2009 Subscription fees now due

A reminder to members that if you haven’t done so already, please renew your CANZ subscription. Subscriptions are for the calendar year from January through December. You can renew your subscription online or send a cheque to PO Box 4065, Wellington. Annual fees range from $20 for students to $105 for benefactors. You can also opt to pay for three years.

Your subscription enables CANZ to provide you with newsletters and publications, access to the SOUNZ Library, membership to both the Asian Composers League (ACL) and International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM), various opportunities, and access to a network of other composers and supporters of New Zealand composition.

If you have any queries, please email Lachlan at treasurer@canz.net.nz.

Call for compositions / papers for the International Conference on Contemporary Music, Coruña, Spain, April 2010

The web site of the conference is

http://www.udc.es/grupos/ln/ICCM/ICCM.html

International Conference on Contemporary Music 2010
IC[CM] 2010
Date: April 25-27, 2010
Location: University of A Coruña, Spain
Contact Person: Helena Palma
Meeting E-mail: felpalma@udc.es
Web Site: http://www.udc.es/grupos/ln/ICCM/ICCM.html
Important dates:
Deadline for submission of proposals: October 23, 2009.
Notification of acceptance: November 27, 2009.
Final versions due: December 7, 2009.
Scientific Committee:
Bernard Comrie (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology), Juan Durán (composer), Rosa Fernández (Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi), Antón García Abril (composer), Rodolfo García Alonso (High Conservatory of Music of A Coruña), Tomás Marco (composer), Helena Palma (University of A Coruña), José Luis Turina (composer), Víctor Pablo Pérez (conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of Galicia).

Organizing Committee: Andrés Vales (High Conservatory of Music of A Coruña), Amor Admella (University of A Coruña), Francisco Xosé Castiñeira (University of A Coruña), Conchita Quintás (University of A Coruña), Emiliana Tucci (University of A Coruña).

Ensembles: Grupo instrumental siglo XX (Florian Vlashi) http://www.grupoinstrumentalsigloxx.com/
Ensemble s21 (Julio Mourenza (piano), Carlos Garcia Amigo (violoncello), Jorge Montes (violin), Vicente Lopez Puig (clarinet), Alejandro Sanz Redondo (percussion). http://www.ensemble-s21.com/ Meeting Description

Goals: The IC[CM] aims at contributing to relate the creative world of composers with the scientific world of researchers working on music and language. It also aspires to contribute to the inquiry about the nature of the dynamic relation that holds between a musical composition, its performers and the hearer.

Structure: IC[CM] 2010 will the articulated around two topics:
• The simple and the complex
• The relation between natural language and music

Call for participation:
We should be honored to invite composers and scientists to submit their proposals addressing any of the above topics. There are two modalities of participation: compositions and research presentations.
Compositions could be written for any instrument of the two ensembles of the conference, either solo or combined. The duration of the composition should be no longer than 15 min. Scores should be submitted in a PDF file, with a mention for the title and the instruments. Another PDF file should include a description of the work and performance indications. Whenever possible, we highly recommend that a sound file of the score should also be sent.Scientific presentations would be allotted 20 minutes for presentation length plus 10 minutes for discussion. Abstracts can have a length of up to 2 pages. They should be submitted in a PDF file, with the title of the presentation. The information about the author, including name, affiliation and email address should be detailed in the body of the message. The proposals would be peer reviewed by an international Scientific Committee.

