Wanted: composer in residence
Are you a composer who has graduated and not yet 35 years old? Would you like to further your career in an extensive two-year trajectory at Festival Dag in de Branding in The Hague?
Send in your plan and become composer in residence at Festival Dag in de Branding!
From September 2023 through June 2025 you will work with various coaches, collaborate with the best ensembles in The Hague and present your work as part of the festival.
Festival Dag in de Branding organizes a festival three times a year that focuses on the makers of today and is always full of discoveries. Partners include music venues in The Hague, The Residentie Orchestra and various ensembles that are excited to introduce their audiences to the newest contemporary music.
Previous composers in residence include Meriç Artaç, Guzmán Calzada Llorente, Julian Maple-Oliveira and Thomas van Dun.
Thomas van Dun: “My residency at Festival Dag in de Branding gives me room for musical development and discovery. Normally when you are given a commission, there is also a framework that the music has to fit, so there is a limit to how far you can push the envelope of your creative process. The brief from Dag in de Branding, by contrast, was simply to experiment and develop. This has enabled me to take on a project that I have always wanted to do.”
About the residency
Festival Dag in de Branding offers you a rich environment in which to develop further over the course of two seasons by giving you the opportunity to have your work performed in several festival editions each year with a large network of collaborative partners.
The two-year residency offers you the opportunity to test your ideas in practice, try them out, evaluate them and apply what you have learned in subsequent editions. This, and including the support of various coaches and feedback from the festival’s committed audience, will enable you to take a big step forward in your development.
This residency includes a case study in the form of a composition commission that will be performed at the end of the residency. The preparation and performance of this composition and consequent production will give you a framework to work on your professional goals.
In short
Two-year timeframe: from September 2023 through June 2025
Includes a commission for new work.
Several presentation moments.
External coaching in addition to the internal supervision by the Dag in de Branding festivalteam.
Collaborations with prominent contemporary ensembles and musicians.
Professional marketing campaign.
Selection criteria
– A Bachelor or Master’s Degree in composition
– Younger than 35 years of age
– Living and working in the Netherlands
– Not simultaneously enrolled in a BA or MA programme in music
– Submit a complete plan before 31 March 2023.
Your proposal or application should contain the following information:
– A short biography, max 300 words
– A clear description of your learning objectives, specifically addressing what you want to achieve in and with this programme. max 1 page A4, 500 words
– A clear plan: what exactly would you like to do/achieve?
Motivate how this activity/production will help you achieve your learning objectives. The track has the form of a case study which means by preparing and executing the final production you will work on your learning goals. The proposed production must therefore reflect your development and achievement of the learning goals. max 1,5 page A4, 750 words
– With whom? Which external coaches can help you achieve these learning objectives and why?
These can be specialists from any field. max 200 words
– With which other makers would you like to collaborate (name ‘disciplines’such as light artist, dancer, pianist, drummer and so on) and which ensembles / musicians would you like to involve in the performance of the new work? max 200 words
– One or more names plus contactdetails of professionals in the music sector, who would be willing to give a recommendation if asked.
The procedure
You can send your plan to info@dagindebranding.nl. The deadline is 31 March, 2023.
A professional jury will choose the composer in residence who best fits Festival Dag in de Branding after reviewing all submissions. An interview is part of the application procedure. At the end of April you will hear whether you have been selected for an interview, which will take place in May 2023.
The organisation
Festival Dag in de Branding Festival is organised by the Johan Wagenaar Stichting (JWS), an organisation which aims to give a strong impetus to the development of new music. Since its foundation in 1947 JWS has maintained a policy of giving composers pride of place, including giving numerous composition commissions and awards. JWS administers the music awards of the Municipality of The Hague, the best-known of which is the Johan Wagenaar Award for lifetime achievement. In addition, JWS helps to create performance opportunities for contemporary music by organising concerts and festivals and by providing a platform for artistic collaborations.