Barcelona Modern International Composition Course

The Barcelona Modern Festival, with the collaboration of the Institut Français-Barcelona, and the Fundació Conservatori del Liceu, opens the call for submissions for the 13th edition of the Barcelona Modern International Composition Course.

The course is primarily aimed at young composers, selected through an open call for submissions, who will be mentored by two internationally renowned guest composers. The guest composers for this edition are: José María SÁNCHEZ-VERDÚ / Ariadna ALSINA TARRÉS.

Course structure and content:

Structured in three intensive sessions —three days for the first and four days for the following two— Active Participants will develop a composition project supervised by the guest composers and working directly with one of the following guest ensembles or soloists:

• JULIÁN ELVIRA_Flute in C, bass and subcontrabass (with or without electronics)
• LAB51_Soprano and piano duo (with or without electronics)
• A/B ENSEMBLE_Classical and/or electric guitar, double bass, and modular synthesizer (with electronics)

Reading Session Participants will have a working session with one of the ensembles or soloists, in addition to unlimited access to all activities held throughout the course.

The course will feature individual and group classes taught by the guest composers, lectures, workshops given by the musicians who will be available to the students, a mixed music seminar, open rehearsals, and concerts.

First Meeting: Focuses primarily on lectures/masterclasses by the guest composers, individual presentations by active students -presenting their work and explaining the project to be developed throughout the course- and the first part of the mixed music seminar.

Second Meeting: Individual composition classes for active participants begin, as well as rehearsals with the musicians of 50% of the  work-in-progress and reading sessions, alongside the second part of the mixed music seminar and concerts within the Barcelona Modern Festival.

Third Meeting: Individual composition classes, mixed music seminar, reading sessions, final rehearsals, and concerts featuring the world premiere of the works created throughout the course by the active participants.

The course will be held in a hybrid format: the first meeting will be entirely online, the second meeting in a hybrid format (in-person or online at the participant’s discretion), and the third meeting exclusively in-person in Barcelona.

First meeting: January 13, 14 and 15, 2027 (online)
Second meeting: April 27, 28, 29 and 30, 2027 (Hybrid -in person or online at free choice-)
Third meeting: July 13, 14, 15 and 16, 2027 (In-person in Barcelona)

Course activities will take place at the facilities of the Institut Français-Barcelona (Carrer Moià 8, 08006 Barcelona) and the Fundació Conservatori del Liceu (Carrer Nou de la Rambla 88, 08001 Barcelona). The primary language used during the course will be English.

Guidelines

All composers, without age or nationality limits, may apply to this call by completing the registration form. The form will request a ID/passport, CV, and two scores with their recordings (optional), which will be evaluated during the selection process.

•The registration period is open until October 15, 2026.
•Up to 24 composers will be selected as Active Participants.
•Up to 18 composers will be selected as Reading Session Participants from among the applicants not selected as Active Participants and those who register directly in this category.
•Composers not selected as Active Participants or for the Reading Sessions have the option to take the course as Auditor Participants.

On November 1, 2026, the results of the call will be communicated via email and social media, and various instrumentation options will be sent so that selected participants can communicate their preferences. The proposed instrumentation will range from "solo" to "tutti". The assignment of the instrumentation to each participant will be determined by the organisation, and will be assigned after the composer sends proof of payment. Every effort will be made to assign each participant one of their preferences.

The registration period for all participants ends on November 18, 2026 (students who register by November 12, 2026 willreceive a discount). Once the participation fee is paid, the student is considered formally registered, and the fee is non-refundable.

On November 25, 2026, the ensemble and instrumentation assigned to each active participant and reading session participant will be announced.

Active participants

• Active Participants must send 50% of the work-in-progress by email (full score and instrumental parts in PDF) no later than March 25, 2027, to be worked on during the second meeting, and the fully completed work no later than June 10, 2027, to be worked on during the third meeting, prepared by the musicians, and premiered at the final concert.
• The piece developed during the course must be an original newly created composition, written by and during the course work, to be premiered at the final concert. Adaptations of pre-existing works will not be accepted.
• The maximum duration of the works must not exceed 8 minutes. Compositions exceeding this duration or not delivered within the deadline will not be programmed in the final concert*.
• Attendance at all three meetings is mandatory for active participants, and for organisational reasons, they must be fully available throughout all course days.

Reading sessions participants

• Reading Session Participants will work on an acoustic piece (without electronics) with the assigned ensemble/soloist during the 2nd or 3rd meeting (to be determined by the organisation) in-person in Barcelona or online, at the participant's choice.
• They will have a working session with the musicians, where they can rehearse their work or a fragment (previously prepared by the ensemble) and receive a recording of their composition for personal use. They will not have individual composition classes, but may attend them as auditors, as well as all other course activities.
• Reading Session participants must send the complete composition (full score and instrumental parts in PDF) one month before the start of their assigned meeting. The maximum duration of the work must not exceed 6 minutes.

Auditor participants 

• They have unlimited access to all course activities as auditors: lectures, masterclasses, instrumental workshops, mixed music seminars, composition classes, concerts, etc.

Tuition fee

• Active participants: 830€ (780€ until November 12, 2026)
• Participants with a reading session: 420€ (380€ until November 12, 2026)
• Listener participants: 120€
   

All registration documentation must be submitted no later than October 15, 2026, via the following form.