Description of the Topics
The simple and the complex
For the concept of the simple and the complex we depart from the model of dynamic complexity of the Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) proposed by Murray Gell-mann (3) and John Holland (4). A CAS is a system made from a finite number of simple elements, which gather driven by some modality of the principle of recursion. That principle explains the capacity of simple entities for recombining into a potentially infinite number of complex systems. A CAS is a dynamic complex system whose individual entities interact simultaneously with each other, in parallel mode, and evolve in time as an adaptive reaction to the actions of other individual entities in the system. The interaction of the individual agents gives rise to emergent properties not possessed by the individual parts (5). What is the force that compels the individuals to evolve? The force that allegedly activates the evolution in time of CAS are paradoxes. The individual agents are puzzled by the entities or events that live in the edge of chaos (5), contradicting the familiar order. The CAS, after detecting the regularities of the unknown events makes a conjecture, modeled as an “schema” of interpretative and action rules. The CAS unfolds the schema into the world and checks its predictive force. The CAS may make an infinite number of modifications to the schema to adapt it to new events (3). Some examples of CAS that have been studied are the diversity and complexity of forms of living entities, the dynamic of civilizations, the evolution of culture, the acquisition of language, the evolution of language. Given the great variety of systems that have properties of a CAS, they have been object of multidisciplinary research. The world of Music has the structure of a net of dynamic relations that show the properties of CAS. The agents are
the composer, the work of music, the performer, the hearer, the sound itself and the location and time when it is produced. The behavior of those agents also have properties of CAS. We propose researchers to consider two of those CAS: the sound itself and the hearer.
What is the ontological nature of sound? Recent research resulting from the important cooperation of composers, performers and scientists has shown that a sound entity has a complex dynamic morphology. A sound is not an invariable entity, frozen in time, which may be repeated without variations. A sound entity is a CAS that evolves as the result of the interaction of its parts. The individual agents of a sound entity (frequency, timber, dynamics, duration) interact among each other and evolve in their relation with the environment. The use of sound objects by contemporary composers differs from that found in standard compositions, whose composers depart from the assumption that a sound object is an indivisible atom. For contemporary composers, the particles in a sound entity are not hierarchically ordered, but they interact in time according to the principles of CAS. The possibility of using and manipulating the particles of a sound entity has enable composers to create relations that were until then inaccessible. Some instances of those relations are the harmonic use of timber, the continuum time-frequency, fractal structures, embedded rhythmic structures (2), the simultaneous combination of no-synchronized rhythmic voices. Such a dynamic conception of sound posses an important problem for musical notation. What is the simpler and more efficient way of transcribing the dynamic sound events into discrete units and symbols, which would be compatible with the notation used by performers? What is the nature of the human faculty for music? How does the hearer acquire this faculty? How does the hearer perceive the simple and the complex? Does he or she do it by instinct, by computing or by both of them? What is the limit of the instinctive perception of complexity? What is the limit in computing complexity? Is there a genetic base for the perception of complexity in music? What kind of experiments can be performed to measure the human perception of music complexity?

The relation between Natural Language and Music
Some of the aspects we propose for contributions include:
• The relation between Natural Language and Opera.
• The musical origin of Natural Language (1) (6) (8).
• Ethnomusicology.
• The use of phonemes as simple musical material in composition (7).
• Tonal languages and melody.
• Rhythm in natural language and in music.
• Gesture in natural language and in music.

References
1. Darwin, Charles 1871 The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (2 vols.) London. Murray.
2. Ferneyhough, Brian 1995 Collected Writings Ed. By James Boros and Richard Toop. Amsterdam. Harwood Academic
Pub.
3. Gell-mann, Murray 1994 The Quark and the Jaguar. Adventures in the Simple and the Complex. New York Freeman
and Co.
4. Holland, John Henry 1975 Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems. The MIT Press,1992.
5. Holland, John Henry 1998 Emergence: From Chaos to Order. Addison-Wesley; (also Oxford Press.)
6. Mithen, Steven 2006 The singing Neanderthal. Harvard Univ. Press. Cambridge. MA.
7. Schaeffer, Pierre 1966 Traité des Objects Musicaux Ed. du Seuil.
8. Wallin, Nils, Björn Merker and Steven Brown 2000 The Origin of Music. The MIT Press. Cambridge. MA.

5th INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG COMPOSERS

The international meeting of young composers is a tradition which goes back to 2002 and was started by the composer Andris Dzen?tis and his companions. For the three first times the workshop took place in the Castle of Dundaga, which is connected to many legends, but now, for the second time already, it is being organized in Mazsalaca – a small town in the north of Latvia, next to the snaky river Salaca. The workshop is deliberately not being organized in cities – this is a possibility for technologically oversaturated and instantaneous demand-oriented people to feel themselves and to reconsider their spiritual values by being in simple or one could even say primitive conditions, by experiencing a modest and slow way of living. At the same time this one week is being dedicated to intense discussions, training, composing, presentations, individual training with lecturers, making new acquaintances, and enjoying the serene life.

The first four international workshops have gained a certain reputation both regionally and internationally and have gathered more than 50 participants from different corners of the world, 13 lecturers – internationally known composers from 7 countries.

THEME
Chamber music nowadays. Classics, innovation, aesthetics, boundaries.

