The 19th Gustav Mahler Composition Prize of the City of Klagenfurt
Invitation for contributions to the 19th Gustav Mahler Composition Prize of the City of Klagenfurt
www.musikforum.at
My Heart Is Like a Stone
An Oratorio on stage as a contribution to human rights, after three texts chosen by Peter Wagner (Sitting Bull, Winston Churchill, and Malala Yousafzai)
The International Gustav Mahler Composition Prize 2017 continues the tradition of encouraging composers to tackle unconventional subject areas. This time, appreciating the still threatened indigenous peoples of the world, and the international human rights in general, are in the focus of the competition.
Conditions of participation
Composers of any nationality, without distinction of
The compositions submitted must not have been published, nor first performed prior to the laureate concert (beginning of July 2017). The authors must provide the score (directing score and voices) free of charge and in good time. Only one work per participant can be admitted.
Deadline: 31st August 2016
The winners’ works will be premiered by the following
Ensemble
· 4 keyboard instruments:
Paul Gulda, cembalo harpsichord (gamut G3 – d3, single, 8 ́ (with buff/lute stop), 4 Ï. Gulda plays on a replica of the flemish instrument by RuckersCouchet)
http://www.theparisworkshop.com/en/index-en.html
Margit Kern, piano accordion, right manual 5 choires, left manual
3 choires. Overall range right: E - c5 (E2 – C8), gamut left: E1 – c#5 (E1 – C#8)
Wolfgang Mitterer, keyboard, electronics
N.N., Hammond organ, B3:
· Igor Gross, drums and percussion (marimba 5 octaves, vibraphone, metallophone (quarter tone: c, c#, d, f, f#), 3 tomtoms, snaredrum, 3 cymbals, hi hat, small gong in d, bongos, 5 woodblocks, small oil barrel, 5 rototoms, 3 triangles)
· 30-voices choir
· Musical overall direction and conductor: Christoph Cech
How to arrange the composition to submit
The treatment of the given instrumental ensemble does not need any further explanation.
The integration of electronics in this context is a feature of the MUSIKFORUM, and should be designed for the composition according to the following criteria given by Johannes Kretz, who will perform this part:
Four loudspeakers will be provided on stage (no quadrophony, no octophony, no additional monitor-loudspeakers); an analogue mixing console will be available (16 input channels, 4 output channels).
Feeds from a laptop (stereo or 4-channel) are possible; please provide the audio files in the formats WAF or AIFF, one file for each audio channel. The electronic material attached to the compositions (on CD, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, USB flash drive, or via download) must not exceed a total amount of data of 1GByte per composition.
Live-electronics is possible as well, given the following constraints:
· Maximum of 6 microphones (capacitor) from stage to laptop.
· Use of common live electronics effects: harmonizer, frequency shifter, ring modulator,
delays, hall, freezing, live recording/playback, distortion.
· If more complex electronics should be used, a matching MaxMSP-patch must be
attached, executable on the following hardware/software:
- MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Intel core i7,8GB Ram
- sound card: MOTU UltraLight mk3 Hybrid with a maximum of 6 input and 4 output
channels
· Video projection is not planned.
Musical drafts are required until 31st of August 2016, considering that each of the three parts/texts (A, B, and C) must represent clearly the basic musical concept. From these drafts the jury will select the three winners, who will be assigned the composition task to be completed by the 31st of December 2016.
Length of single parts: 15-20 min each, overall duration of the piece 50-60 min.
Please note that scores covering only single parts of the ensemble cannot be accepted.
Compositions from the developing field of improvised music, jazz and New Music are welcome. Particular attention will be payed to recognizable indications with respect to the sound and its development; likewise, graphical notations regarding the sound (and its flow) and emotional states of expressions are welcome.
MUSIKFORUM is looking forward to receiving clear, precise scores, not necessarily complying with any notation convention, but representing 100% the composer’s creative power.
Since also choreographic, scenic, and filmic representation is planned, an intensive interchange of ideas between Christoph Cech, Peter Wagner, and the Musikforum in the period of composing from September until December 2016 will take place.
Jury
Dieter Kaufmann, President
Christoph Cech, Dieter Glawischnig, Manuela Kerer, Wolfgang Mitterer, Antun Tomislav Šaban
The decision of the jury will be made by mid September 2016.
