for each person.
- Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be considered.
TIMELINE
- Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Friday, October 24, 2025.
- Proposers will be notified by Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
- Accepted proposers must register for the conference no later than Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
QUESTIONS?
Questions regarding this call should be directed to:
Thomas Keck, [email protected]
Program Chair, 2026 CMS South Central Conference
You must be a CMS member to see this content.
Please log in and the content will appear in this location. Or, click here to join CMS.
Trial memberships start at just $20.
Call for Compositions
Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Friday, October 24, 2025
The South Central chapter of The College Music Society will hold its 41st Conference March 19–21, 2026, at the University of Texas El Paso in El Paso, Texas.
The Program Committee welcomes submissions of original works to be performed on one or more special concerts during the conference. Composers must either perform their own works, provide their own performer(s), or submit pieces for the following volunteer performers/ensembles.
Ensembles:
- Clarinet and piano
- Clarinet choir (UTEP students)
- Violin and piano
- Violin/viola
- Cello and piano
- Cello duo
- Voice (any part) and piano (may be UTEP faculty or students)
Soloists:
- Clarinet
- Violin
- Cello
- Voice (any part) (may be UTEP faculty or students)
Except as noted, composers are welcome to submit works of any difficulty level, works requiring extended techniques, and works involving technology (fixed media and/or interactive media). Composers are responsible for providing any technology equipment other than a standard two-channel stereo audio playback system.
The Committee solicits the broadest representation of our profession and its interests and welcomes submissions from all including those (a) in academia (students, full-time and adjunct faculty, community college faculty, and retired faculty), (b) in the music industry, and (c) active as independent musicians and scholars.
SOUTH CENTRAL CHAPTER STUDENT COMPETITION
The annual CMS South Central Student Award is open to any student who presents scholarship, a performance, or an original composition on the South Central Conference program.
To be eligible, the student must be enrolled full- or part-time in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college or university within the South Central Chapter as of the date of the upcoming chapter conference. Students who already hold the degree of Ph.D., D.M.A., D.M., Ed.D., or other terminal degree (excluding M.F.A.) are not eligible. Awardees of the previous year’s competition are ineligible for this year’s competition but are invited to submit proposals to the conference.
Collaborative proposals involving multiple students are eligible and will be considered a single entry; any monetary award will be made to the primary proposer only. Proposals involving a student working with a faculty accompanist are eligible, as are original student compositions performed by faculty. All other proposals involving faculty as collaborative presenters are not eligible.
An adjudication panel of faculty or professional musicians will determine first ($500), second ($300), and third ($200) place awards. The panel reserves the right to make fewer than three awards, or to make none. Panel members employed by the same school in which a submitting student is enrolled will not serve on the panel. All presentation types will be adjudicated together regardless of category (paper, lecture recital, composition, etc.).
There is no separate student award application. All student members who are selected to present at the conference will be automatically considered for an award.
The first place winner of the South Central Chapter Student Competition will receive an automatic invitation to present the same proposal at the subsequent CMS National Conference, subject to the approval of the CMS National Conference Program Committee each year. This invitation is open to all student proposal formats, including paper, performances, original compositions, etc.
In the case of collaborative proposals, personnel substitutes are allowed as needed, provided that the primary proposer student is still included.
For original composition proposals, all efforts will be made to secure suitable performer(s) at the CMS National Conference, but availability cannot be guaranteed.
If for any reason the first place awardee is unable to present at the subsequent CMS National Conference, the CMS South Central Board may, at its discretion, extend this invitation to other awardees in turn.
Student travel support is often available through The CMS Fund or CMS Chapters.
CONSIDERATIONS
- Proposed works must be 10 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.
- 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 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.
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. CMS provides a variety of membership options, including discounted first-time trial memberships ($20), and discounted rates for students, low-income, retired, and various institutional group options.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION & PARTICIPATION POLICY
- Each member may submit a maximum of two proposal(s) in response to this Call.
- Each member may submit a maximum of three proposal(s) 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 two proposals.