LECTURERS
David Lang (USA)
Pär Lindgren (Sweden)
Richard Ayres (The Netherlands)

RESIDING MUSICIANS
Ensemble Aleph (France)
String quartet ReDo (Latvia)

PARTICIPATION IN WORKSHOP
In order to participate in the workshop the candidates have to prepare mp3 audio recordings (advisable length – 5 to 10 minutes) of two or three previously composed chamber music pieces (for two or more instruments), which, together with scores in digital format (pdf), a detailed CV and a photo, must be sent by e-mail to the workshop organizers until the 15th of February, 2010.

E-mail: dundagaworkshop@gmail.com

The examining commission, which is composed of lecturers and participants of ensemble Aleph, will evaluate the submitted materials and will choose 10 active workshop participants. The results will be published by the 15th of May, 2010.

According to the commissions’ decision five of the chosen participants will be asked to compose for the ensemble Aleph, the other five for the string quartet ReDo. These pieces will be performed in the gala concert.

The chosen participants will have to conclude and send the compositions to Aleph and ReDo no later than the 5th of July, 2010.

The pieces must be conceptually finished by then. The workshop will be devoted to working together with lecturers and musicians in order to sharpen up the details and introduce realistic modifications.

The internationally determined age limit is 35 years. However, the organizers prefer not to object if this limit is exceeded.

There are also 10 places intended for observers. In this case there is no need to participate in the competition to be able to join the workshop. The service will be equal and it will be possible to attend the group work sessions, however the observer’s compositions will not be performed as well as the active participants will always be prior when it comes to individual training.

PROCESS
During the nine days of the workshop every participant will attend private consultations with all lecturers, as well as present his/her music, take part in rehearsals, seminars and discussions. Each lecturer will read two lectures on current issues of contemporary music. The theme of the workshop is only the axis around which different discourses concentrate. The official theme is not obligatory, and participants are given maximal creative freedom. During the workshop all conditions for creative, individual work will be provided.

CONCERTS AND FREE TIME
Two concerts will take place during the workshop and both of the residing ensembles – Ensemble Aleph and string quartet ReDo – will perform compositions chosen by participants, by lecturers and music chosen by themselves. Every evening there will be an informal invitation for everyone to enjoy participants’ presentations.

PARTICIPATION FEE
For active participants

From Latvia – 150Eur
From Estonia, Lithuania – 200Eur
From other countries – 300Eur

For observers – (number of places is limited. Please, apply for this option duly)

From Latvia – 200Eur
From Estonia, Lithuania – 250Eur
From other countries – 350Eur

The participation fee covers expenses of accommodation, catering, transport (Riga – Mazsalaca – Riga) and lecturers’ work. All the participants will be settled in hostel-type apartments with partial accommodations, meals will be provided three times per day, coffee, tee and water will be provided all day long. International travel expenses as well as insurance are not included in the participation fee.

CONTACTS
More detailed information about the workshop upon request:
dundagaworkshop@gmail.com

The New Zealand Electroacoustic Music Symposium (NZEMS)

From 2-4 September 2009 The School of Music University of Auckland will host a 3-day research symposium on the topic of Electroacoustic Music. Several of New Zealand?s most prominent Composer/Researchers will be in attendance including John Cousins, John Elmsly, Dugal McKinnon, and Ian Whalley. International guests include Professor Leigh Landy (DMU) and Gerardo Dirie (QCGU)

The special theme of NZEMS is Eight Channel Electoacoustic Music. In recent years a number of New Zealand?s main centres for the study of electroacoustic music have refitted (or are currently refitting) their electronic music studios, and are now boasting eight channel electroacoustic composition suits. The advent of new technologies as well as research from the international EA community (ambisonic recording/diffusion, vector base amplitude panning, wave field synthesis, multichannel spectral
diffusion etc.) has provided a range of powerful tools which in many ways presents the EA composer with new horizons. As a special feature of the symposium, and as part of ongoing research in ambisonics and multichannel spatialisation, a 24-channel discrete ‘acousmonium’ will be installed in
Studio One Kenneth Myers Centre 74 Shortland St. Protel New Zealand have kindly sponsored the installation.

Call for presentations of research
Presentation of research are called for concerning all aspects of eight channel electoacoustic composition. However, submissions are not limited to this field. Research presentations from the following domains are also welcome:

· Performance-Based Electroacoustic Music / Sonic Art (with live electronics and/or acoustic instruments and/or dance)
· Acousmatic Electroacoustic Music / Sonic Art
· Electroacoustic Music with Moving Images,
· Interactive Installation / Sonic Sculpture,
· Electroacoustic Music / Sonic Art with other disciplines.

