BAMA Calls

Concert dates: TBD between February 15-24, 2025
Submission deadline: EXTENDED TO MAY 18, 2024
Venue(s): TBD
Instrumentation: Tenor or bass trombone, with or without electronics.

Trombonist Jacob Elkin has offered to present a concert featuring BAMA member composers in February of 2025. He is particularly interested in electronics, improvisation, and microtonality but will consider all submissions. Works for solo tenor or bass trombone (acoustic or electronic) are more likely to have repeat performances. Collaborative improvisations and pieces to be performed with local musicians are possible, provided the composer manages rehearsals and covers additional performer fees.

How to Submit:
By May 18, 2024, email with the subject “Elkin” and the following info:

• Composer/collaborator
• Working title
• Duration
• Instrumentation
• Technical requirements
• Optional recording or demo

If the work to be submitted is complete, attach the score in PDF format. Otherwise, include a proposal with a brief description of the composition/collaboration. A due date for proposed compositions will be announced later.

See jacobelkin.com for more information about the performer.
Email for clarification about the call.

Concert Date(s): TBD Fall 2024

Submission Deadlines:

• Notification of participation: November 1, 2023
• Submission of score: May 15, 2024

How to Submit: email with subject “Iron Giant Collaboration”

Concert Locations: TBD community venues

Instrumentation: Undefined (Read the “What” section below)

Duration: No specific duration.

Who: Iron Giant (Sam Herman, Brett Huffman, Seth Noble, and Justin Wallace)

What: A concert series of scalable compositions to be performed in several different community spaces in Birmingham — such as parks, galleries, and libraries. Scores should be adaptable to completely different settings and instrumentation. Iron Giant primarily function as a quartet but may expand the ensemble for some programs. Some approaches to composition include:

• indeterminate instrumentation, duration, number of performers, and/or octave displacement
• graphic or recipe notation (see Feldman and Oliveros)
• an existing piece that is conducive to adaptation by Iron Giant
  • John Cage’s Dream for piano https://youtu.be/p3K_bausi_Q?si=tcaGDkG3uDuVv967 is a work they have arranged.

Examples of compositions follow. Most of the links are performances with a score displayed. There are multiple performances of many of these works on YouTube.

• In C – Terry Riley – https://youtu.be/yNi0bukYRnA?si=GXs-YgEn8_P4tQ_Y
• Stay on It – Julius Eastman
• Worker’s Union for any loud-sounding group of instruments – Louis Andriessen
• Hoketus – Louis Andriessen
• Always Very Soft – John Luther Adams https://youtu.be/hFqfYAfB12I?si=C0LTBQ_c_Bb-AtId
• Music for Pieces of Wood – Steve Reich https://youtu.be/e3tnqECquhk?si=jwrV8ZA5WcJtuIkJ
• The King of Denmark – Morton Feldman https://youtu.be/kuYk2N9dTns?si=G3nJdmgF_blZ5GeR
• Living Room Music – John Cage https://youtu.be/tKrwCkHQRco?si=ol6KmRrPVX_zT_BN
• Rolling Meditation – Pauline Oliveros https://youtu.be/93uMxPr12fc?si=tBHZOmwbJD297ueH

Iron Giant are willing to present a workshop and/or participate in a Zoom call for informal Q&A. They will be available for composers to contact as questions arise.

Before November 1, notify if planning to compose for this project. Please also indicate if you would like to participate in a workshop or call with Iron Giant, both, or neither. 

When: 

• Concerts to be in Fall of 2024
• BAMA request for participation to end November 1, 2023
• BAMA call for scores to end May 15, 2024
• Workshop/Zoom call TBD, if enough interest

Concert: 2023 Summer Concert
Submission Deadline: April 30, 2023
Performance Date: May 23, 24, or 25 (Exact date TBD)
Venue: TBD

Instrumentation: String Trio (Viola, Violin, Cello) + Piano – May submit for any combination except solo piano.

How to submit: Send the information below to  by April 30, 2023

Composer Name:
Title:
Approximate Length (no longer than 10 minutes):
PDF Copies of Score

Concert Date: August (Exact Date TBD)

Submission Deadlines:

· Notification of general interest: March 25, 2022

· Submission of score: May 31, 2022

Submission:  with title “Iron Giant Collaboration”

Concert Location: Railroad Park and 2 more parks TBD

Instrumentation: Undefined (Read the “What” section below)

Duration: No specific duration, though the program will be for a total of 60 minutes of music.

Who:

BAMA collaboration with Iron Giant Percussion.  Iron Giant Percussion is a contemporary music ensemble based in Birmingham, Alabama.

What:

A concert series of pieces of indeterminate style/instrumentation to be performed at different parks in Birmingham. Each composer would write a piece of 2-4 parts for undetermined instruments. The parts can have descriptors on the type of sound such as “metallic”, “melodic”, etc. but it would not be for a specific instrument. Iron Giant would then choose the instrumentation to go along with the piece. The instruments won’t necessarily be your standard instruments (they’ve created xylophones from bottles for example).

Examples of compositions“In C” – Terry Riley.

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYBhX0UH04

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX96z7AuICs

· A workshop will also be provided by Iron Giant on writing for percussion/in an indeterminate style as well to assist the composers. Iron Giant will be available for composers to contact as they write their pieces after the workshop.

• Before March 25, notify  if you’re interested in composing a piece for the concert or attending the workshop. Those interested in composing for the concert are highly encouraged to attend the workshop.

When: 

· Concert to be in the August timeframe

· BAMA request for general interest to end March 25

· BAMA call for scores to end May 31

· Workshop in late March (exact date TBD)

Where:

· 3 parks in total. 1 at Railroad Park, the other 2 TBD.

Other Notes:

· Each concert may have the same pieces (depending on the number of submissions), but it could be an entirely new experience based on the instruments used.

· Iron Giant has mentioned they have pieces from BAMA composers but often can’t perform them because of the instrumentation. This style of writing would allow them to continue to perform the pieces regardless of instrumentation at hand which can lead to continual promotion for our composers.

Please contact Eric Mobley  with questions.