- The maximum number of presentations in which a member may be involved in 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 to another member’s proposal – the individual in question must choose in which two presentations they will participate.
PREPARATION OF MATERIALS
- Electronic submissions on Submittable are required. Proposals sent by mail or email will not be considered.
- To support the blind review process, ALL submissions must be anonymous. Identifying information must not appear on the score, parts, in the program notes, or in the file names or metadata of any submitted files, including audio samples. Disqualifying identifying information includes the name(s)/pseudonym(s) or affiliation(s) of the composer, the ensemble(s) or conductor(s) who originally premiered the work, and the individual(s) or institution(s) to whom the work is dedicated. Proposals not meeting these anonymity requirements 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:
- The composition’s title, instrumentation, and duration, rounding up to the nearest half minute.
- A representation of the composition in one of the following formats:
- A PDF copy of the full score and individual parts (anonymous; dedications and/or commissions should be redacted on the score for anonymous peer review). Multi-movement scores should be merged into a single PDF file, as should all parts.
- For those works that are not represented in the score format as noted above, please provide a description of the conceptual framework used in the realization of the composition.
- 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.
- Program notes (not to exceed 250 words).
- A list of required equipment (Internet connections are not guaranteed).
- Contact details, student membership status (if applicable), and a brief biography of the composer (not to exceed 250 words).
- Name of the performing ensemble, if applicable.
- Performer biographies:
- If the work will be presented 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.
- If the work will not be presented by a named ensemble, biographies of individual performers should be included (not to exceed 250 words per person).
- Contact details for all performers, including an email address, mailing address, phone number, an institutional affiliation (if applicable), and student membership status (if applicable), for each person.
- Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be considered.
TIMELINE
- Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Friday, October 24, 2025.
- Proposers will be notified by Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
- Accepted proposers must register for the conference no later than Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
QUESTIONS?
Questions regarding this call should be directed to:
Thomas Keck, [email protected]
Program Chair, 2026 CMS South Central Conference
You must be a CMS member to see this content.
Please log in and the content will appear in this location. Or, click here to join CMS.
Trial memberships start at just $20.
Call for Lecture-recitals & Performances
Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Friday, October 24, 2025
The South Central chapter of The College Music Society will hold its 41st Conference March 19–21, 2026, at the University of Texas El Paso in El Paso, Texas.
The Program Committee of The College Music Society welcomes proposals for lecture-recitals and performances. The Committee solicits the broadest representation of our profession and its interests, and welcomes proposals from students, faculty, retirees, and independent musicians from all educational and professional settings.
The Program Committee particularly encourages, and will give priority to, proposals that:
- Explore music’s historical role in connecting people across diverse experiences and backgrounds, igniting change in the face of social injustice, and inspiring communities to be more curious, creative, and collaborative.
- Promote ethical scholarship, performance, and teaching of musical cultures of marginalized populations, particularly Indigenous, Black, and 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples.
- Celebrate globally diverse musical traditions, with special attention to the cultural and musical heritage of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
- Welcome new voices into CMS conversations, including those from the fields of Jazz, Contemporary and Commercial Music, Music of the Americas, African American music, Electronic music, music therapy, and musical theatre.
- Unpack educational models that embrace high-impact practices, inclusive pedagogies, and transdisciplinary studies as we together shape new ways of teaching and learning music in the 21st century.
- Elevate presentational formats designed to engage audiences through participation, playfulness, and music-making.
FORMATS
- Performances are intended to present live music, and speaking is generally limited to brief introductory comments. While these may feature CMS performers performing premieres and other works by living composers, any CMS composers wishing to submit their own original compositions should instead submit to the Call for Compositions. Two types of performances are possible:
- 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.
- Showcase Performance: Brief performances of 10 minutes or less may be proposed which will be included in 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.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- The same topic may not be submitted as both a lecture-recital and performance.
- Prior to submission, proposers must communicate with all collaborators regarding their interests 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 in 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. 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 or performers.