Each spoken presentation will be 20-min in duration with 10-min reserved for questions. The inclusion of creative work as part of the presentation is encouraged. Stereo playback and data projection will be made available to all presenters. A basic eight-channel playback system will be made available
to presenters on request.

Associated events:
Seeing with Ears: Video Works by John Coulter 2 September
As part of the proceedings of the NZEMS, John Coulter will preset his most
recent works for electroacoustic music with moving images. The programme
will include Eyepiece (2009), Mouthpiece (2008), Abide with Me (2009), and
Shifting Ground (2005). Event Manager John Coulter contact
j.coulter@auckland.ac.nz

Sonic Art Concert 3 September
This special event will include works for electroacoustic music with live
instrumental performance, works for live electronics and dance, and
acousmatic works. Participants include: Leigh Landy (feature composer) John
Elmsly, Dugal McKinnon, Gerardo Dirie, Leah Barclay, Ian Whalley, Charlotte
Rose, Alex Bennett, James Bryant, and Jasmine Chen. Event Manager Jasmine
Chen contact yche139@aucklanduni.ac.nz

8-Channel Works by John Cousins 4 September
As part of the proceedings of the NZEMS, John Cousins will preset several of
his recent 8-channel acousmatic works using a custom-designed 24-channel
‘acousmonium’. These works are rarely presented outside of the composer’s
Christchurch-based studio. Event Manager David Rylands contact
d.rylands@auckland.ac.nz

Guidelines for submissions
The deadline for receipt of proposals (abstracts and biographies of contributors) is Friday 31 July, 2009. Submissions are to be made electronically to yche139@aucklanduni.ac.nz. Send abstracts of 200-300 words plus a short biography. Please ensure that your name, institutional / organizational affiliation (if any), contact address, telephone, and preferred e-mail address are included on the abstract. Paper acceptance decisions will be emailed to applicants by Friday 7 August 2009

Contact details
For further details please contact the NZEMS event manager Jasmine Chen email: yche139@aucklanduni.ac.nz

The organisers would like to thank the Australasian Computer Music Association (ACMA) for publicising the event.

Call for works: ISCM World Music Days 2010

Works in the categories below are invited from CANZ members for consideration for selection for New Zealand’s submission to the 2010 ISCM World Music Days to be held in Sydney, Australia. Works written for subsets of these categories are permitted. Composers whose pieces have been performed or programmed at either the 2008 or 2009 ISCM World Music Days, or whose work was included in New Zealand’s official selection for the 2009 ISCM World Music Days, are unfortunately unable to submit works. A duration up to a maximum of 15 minutes for any submitted work is recommended. It is required that the submitted works must be composed in or after 2004.
1.Large chamber ensemble: 1.1.1.1 1.1.1.1 2Perc Pno Hp 2.1.1.1, ww with standard doublings, saxophone available.
2.Ensemble Offspring lineup: flute, 2 clarinets (both dbl b. clar.), piano, 2 perc, 2 violins, cello, optional didjeridu
3. Solos, duos and trios from the Ensemble Offspring lineup listed above, with electronics
4.Young composer special entry section: Ensemble Offspring lineup (without didjeridu) – open to composers
aged 35 and under as of Thursday 6 May, 2010.
5.Topology lineup: soprano or alto sax, piano, vln, vla, db (all amplified, video playback available). Pieces with a
political agenda or intent are especially welcome in this category.
6.String octet (4.2.2)
7.Big band
8.Saxophones: solo and multiple saxophones (including saxophone orchestra)
9.Electric guitar, bass guitar (4 string fretless, 6 string or 8 string), drumkit (acoustic or v-drums, double-kick
welcome)
10.MATCH Percussion with Michael Duke lineup: 2 percussion , one saxophone
11.Flute, bassoon, piano, harpsichord
12.Cello and piano
13.Solo piano or duo pianos (2 pianos or piano 4 hands)
14.Sydney Children’s Choir lineup: SA, SSA, SSAA (further divisions possible)
15.Sydney Chamber Choir lineup: a capella choral music on a sacred theme (SATB, max divisi SSAATTBB, solos
possible within the choir)
16.Sound sculptures and audio/video/installation art
17.Radiophonic works up to a duration of 30 minutes, for broadcast on ABC Classic FM.
A jury of three CANZ members will decide on the six selected composition by mid-July. Send entries to: ISCM WMD 2010 Entry, CANZ, PO Box 4065, Wellington.
Deadline: 30 June 2009

See also http://www.aurorafestival.com.au/callforworks.html