IC2026 Call-for-Scores

Eligibility and Guidelines

1. Up to three (3) Composer Fellows will be selected to participate in season events.
2. Applicants MUST be between the ages of 20 and 35 at the time of the festival.
3. Selected Composer Fellows MUST be willing to work with Bright Sheng to make necessary revisions to their score and parts BEFORE events begin.
4. Selected Composer Fellows MUST also be comfortable working with Bright Sheng, the guest artist, and performers DURING PUBLIC, OPEN DISCUSSIONS to make additional necessary revisions to score and parts before the final public concert presentations.

Terms**

Each selected Composer Fellow will be offered:

• round-trip economy airfare to Hong Kong;
• on-campus accommodation;
• per diem.

Submissions

1. Each composer may submit up to three (3) instrumental chamber works for 2–5 performers drawn from the following instrumentation: two (2) violins, viola, violoncello and string bass.
2. Only ONE (1) work from each selected Composer Fellow will be featured on the IC2026 season.
3. Works incorporating electronic elements will not be accepted.
4. Each work submitted should be from six (6) to nine (9) minutes in duration.
5. Past IC Composer Fellows are ineligible to apply.

Adjudication

1. All submissions will be reviewed by a First Round Selection Panel.
2. Final Round Selection will be made by Artistic Director Bright Sheng, who may request initial revisions prior to confirmation of selection.

Submission Materials

Composers are asked to submit the following online (see submission link below) on or before 1 March 2026:

1. legible, professionally-prepared score for each work submitted (PDF format only);
2. legible, professionally-prepared part of score for each work submitted (PDF format only); 
3. accompanying performance recordings of the submitted work(s) if available (MP3 format only);
4. CV, including education background and contact information (only) for two (2) professional references (PDF format only);
5. program note in English (and Chinese, if available) for each work submitted – maximum 150 words/100 Chinese characters (PDF format only);
6. biography in English (and Chinese, if available) – maximum 200 words/150 Chinese characters (PDF format only);
7. high-resolution color headshot (at least 1MB in size).     

Please label submitted files in the following format:

1. Score PDF file(s): IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].[Work Title].SCORE.pdf
2. Parts PDF file(s): IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].[Work Title].PART.pdf
3. Recording MP3 file(s): IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].[Work Title].REC.mp3
4. CV PDF file: IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].CV.pdf
5. Program Note file: IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].[Work Title].NOTE.pdf
6. Biography file: IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].BIO.pdf
7. Headshot photo file: IC2026.[First Name].[Last Name].PHOTO.jpg 

Timeline (updated as of 12 January 2026)

1. 1 March 2026:  Deadline to submit e-application via application link below
2. 1 April 2026: Notification of shortlisted Composer Fellows and phone consultation with Bright Sheng regarding initial revisions to selected works
3. 15 April 2026: Deadline to submit final revised scores and parts for short-listed candidates for final consideration
4. 1 May 2026: Announcement of final selected Composer Fellows
5. 2-7 June 2026: IC2026 Open Discussions (HKUST)
6. 8 June 2026: IC2026 Preview Concert (Shaw Auditorium, HKUST)
7. 10 June 2026: IC2026 World Premiere Concert (Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall)

Online Application

Online registration can be submitted here until midnight, 1 March 2026. Results will be notified to the applicants in mid-April 2026.