- Proposers must submit their own work and may not submit proposals on behalf of their students or others.
SOUTH CENTRAL CHAPTER STUDENT COMPETITION
The annual CMS South Central Student Award is open to any student who presents scholarship, a performance, or an original composition on the South Central Conference program.
To be eligible, the student must be enrolled full- or part-time in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college or university within the South Central Chapter as of the date of the upcoming chapter conference. Students who already hold the degree of Ph.D., D.M.A., D.M., Ed.D., or other terminal degree (excluding M.F.A.) are not eligible. Awardees of the previous year’s competition are ineligible for this year’s competition but are invited to submit proposals to the conference.
Collaborative proposals involving multiple students are eligible and will be considered a single entry; any monetary award will be made to the primary proposer only. Proposals involving a student working with a faculty accompanist are eligible, as are original student compositions performed by faculty. All other proposals involving faculty as collaborative presenters are not eligible.
An adjudication panel of faculty or professional musicians will determine first ($500), second ($300), and third ($200) place awards. The panel reserves the right to make fewer than three awards, or to make none. Panel members employed by the same school in which a submitting student is enrolled will not serve on the panel. All presentation types will be adjudicated together regardless of category (paper, lecture recital, composition, etc.).
There is no separate student award application. All student members who are selected to present at the conference will be automatically considered for an award.
The first place winner of the South Central Chapter Student Competition will receive an automatic invitation to present the same proposal at the subsequent CMS National Conference, subject to the approval of the CMS National Conference Program Committee each year. This invitation is open to all student proposal formats, including paper, performances, original compositions, etc.
In the case of collaborative proposals, personnel substitutes are allowed as needed, provided that the primary proposer student is still included.
For original composition proposals, all efforts will be made to secure suitable performer(s) at the CMS National Conference, but availability cannot be guaranteed.
If for any reason the first place awardee is unable to present at the subsequent CMS National Conference, the CMS South Central Board may, at its discretion, extend this invitation to other awardees in turn.
Student travel support is often available through The CMS Fund or CMS Chapters.
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. CMS provides a variety of membership options, including discounted first-time trial memberships ($20), and discounted rates for students, low-income, retired, and various institutional group options.
- 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 two proposal(s) in response to this Call.
- Each member may submit a maximum of three proposal(s) 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 two proposals.
- The maximum number of presentations in which a member may be involved in 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 to another member’s proposal – the individual in question must choose in which two presentations they will participate.
PREPARATION OF MATERIALS
- Electronic submissions on Submittable are required. Proposals sent by mail or email 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, 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:
- The proposal’s title and format.
- Abstract / Program Notes
- Lecture-recital proposals require an abstract of 250 words or less.
- 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.
- A list of required equipment and audio-visual needs.
- Two audio samples to demonstrate the proficiency of the soloist/ensemble. 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).
- If performing a work based on music notation, PDF reference scores to accompany the audio samples submitted under item #4.
- 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.
- 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.
- Contact details, student membership status (if applicable), and a brief biography of the proposer (not to exceed 250 words).
- Name of performing ensemble, if applicable.
- Collaborator Biographies:
- If the presentation will be given by a named ensemble, a biography of the 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.
- 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).
- Contact details for all collaborators, including an email address, mailing address, phone number, an institutional affiliation (if applicable), and student membership status (if applicable), for each person.
- 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 11:59 PM Mountain on Friday, October 24, 2025.
- Proposers will be notified by Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
- Accepted proposers must register for the conference no later than Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
QUESTIONS?
Questions regarding this call should be directed to:
Thomas Keck, [email protected]
Program Chair, 2026 CMS South Central Conference
You must be a CMS member to see this content.
Please log in and the content will appear in this location. Or, click here to join CMS.
Trial memberships start at just $20.
Event Summary
| Event Date | 03-19-2026 |
| Event End Date | 03-21-2026 |
| Cut off date | 03-22-2026 |
| Individual Price | $150.00 |
| Location | University of Texas at El Paso |
