SMC 2025 welcomes Music & Sonic Art contributions that are related to the core topics in Sound and Music Computing research for the concert programs during the conference week. Concerts, performances and installations during SMC 2025 will be programmed in the most appropriate spaces at or around the KUG main campus (MUMUTH and T.i.P) and the city center (Dom im Berg). Through a cooperation with KUG’s professors of the PPCM (Performance Practice in Contemporary Music) program (Gan-Ya Ben-gur Akselrod, Holger Falk, and Dimitrios Polisoidis) we can offer performances with small ensembles (up to three players/vocalists) & electronics, involving students highly skilled in contemporary music.
The theme of SMC 2025 is “Auditory Landscapes”.
From the soundscapes emphasizing environmental awareness to the auditory landscapes in the context of storytelling – from ambient music and musique spectrale to installation and land art: the usage, design, or simply the pointing to audible phenomena in an infinite variety of setups unifies artists and scientists from very different knowledge cultures. Thereby, boundaries between sound and music, between artistic, didactic, and entertaining goals are blurred. That can open the door to the Tower of Babel but also provide the chance for surprising new connections in an artistic sense – and extend our perception of the world.
Submissions centered around this topic are strongly encouraged – although unrelated submissions are eligible as well.
All submissions will be peer-reviewed, but authors are not required to anonymize them: SMC 2025 applies a single-blind peer review. The review will happen in two rounds:
- The first is a single-blind peer review by the Artistic Committee will review the submitted works for their quality and relevance for the SMC conference.
- In the second round, the Organising Committee will address the feasibility of the selected works and arrange the concert and installation programmes for the conference.
It is very important that all submissions state very clearly the human and technical resources needed for each performance/installation, as well as which of these resources will be provided by the authors and which are expected to be provided by KUG, which hosts state of the art audio equipment.
All submissions can be for multichannel system or less (Mono/Stereo). The submission of audio/video documentations is welcomed, although not mandatory, except for fixed media submissions. Participants are encouraged to submit works in the following categories:
- Instruments/Voice and Electronics (live electronics and/or fixed media). The addition of video-projections is possible as well. Maximum of three players. The available instruments are: Viola, Violin, Violoncello, Double Bass, Flute (with its variant instruments), Clarinet (with its variant instruments), Oboe/English Horn, Bassoon, Saxophone, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion Instruments, Piano, Accordion, Vocals. Rehearsals will take place during the SMC Summer School from July 7th to July 9th 2025. Selected composers are highly encouraged to join on these days.
- Live electronics (without traditional instruments): solo or group performances. The accepted works will be performed by the submitter(s) and/or other persons organized by the submitter(s).
- Fixed media compositions with or without video projection.
- Installations: music & sonic art installations, with or without the use of interactivity.
The submitted works can be of any length, but for logistic reasons, pieces under 15 minutes will more easily be integrated in the conference program and will therefore stand a higher chance to be accepted.
Submissions
Submissions should be made using the SMC2025 Conference Management website (a link to the website will be provided here in time).
The submission of the title, abstract, and complete list of authors should be done first, followed by the submission of the proposal and supplementary files:
- Mandatory files (PDF, maximum size 20MB each):
- A submission proposal with description of the performance / installation in the form of program notes.
- A detailed technical rider, which should clearly specify how long the performance will last and include the details of both technical requirements and setup times.
- Link(s) without expiration to audio and video documentation (mandatory for fixed media only, recommended for all categories). The links must allow online playback of audio and/or video (Dropbox, SoundCloud, Vimeo etc.). For multichannel works submit a stereo version or binaural reduction.
- The score of the work (if applicable). Can also be a link for large files.
- Supplementary files (PDF, maximum size 20MB each):
- Other relevant data and/or links.
Installations will be shown around the KUG main campus (MUMUTH and T.i.P). Various standard multichannel formats (4, 5.1, 8, 16 speakers, Ambisonics, …), and extended constellations are possible with performances in the MUMUTH. Also, IEM developments like the IKO loudspeaker and the piano player automaton are available for inclusion in all categories.
Music & sonic art submission deadline (strict!): February 7th, 2025
After notification of acceptance, all participants have a chance to further edit the uploaded material to make a performance-ready submission. Only one submission per participant will be accepted. Please note the submission proposal is for informative purposes for the selection and will not be included in the conference proceedings. Artists must hold the copyright of submitted materials to be used in SMC2025.
Each accepted music submission needs to be covered by an in-person registration, artist and student registrations are reduced. If the authors of the music submission are already SMC 2025 paper authors and have registered for the conference, their music submission can be covered with the same registration and vice versa.
For any questions, please contact: music@smc25.iem.at
Local artistic SMC steering board
- Marko Ciciliani, Daniel Mayer, Winfried Ritsch (music chairs, IEM)
- Gan-Ya Ben-gur Akselrod, Holger Falk, Dimitrios Polisoidis (PPCM)
- Gerhard Nierhaus, David Pirrò, Ina Thomann, IOhannes zmölnig (IEM)