OSSIA New Music 2025/2026 International Call for Works

OSSIA New Music, the student-run new music organization at the Eastman School of Music, is pleased to announce an international call for scores. The prize-winning work will be presented by Eastman student performers on the 3rd Mainstage concert of OSSIA New Music’s 2025–2026 season, on Feb 10, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

Composers age 35 and under, as of December 1st, 2025, of all nationalities, are encouraged to apply. There is no entry fee, and works may have been previously performed (detailed guidelines below). Current Eastman students, alumni of Eastman’s Composition Program, and composers who have been full-time composition faculty at a college or university for more than three years are ineligible to apply.

The submitted compositions should be scored for a chamber ensemble (detailed guidelines below). OSSIA invites the submission of works involving unusual performative demands; composers are encouraged to view our current season program (https://www.ossianewmusic.org/main-stage/).

A panel consisting of members of OSSIA New Music will evaluate the pieces and choose the winning entry. All applications must be completed and received by DECEMBER 1st, 2025. Late submissions will be immediately disqualified. 

Rules and regulations 

• Works should be between 5–12 minutes in duration.
• Works should involve 3-12 players.
• The use of electronics (i.e. audio playback or live processing) with instruments is acceptable. If submitting a work with electronics, please provide documentation describing how processing and diffusion needs to be done. Insufficient documentation will result in immediate disqualification
• Works of any style, aesthetic, and notation will be considered. However, works for mixed ensemble are preferred.
• Only one entry per composer.
• Submissions may have been performed previously, but pieces that have been publicly performed and/or recorded by a non-university, professional ensemble are ineligible.
• Previous winners of the OSSIA Call for Scores are ineligible.
• Works must be submitted anonymously—no information that indicates or suggests the name or affiliation of the composer can appear anywhere on the score, recording of submitted work.
• Scores, recordings, and other materials should be uploaded to a cloud sharing service such as Dropbox or Google Drive and links should be provided on the entry form.

Instrumentation (3-12 players)

• Flute (Piccolo, C, Alto, Bass)
• Oboe/English horn
• Clarinet [E-flat, B-flat, A, Bass]
• Saxophone [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone]
• Bassoon/Contrabassoon
• Horn
• Trumpet
• Tenor/Bass Trombone
• Euphonium
• Tuba
• Percussion; please see below for available instruments
• Harp
• Guitar
• Piano
• Keyboard synthesizer/Harpsichord/Celesta
• Voice [Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass]
• Violin
• Viola
• Cello
• Contrabass
• Percussion instruments available: Vibraphone, Marimba (5.0, 4.3), Glockenspiel, Timpani (32, 29, 26, 23), Snare drum, Bass drum, Cymbals, Wood blocks, Triangle, Bongos, Congas, Tambourine, Xylophone, Almglocken, Shakers, Claves, Maracas, Guiro, Rain stick, Ratchet, Anvil, Glass bottles, Crotales (2 octaves), Cowbell, Chimes, Tam-tam, Thai gongs

Percussion instrumentation that veers outside this list will be subject to consideration by the OSSIA New Music Board.

More details and a link to the submission portal are available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPTUVDfTxyTjPZ7CK518nsFq8e9f07vp4hZ__v4PcRXFtbXA/viewform?usp=dialog