Joe GallopPRS Foundation and the Southbank Centre have announced the call for proposals for their New Music Biennial (NMB) 2022 initiative, which includes a weekends festival at London’s Southbank Centre and in Coventry as part of the UK City of Culture programme.
Presented in partnership with Coventry UK City of Culture, BBC Radio 3 and NMC Recordings with support from Arts Council of England, NMB 2022 will comprise 20 new pieces of music: 10 new works selected from an open call and 10 pre-existing NMB works from across the past decade to mark the tenth anniversary of its launch back in 2012.
NMB is inviting composers and commissioning organisations to create a piece no longer than 15 minutes in duration.The deadline for applications is 13 September and the winning compositions will be selected by a panel of judges. The final programme will be announced in October.
The new pieces will be performed at two weekend events; in Coventry as part of Coventry UK City of Culture in April 2022 and in London at Southbank Centre in July.
In addition to the performances NMB will be broadcast across BBC Radio 3 and pieces will be available through NMC Recordings following the festivals.
PRS Foundation CEO Joe Frankland said, “We look forward to seeing the submissions for our NMB 2022 and sharing the winning pieces alongside pieces from NMBs over the last 10 years with audiences in Coventry, London’s Southbank Centre and the wider country next year.”
Southbank Centre director of music and performing arts Gillian Moore said, “The New Music Biennial has become a joyful fixture on the national music calendar; a festival which shines the spotlight on the diverse musical creativity of the UK. In 2022, we specially look forward to collaborating with Coventry, City of Culture.”