Call for Proposals: Composing for Clarinet and String Quartet
DEADLINE: October 24, 2024
The Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) is issuing a call for proposals for early career composers and advanced students studying composition interested in composing for clarinet and string quartet. This is the eighth edition of the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Generation Composer’s Project. The program is highly competitive, and space is limited.
The performers for this project include clarinetist Kaye Royer and the Odin Quartet. During the writing process, each composer will be paired with a mentor composer, who will be a support and resource. The mentorship will include advice on writing the composition, clarinet and string writing, notation, and score/part preparation. Composers will be invited to workshops on composing for clarinet and strings, and aspects of career development. Composers will be supported and advised by SPO music director Ronald Royer.
After rough drafts of the quintets are composed, there will be a workshop session where the compositions will be played and recorded. Feedback will be provided by the performers and mentor composers. One composer will be selected to have their music presented on a SPO performance during the 2025-2026 season.
ELIGIBILITY:
- The project is open to emerging composers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, aged 18 to 35 (older applicants can be considered where life circumstances have delayed access to educational opportunity)
- Composers can be involved in-person or online.·
- Composers who have participated in a previous SPO New Generation Composer’s Project are not eligible to apply.
- Composers can also to apply for the SPO’s New Generation Film Composer’s Project. If selected to both programs, a composer will have to choose between the programs. It isn’t feasible for composers to participate in both programs during the same year.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
- The maximum duration for the individual pieces to be composed is 5 minutes.
- An important aspect of this project is to involve the selected composers in musical collaboration with the performers, composer mentors and SPO administrators.
- Selected composers will participate in at least two composer mentorship meetings. Additional mentorship sessions can possibly be arranged. Composers are encouraged to listen to the performers involved in the project via their websites, YouTube, Spotify, etc. (see below for links)
- Workshops will take place online, dates TBA.
- The composer’s quintets will be workshopped at the CMC (Toronto) in March 2025, date TBA.
- The co-ordinator for this project is Daniel Mehdizadeh, SPO Composer-in-Residence Emeritus. As well, SPO Music Director, Ronald Royer, current Composer-in-Residence, Ted Runcie, and other composers will be involved.
Submissions: Eligible composers must submit the following to be considered:
- Short written proposal (350-word max.): Include your artistic objectives with the piece, your interest in the project, composing for clarinet quintet, and working with the SPO. If selected, your piece can deviate from this proposal.
- CV or Resume: Include a PDF file focusing on your composition activity. Include your contact information, including an email address and phone number, on your CV.
- 2 sample scores: PDFs of 2 recent scores. You are not required to submit works for clarinet quintet, but including one piece that includes strings is required. A work that includes clarinet or another wind instrument is recommended.
- 2 sample recordings: Links to streaming audio/video for the 2 scores submitted. MP3 recordings of the 2 submitted scores (live or MIDI recordings are acceptable). Please ensure that the recording is available for one month following the deadline.
This form is currently closed for submissions.
If there is a problem with the application form please contact: spo@spo.ca or apply via email (with all attachments) to Daniel Mehdizadeh at daniel@spo.ca
