EnsembleSpectrum at MicroFest Prague 2023 – Worldwide Open Call for Works
The results of the Call for Works for EnsembleSpectrum
We are glad to have received 44 applications to the Ensemble Call for Works, of which 42 were received by the deadline December 11. A jury meeting on December 20 considered the entirety of the concert program as well as the initial individual ratings by jury members. For performance by EnsembleSpectrum in MicroFest Prague 2023 in the festival’s concert of Friday 28th of April, 2023, due to the high artistic level of applications, the jury has selected not just one (as announced originally), but three compositions, in this order:
Gabriel José Bolaños Chamorro (USA/NIC): Tessellations (2016) for flute, violin, cello and piano
Marcin Piotr Łopacki (POL): Perpendicular Universes, op. 80 (2019) for clarinet, cello and piano
James P. A. Falzone (USA): 8 Choose 4: Prime Harmonics (2022) for flute, clarinet, violin, and cello
(each piece ca. 11 minutes in duration.)
Congratulations to the winning composers! The jury consisted of Matej Sloboda of EnsembleSpectrum (SK), festival organisers Iva Oplištilová (CZ) and J-T Vesikkala Wittmacher (CZ/FIN), and external member performer-composer Silvia Tarozzi. Matej from the ensemble will be happy to contact the selected composers soon and can also give technical comments to the works that could not be selected at this time. As a general remark, the high compositional level means that some of the pieces might be played in the ensemble’s other upcoming concerts. A prime reason that led to high scores included the amount and method of microtonality. Pieces that were received late or for other instrumental setups were given small points or discarded.
The distribution of the jury’s scores is visualised below (the names of the non-winning pieces are given abbreviated for reference).
Scaled total points from the jury, anonymised
The original text of the call:
Call for Microtonal Works for Ensemble
We announce that microtonal compositions for an ensemble of three, four or five are sought for a concert in Prague on Friday 28th of April, 2023. The music will be performed by members of the Slovakia-based Ensemble Spectrum in the opening concert of the MicroFest Prague 2023 / Institut mikrointervalové hudby 2023.
Works should be for the ensemble of 5 (flute (with pic., afl, bfl), Bb-clarinet (with A-cl, bass cl.), piano, violin and cello) as a whole or as a subset from the instruments, and should include microtonality. The instruments are of standard design, and microtonality is unavailable when using the piano (no steady or mobile preparations or inside playing allowed).
The concert space will be Respirium at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (HAMU). In the concert, EnsembleSpectrum will also showcase works from recent standard repertoire that include microtonality.
Works containing improvised, meaning not strictly and thoroughly notated, durations and dynamics will also be considered. Microtonal elements can be notated with high precision if desired.
Submission Rules and Guidelines
Please send a finished microtonal composition for the entire quintet, or a subset from the instruments as a trio or quartet [flute (with pic., afl, bfl), Bb clarinet (with A-cl, bass cl.), piano, violin and cello](no electronics available). Works between 4 and 10 minutes, and works performable without conductor are given slight preference. There are no limitations as to who may apply. The work may be old or new, previously performed or unperformed.
Your message has to contain the performance material and duration estimate for your finished work, year of composition, and your composer name, telephone number and email address. Other contact or biographical information is not necessary.
No specific preparations, electronics, video, lighting or additional stage objects are allowed.
Information about EnsembleSpectrum at http://www.ensemblespectrum.sk and about the festival at https://microintervalinstitute.wordpress.com .
1st Round
You may apply with several works, however, we cannot select more than one work from you for this concert.
All materials for the work must be sent by Sunday 11th of December to microintervalinstitute@gmail.com as email text and attachments. In the case of sound files, accessible links that allow the download of files for at least three days from the deadline will be accepted.
Only independently performable and finished works will be considered. 1 to 2 works to be played will be selected by a 4-member jury made of Matej Sloboda of EnsembleSpectrum (SK), festival organisers Iva Oplištilová (CZ) and J-T Vesikkala Wittmacher (CZ/FIN), and an internationally established microtonal specialist as external member.
Submission Checklist
– finished microtonal score(s) in electronic format, using the allowed instrumentations only
– pdf of a legible electronically notated or scanned hand-written score
– duration estimate and year of composition
– composer’s contact information: name, email, telephone
– send all materials to microintervalinstitute@gmail.com by Sunday 11th of December, 2022, 23:59 Czech time (UTC+2)
– no substantial changes to the work will be allowed before the performance
– participation is free, there is no entry fee for either round.
2nd Round
The composers of the selected works are announced by the jury and contacted for confirmation. The ensemble may ask for instrumental parts and coordinate this with you. After this your work will be rehearsed and performed by EnsembleSpectrum in the festival opening concert on Friday 28th of April, 2023. Please indicate at this stage if the work has been previously performed and provide a short description text of the work and, if you like, press material for the website and program booklet.
The MicroFest Prague 2023 Concert in downtown Prague
Attendance in Prague on the MicroFest Prague / Institut mikrointervalové hudby 2023 to present yourself, and hear your work performed is preferred though not absolutely required. We will provide you at least 90 minutes of rehearsals with the musicians in Prague. Online video meetings with the musicians are possible beforehand, and the ensemble is based in Bratislava.
You will be given up to three seats in the concerts and access to all official events (two days of lectures, two concerts) of the festival as well as some unofficial events.
The website containing this same information:
https://microintervalinstitute.wordpress.com/ensemblespectrum-call-for-works-2023
Sincerely,
Matej Sloboda, artistic director of EnsembleSpectrum
Iva Oplištilová, Lucia Maloveská and J-T Vesikkala Wittmacher, festival organisers
Information
The ensemble gladly answers any questions about this call:
https://www.ensemblespectrum.sk
https://microintervalinstitute.wordpress.com .
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Czech Institute for Microtonal Music / Institut mikrointervalové hudby 