ISCM




The range of music that we have access to nowadays is greater than it has ever been, through the enormous technological advances of the 20th Century.

This means that a definition of what "contemporary music" might be is difficult, as composers are being influenced by more kinds of sounds - musical and other - than ever before. Performers are presenting contemporary music in many different k inds of environments to reach their audiences, and there is now a continual redefinition of the relationships which exist between composers, performers and the audience.

The International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) is an important international network of members from around fifty countries, devoted to the promotion and presentation of contemporary music - the music of our time. ISCM has had a distinguished history. From its foundation in Salzburg in 1922, a receptiveness to aesthetic and stylistic diversity has been a characteristic of the Society. Today more than ever with the incredible diversity which exists in contemporary musical expression around the world, this ideal is still strongly supported by ISCM members.

Each year, ISCM presents the World Music Days Festival , hosted by one of ISCM's members, which provides a feast of contemporary music across a broad range of contemporary practice. The host nation has some flexibility in determining the individual themes that drive the programming of the Festival, either presenting a showcase of activity from around the world, or applying other criteria for the selection and programming of works.

The ISCM World Music Days Festival also provides an opportunity for the ISCM members to meet in their annual congress, to discuss issues affecting contemporary music and matters of mutual concern.