Prizes
The following prizes will be awarded by the City of Klagenfurt, and the Federal State of Carinthia: Three equal prizes, each amounting to the sum of Euro 3000,-.
Mode of submission
The compositions are to be submitted in the form of four copies of the score by post and a PDF file by e-mail to office@musikforum.at The full first and family name of the composer must be given within the text of the e-mail. The PDF files are forwarded to the jurors by the Musikforum anonymously, with a number added.
The application form, filled in and signed, must be attached in a sealed envelope with only the title of the composition written on it.
The original score (bound, pages numbered, not revealing the composer’s name in any part, the cover page containing the title of the piece) has to be submitted by 31st of August 2016 (dated postmark) to the address of the Musikforum.
MUSIKFORUM VIKTRING-KLAGENFURT
Kennwort „Gustav Mahler Kompositionspreis 2016/17“
Stift-Viktring-Straße 25
9073 Klagenfurt-Viktring
AUSTRIA
First performances
Only one act/part/text per winner, selected by the jury, will be rehearsed in the presence of the composers at the beginning of July 2017 during the 31st MUSIKFORUM Viktring and presented to the public.
The concert will be recorded by the ORF Kärnten and broadcast on Ö1.
Further presentations in Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, or Germany are planned.
Musikforum Viktring – Invitation for composers 2016/17:
My Heart Is Like a Stone
An Oratorio on stage as a contribution to human rights
PART A / Act 1
Behold, my friends!
They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use.
Behold, my friends, the spring is come;
The earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun,
And we shall soon see the results of their love!
Every seed is awakened, and all animal life.
It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being,
And we therefore yield to our neighbors,
even to our animal neighbors,
The same right as ourselves to inhabit this vast land.
Yet hear me, friends!
We now have to deal with another people,
Small and feeble when our forefathers first met with them,
But now great and overbearing.
Strangely enough, they have a mind to till the soil,
And the love of possessions is a disease in them.
These people have made many rules
That the rich may break
But the poor may not.
They even take tithes of the poor and weak
To support the rich and those who rule.
They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use,
And fence their neighbors away from her,
And deface her
With their buildings and their refuse.
They compel her to produce out of season,
And when sterile
She is made to take medicine in order to produce again.
All this is sacrilege.
This nation is like a spring freshet;
It overruns its banks
And destroys all who are in its path.
Sitting Bull (1830-1890), Lakota, 1875
PART B - Composition 2 / Act 2
The government of the world
The government of the world
must be entrusted
to satisfied nations
who wished nothing more
for themselves
than what they had.
If the world-government were
in the hands of
hungry nations
there would always be danger.
But none of us
had any reason
to seek for anything more.
The peace would
be kept by peoples
who lived in their own way
and were not ambitious.
Our power placed us
above the rest.
We were like rich men
dwelling at peace
within their habitations.
Winston Churchill, 1951
PART C / Act 3
Dear brothers and sisters,
do remember one thing:
Malala Day is not my day.
Today is the day of every woman, every boy
and every girl who have raised
their voice for their rights.
There are hundreds of human rights activists
and social workers who are not only
speaking for their rights,
but who are struggling to achieve their goal of peace,
education and equality.
Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists
And millions have been injured.
I am just one of them.
So here I stand, so here I stand
one girl among many.
I speak not for myself,
but for those
without voice can be heard.
Those who have fought for their rights.
Their right to live in peace.
Their right to be treated with dignity.
Their right to equality of opportunity.
Their right to be educated.
Dear friends,
on 9 October 2012,
the Taliban shot me
on the left side of my forehead.
They shot my friends, too.
They thought that the bullets
would silence us,
but they failed.
And out of that silence came thousands of voices.
The terrorists thought that
they would change my aims
and stop my ambitions.
But nothing changed in my life
except this:
Weakness, fear and hopelessness died.
Strength, power and courage was born.
Excerpt of: Malala Yousafzai, speech on education
United Nations NY, July 12, 2013
Development
Autumn 2016 – With active participation of the composers chosen by the Jury;
If possible in combination with musical improvisation, free dance, recitation by professional speakers, filmic implementation