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The MAX BRAND Ensemble – The New Music Ensemble of Lower Austria

INÖK honours and celebrates the memory of the great Lower Austrian composer MAX BRAND, who died in Langenzersdorf in 1980. Initiated by Richard Graf and in artistic collaboration with Christoph Cech and Johannes Kretz, The New Music Ensemble of Lower Austria - The MAX BRAND Ensemble was founded during a ceremony in Klangraum Minoritenkirche Krems during the “Days of New Music in Lower Austria 2012”. The ensemble strives to create and promote innovative art and facilitate new forms of musical perception and appreciation in the spirit of MAX BRAND. The concept of  “New Music” comprises a wide spectrum of musical modes of expression. It is characterized by such terms as: experimentally condensed sound acoustics of tonal language enriched by rhythmic languages of the world, parametric and free improvisation, contemporary jazz, electronic media, unorthodox instrumentation and vocalization. These modes are to serve as a forum for new ways of progressive lateral thinking in the art of composition.

Art director: Richard Graf

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INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION 2025

The MAX BRAND Composition Prize is being awarded for the second time as an international competition and is aimed at composers of all ages.

We are looking for an innovative work that reflects the broad spectrum of new music and explores new ground in the spirit of Max Brand – inspired by the rhythmic diversity of the world, the freedom of improvisation, the sounds of jazz, electronic innovation, and all forms of unconventional sound design.

In the spirit of Austrian composer Max Brand, the MAX BRAND Ensemble seeks to foster innovative music and novel listening experiences. It is curious about compositional ideas that offer fresh and unconventional perspectives and explore the boundaries of musical expression. The composition is to be written for the MAX BRAND Ensemble.

The competition is announced by the MAX BRAND Ensemble and the INÖK - Interessengemeinschaft Niederösterreichische Komponistinnen und Komponisten. The jury will award prizes for three compositions. The prize money for the winning work is

€ 5,000

(provided by the Berndorf Private Foundation)

Artistic director and chair of the jury: Richard Graf

This competition is organized and administered by the INÖK.

 

APPLICATION DETAILS

ELIGIBILITY

The competition is open to all individuals regardless of age, gender and nationality.

The submitted work must not have been performed, published by a publisher, or awarded a prize in another competition.

INSTRUMENTATION

At least 8 of the following instruments must been used. (Live) electronics are encouraged (see below for details):

Violin
Viola
Violoncello
Doublebass (or electric bass)
Flute (including piccolo- or alto flute)
Oboe (including cor anglais)
Bb-clarinet (including bass clarinet)
Bassoon
Saxophone (alto or tenor saxophone)
Bb-trumpet
Trombone
Drumset incl. hand percussion (e.g. shaker, triangle, cabasa, maracas, tambourine, claves, ocean drum)
(Live) electronics and/or audio playback

Technical details for the use of electronics: Sound reinforcement with a maximum of 2 loudspeakers (stereo). Recordings must be provided as WAV files. The use of common live electronic effects (harmonizer, frequency shifter, ring modulator, delay, reverb, freeze, live recording/playback, distortion, etc.) must be precisely defined. For more complex live electronics, a professional, self-explanatory MaxMSP or Pure-Data patch must be provided, executable on the following hardware: MacBook Pro M1 16GB RAM. Audio interface with a maximum of 4 input channels (with a maximum of 4 condenser microphones) and a maximum of 2 output channels. IMPORTANT: The (live) electronics or playback must be notated in the score as a separate “instrument”. The use of video projection is not intended.

DURATION OF THE COMPOSITION: 10-15 minutes

SUBMISSION

Entry deadline: August 31, 2025

For submission complete the required application, which includes:

• Score (PDF)
• Short info about the submitted piece
• Description of the electronics, patch and/or playback
• Short bio and contact details (name, address, e-mail, phone)
• Optional recording (mp3 or m4a, max. 10 MB)

If the amount of data exceeds 8 MB, please use an online file transfer service (e.g. Dropbox, WeTransfer, MyDrive)

Jury decision by September 15, 2025

The composers of the selected pieces must provide professional performance material free of charge by September 20, 2025.

AWARDS

1st price: € 5,000 (founded by Berndorf Privatstiftung) and performance by the MAX BRAND Ensemble as well as recording (audio and video) as part of the “TAGE der NEUEN MUSIK” on October 23, 2025 at “Porgy & Bess” in Vienna.

Special prize for the best composition of a female composer: performance by the MAX BRAND Ensemble as well as recording (audio and video) as part of the “TAGE der NEUEN MUSIK” on October 23, 2025 at the “Porgy & Bess” in Vienna.

Special prize for the best composition of a composer born after January 1, 1995: performance by the MAX BRAND Ensemble as well as recording (audio and video) as part of the “TAGE der NEUEN MUSIK” on October 23, 2025 at the “Porgy & Bess” in Vienna.

 

LEGAL CONDITIONS
The copyright remains with the composer. The composer guarantees that the submitted work is free of third-party rights. The MAX BRAND Ensemble is granted the right to perform the prize-winning works and to make sound, image and video recordings and to exploit these if necessary. The jury has the right not to award prizes. If the performance cannot take place on the scheduled date for reasons not attributable to the organization of the MAX BRAND Composition Prize, another date will be sought. The jury's decision is final and incontestable. All legal recourse is excluded in all aspects of the competition. By submitting a score, the participant accepts the conditions of the competition. The scores submitted will remain in the archive of the MAX BRAND Ensemble.

 

ONLINE-SUBMISSION

Application Details for Download (PDF) 

Folder (PDF)




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