MOMENTUM Plus
MOMENTUM Plus is the Australian Music Centre's new orchestral recording project. The program is intended to support Australian composers to record large-scale orchestral works, enabling exclusive ownership and utilisation to connect with audiences and unlock potential performance opportunities.
The orchestra remains an important medium for contemporary music, yet is fundamentally inaccessible to composers beyond traditional and highly competitive pathways. MOMENTUM Plus seeks to bridge industry gaps where: orchestral works can be heard beyond the premiere performance, and artists have full control recordings of their works to further advance their creative portfolio.
Call for works
The Australian Music Centre invites Australian composers to nominate a piece of original orchestral music to be considered for recording. Five works will be selected for recording at Trackdown Studios in Sydney (Gadigal), NSW.
The nominated piece of music:
- Strings: 12/10/8/6/3
- Winds: 1/1/1/1
- Brass: 4/2/2/1
- Percussion: timpani
Applications must nominate only one work. Nominations for multiple works will not be accepted. Incomplete works or proposals for new works will not be eligible.
Selected works will be added to the AMC collection: the audio recording to be available via the AMC audio library, and score and parts to be available for distribution via the AMC. Successful applicants who are not AMC represented artists will be required to apply for representation.
Nominate a work for MOMENTUM Plus
Submission guidelines
Please read the full submission guidelines before submitting your nomination.
Call for works extended: Nominations for works must be submitted online by Thursday 5 June, 5pm AEST:
Submissions will be assessed based on:
Download guidelines
Eligibility
Submissions to the MOMENTUM Plus call for works is open to all Australian composers.
We encourage composers at any stage of their career to apply, including emerging and underrepresented artists.
First Nations creators, gender diverse creators, and culturally diverse creators are strongly encouraged to apply.
Timeline
Nominate a work for MOMENTUM Plus
FAQs
Can a score with standard alternative instruments (such as for woodwinds) be eligible for submission?
Yes, scores with standard alternative instruments may be submitted.
I'd like to nominate a work that has been recorded before, but I don't have access to that recording. Could my work be considered?
Yes, the purpose of the MOMENTUM Plus program is for composers to get a recording of their work with full ownership rights. If your work has been recorded in the past, you may elaborate on the context as part of the program notes. You will also be expected to outline your intended outcomes for a new recording as part of your submission to the call for works.
The guidelines list the maximum number of players per section. Does that mean I can submit a score written for a smaller orchestra?
That's correct. If your score is written for an orchestra smaller than the maximum numbers, it is still eligible for submission. Note: this opportunity is specifically for orchestral works, so works for smaller chamber ensembles (i.e. string quartet) will not be accepted.
I have a work originally written for a larger orchestral force. May I submit an arrangement of the work for submission?
Yes, new arrangements of existing works are acceptable.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
