FICINO ENSEMBLE COMPOSITION WORKSHOP SERIES 2023

Deadline: 24 March 2023 17:00

Overview  

Ficino Ensemble will run a series of composition workshops across the first half of 2023. These workshops will offer an opportunity for composers to shape a short composition in dialogue with performers and a workshop facilitator. The goal is to allow these  exchanges to enrich  the compositional process, and, generally, to provide a supportive, enthusiastic environment for creative work. Interested composers are invited  to make an application submission, including a sketch and a proposal. Submissions will be reviewed by  Nathan Sherman, violist, and artistic  director of Ficino Ensemble, and Jonathan Nangle, composer, and workshop facilitator. Up to four composers will then be invited to take part in  the workshop series.† There will be two workshops, followed by a final recording session and performance. 

The ensemble  

Ficino Ensemble was formed by its artistic director Nathan Sherman in 2012. Their concerts have been described as exciting and intimate  with a  high caliber of ensemble playing. A flexible ensemble, the regular members of the group are recognized in Ireland and abroad as  soloists and  chamber musicians. www.ficinoensemble.com 

The ensemble line-up for this composition is violin, viola, cello and fixed electronics.:  

The submission process  

Interested composers are invited to make a short sketch which they would develop into a finished composition of 4-5 minutes across the   workshop process. This sketch, along with a short prose proposal, should form the basis of the application submission. The selection  process will  blind. All materials must be marked with a pseudonym, rather than the composer’s real name. All submissions must be  emailed to  ficino.workshops@gmail.com with the subject line “Composition Workshop Series 2022 – **Pseudonym**”.   

Submissions must consist of the following:  

1. Short bio (circa 150 words)  

• submitted as a PDF file; file name format: “**Pseudonym** Ficino Workshops 2023 Bio”  

• the short bio should contain the composer’s real name and brief description of experience / achievements • bio will be used  for checking eligibility only – it will not be seen by the selection panel during the selection process  

2. Sketch (1-2 minutes of music)  

• full score format  

• submitted as a PDF file; file name format: “**Pseudonym** Ficino Workshops 2023 Sketch”  

• the composer’s real name should not appear anywhere in the score, filename, or file metadata  

3. Audio mock-up (of sketch)‡ 

• e.g., MIDI playback of sketch  

• submitted as an mp3 file; file name format: “**Pseudonym** Ficino Workshops 2023 Sketch”  

• the composer’s real name should not appear anywhere in the audio, filename, or file metadata  

4. Proposal (circa 350 words)  

• a brief written statement addressing any ideas you feel you may wish to develop in the piece  

• submitted as a PDF file; file name format: “**Pseudonym** Ficino Workshops 2023 Proposal”  

• the composer’s real name should not appear anywhere in the document, filename, or file metadata Timeline  

Deadline for application submissions: Friday 24 March  

• Announcement of participants: Monday 10 April  

• 1st workshop: 12-4pm, Sunday 7 May,  

• 2nd workshop: 12-4pm, Sunday 21 May,  

• Deadline for finished scores and parts: Friday 19 June  

• Recording session: 10am-2pm, Saturday 1 July 

All dates subject to change. 

Any enquiries about this opportunity should be made via email to nathansherman83@gmail.com and / or jonathannangle@gmail.com