black composer miniature challenge
ANNOUNCING the fourth black composer miniature challenge!
Castle of our Skins and Bahué are pleased to announce the following sister projects: Black Composer Miniature Challenge (BCMC) and Latinx Composer Miniature Challenge (LCMC)! We’re excited to share platforms, create greater visibility of the global majority, and build even stronger networks of diverse creatives.
For the Castle of our Skins #BCMC 4.0, composers who identify as Black or part of the African Diaspora are challenged to compose pieces for COOS friend Seychelle Dunn-Corbin , saxophonist par excellence! Each piece must be 30 seconds or less. We strongly recommend pieces to be inspired by Black/African indigenous themes (see note below)! Composers who have participated in two (2) previous #BCMCs are NOT ELIGIBLE!
Pieces can be scored for:
- solo sax (soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone)
- multiple saxophones, with one person, and ample time to switch
Auxiliary instruments and other options may include:
- voice (simple melodies, spoken word, percussive and other sounds, subject to editing and suggestions by the performer)
- small and very accessible percussion (objects like paper, pots, pans, keys, etc …)
- simple electronic playback (no live electronics, please!)
* if wanting to use auxiliary instruments, electronics, or think outside of these parameters in any way, please email submissions@castleskins.org BEFORE starting your piece!
Timeline:
- Pieces are due December 31, 2023 by 11:59PM; early submissions are welcome and encouraged!
- Castle of our Skins will record and broadcast the performances on social media starting June 2024 (aka Black Music Month!).
- Late submissions will not be accepted; please send in your miniatures as soon as you can before the submission deadline! Only ONE piece per composer please!
How to submit:
- Please send your piece as a PDF and any necessary material for performance (tracks, notation keys, performance notes/instructions, etc ...) in any relevant format to submissions@castleskins.org
- along with your piece submission, please send a creative headshot and a 100 word or less bio, with any social media handles/website links you would like shared.
For those submitting works based on indigenous themes*, see below for suggestions curated by Shirley Graham du Bois Creative in Residence, dancer Jenny Oliver:
- African mythology (for example, water spirits include Olokun, Yemaya, Agwe, and Oshun, etc … )
- Sankofa (and other African proverbs or West African Adinkra symbols)
- Skywoman (the creator of Turtle Island)
- Geophony (sounds from non-biological natural sources, like the wind, sea waves, lightning, running water, volcanoes, etc)
- Music and Spirituality
- Afro-futurism
- … etc …
*All works, especially those which incorporate indigenous themes, will be considered for pairing with dance featuring Jenny Oliver.
Fee:
All composers accepted will be compensated for their submissions, and all accepted entries will be published in a digital anthology. There is no fee to apply.
Any questions?
Please email submissions@castleskins.org
WE LOOK FORWARD TO PREMIERING YOUR MINIATURES!
For the Castle of our Skins #BCMC 4.0, composers who identify as Black or part of the African Diaspora are challenged to compose pieces for COOS friend Seychelle Dunn-Corbin , saxophonist par excellence! Each piece must be 30 seconds or less. We strongly recommend pieces to be inspired by Black/African indigenous themes (see note below)! Composers who have participated in two (2) previous #BCMCs are NOT ELIGIBLE!
Pieces can be scored for:
- solo sax (soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone)
- multiple saxophones, with one person, and ample time to switch
Auxiliary instruments and other options may include:
- voice (simple melodies, spoken word, percussive and other sounds, subject to editing and suggestions by the performer)
- small and very accessible percussion (objects like paper, pots, pans, keys, etc …)
- simple electronic playback (no live electronics, please!)
* if wanting to use auxiliary instruments, electronics, or think outside of these parameters in any way, please email submissions@castleskins.org BEFORE starting your piece!
Timeline:
- Pieces are due December 31, 2023 by 11:59PM; early submissions are welcome and encouraged!
- Castle of our Skins will record and broadcast the performances on social media starting June 2024 (aka Black Music Month!).
- Late submissions will not be accepted; please send in your miniatures as soon as you can before the submission deadline! Only ONE piece per composer please!
How to submit:
- Please send your piece as a PDF and any necessary material for performance (tracks, notation keys, performance notes/instructions, etc ...) in any relevant format to submissions@castleskins.org
- along with your piece submission, please send a creative headshot and a 100 word or less bio, with any social media handles/website links you would like shared.
For those submitting works based on indigenous themes*, see below for suggestions curated by Shirley Graham du Bois Creative in Residence, dancer Jenny Oliver:
- African mythology (for example, water spirits include Olokun, Yemaya, Agwe, and Oshun, etc … )
- Sankofa (and other African proverbs or West African Adinkra symbols)
- Skywoman (the creator of Turtle Island)
- Geophony (sounds from non-biological natural sources, like the wind, sea waves, lightning, running water, volcanoes, etc)
- Music and Spirituality
- Afro-futurism
- … etc …
*All works, especially those which incorporate indigenous themes, will be considered for pairing with dance featuring Jenny Oliver.
Fee:
All composers accepted will be compensated for their submissions, and all accepted entries will be published in a digital anthology. There is no fee to apply.
Any questions?
Please email submissions@castleskins.org
WE LOOK FORWARD TO PREMIERING YOUR MINIATURES!
Purchase your digital download copies of the
Black Composer Miniature Challenge Anthologies!
Black Composer Miniature Challenge Anthologies!