Call for Submissions MATA Festival 2026
SCOPE OF SUBMISSION
Music at the Anthology seeks submissions from composers in the early stages of their careers for our 28th Annual MATA Festival of New Music in New York City. Curated by Executive Director Pauline Kim Harris and an external panel of Guest Artists, selected works will be performed by various ensembles and artists during the week of the Festival.
Drawing on Morton Feldman’s centenary – a pioneer of indeterminacy whose compositional practice was influenced by abstract expressionism – we look to engage with music that strives for purity of expression, quietude and mysticism.
Feldman described his music as ”patterns, self-contained sound-groupings, full of repetition and yet nothing ever repeating.”
We encourage compositions that include – but is not limited to – works that resonate with Feldman’s ethos, inviting one to consider listening as an act of discovery: Music that challenges formal conventions, embraces introspection, explores the ephemeral and the tactile, and cultivates an intimate relationship with sound. We are particularly interested in works that emphasize acoustic instruments, utilizing natural resonance, subtle gestures, and the tangible presence of sound in space. Composers may reflect on Feldman’s approaches as points of departure rather than prescription. This is not a call for imitation, but for works that reflect Feldman’s musical spirit.
Submissions can be pre-written pieces/scores, audio recordings or written description of pieces. Scores can be notated traditionally or non-traditionally, including graphic and text-based scores. Composers can apply to perform their own work in collaboration with a selection of players drawn from the Festival ensembles.
In addition to this call for submissions, the panel will also consider pierces for MATAthons or MATA Presents. If you are interested in also being considered for a MATAthon or MATA Presents, please check the relevant box in the application. Please note the timeline – if selected, notifications for this application will be sent out by March 2026, and the performance of the selected pieces will be scheduled for May 21-24, 2026.
MATA remains committed to championing boundary-pushing new music by emerging voices from around the globe. All styles and approaches are welcome, with an emphasis on works for acoustic instruments and live performance.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Please be sure to read through this entire page before submitting your application. The online application is in three parts:
Artist Information: Bio/Resume
Artist Statement: Please tell us about yourself and your work as an artist, including why you consider yourself to be at the early stages of your career. To learn more about what MATA considers to be an early-career composer, visit: www.matafestival.org/earlycareer-composer.
Work Samples: Present links to two pieces that you would like to be considered for the МАТА Festival 2026. Provide links to Audio/Video and Scores (if available) which include:
- Date of Composition
- Complete Instrumentation
- Percussion/Electronic/Tech Requirements
- Stage Plot
- Timing (length of piece)
- Program Notes
Download Submission Guidelines PDF
Deadline: Sunday, November 9, 2025
MATA is a welcoming and safe place for artists to experiment. We encourage applicants who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and people from diverse social, educational, and economic backgrounds.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Recordings
Recordings may be either audio or visual. We accept links to recordings hosted on a personal website, SoundCloud, YouTube/Vimeo, or any other streaming service. Please provide direct links to the works submitted. All links must be streamable; we cannot download individual files. Please make sure that links do not require a request to access.
Scores
We accept links to PDF documents either hosted on a personal website, Google Drive, Dropbox, Issuu, or any other document-hosting platform. Please make sure that “link sharing” is turned on, and that all links remain active indefinitely. If your work does not have a score, please provide a document with a description of how the work is performed.
Notification
Applicants will be notified of their submission results by March 2026.
There will be no financial compensation or travel stipend provided.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Submissions must be entirely electronic – we do not accept hard copy submissions.
Application form cannot be saved – be sure to have all your materials ready before filling it out.
You cannot upload files into the application form. We are only able to accept links to your work samples.
Make sure to provide permanent links that will not expire after any period of time.
Be sure to make all links available for anyone on the internet to view. Do not only share them with MATA, we will not be able to grant access to panelists.
Submissions with links that require a request for access, require a download or are broken/expired will not be considered.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about the submission process, please read our FAQ page
If you can’t find an answer there, please email info@matafestival.org