Apply to ICElab
The ICElab application period has ended and we are no longer taking submissions. Please check here for announcements about our next application period.
About ICElab
The ICElab program is currently open for both the 2013 and 2014 cycles until January 15, 2012. ICE will choose six composer-collaborators for the 2013 cycle, and may choose up to six collaborators for the 2014 cycle.
ICElab is a collaborative program designed to nurture the careers of emerging composers and intermedia/multimedia artists while generating a body of innovative works for the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Selected composer-collaborators will receive a commission to create a substantial new piece for ICE that will be presented in ICE's 2013 and 2014 seasons in New York, Chicago and select other cities.
Composers and artists of all backgrounds, styles, and approaches—Western or non-Western, traditional or nontraditional notation, jazz, classical, improvisatory, performance art, etc.—are invited to apply.
Flexible, collaborative, multimedia and multi-genre works are permitted and encouraged. Any combination of up to nine instrumentalists or vocalists from ICE's Artist Roundtable is acceptable. Although up to nine ICE musicians may be used, applicants should conceive of their projects as possible to realize without conductor. Conductors will not be a part of the 2013-14 ICElab program.
ICElab “TEAM” Rules
Applicants may include a role or roles in their proposed project for a video artist, sound engineer, director, choreographer, or other outside artist, but the total number of artists involved in each ICElab project may not exceed ten (10) individuals, including the composer. For example, a successful ICElab project could involve nine musicians and one composer. Another project could involve eight musicians, one sound engineer and one composer. And another could involve four musicians, four dancers, one video artist and one composer. Still another could involve only one musician, one lighting designer and one composer. And so on. The idea is to create projects that involve no more than ten people at a time, projects that are at once artistically ambitious and logistically mountable. We are interested in visionary, large-scale work that can be produced practically and successfully in different types of venues and with a set number of team players.
If you wish to work with an outside video artist, engineer or other non-musical collaborator as part of your ten-member team, you may name your selected collaborators in this application. However, you do not need to know who these team members are at the time of the application. ICE will work collaboratively with you to choose the best team, and we will consider projects that have pre-formed collaborative teams equally with those that do not.
Collaboration
The most important defining feature of ICElab is its collaborative and team-based structure. Selected composer-collaborators will work together with ICE musicians to develop their project through a week-long intensive incubation residency early in the creative process, subsequent exploratory rehearsals as needed, and active engagement in performances, educational outreach, and online engagement through DigitICE, ICE’s online media portal.
We encourage projects that are fundamentally collaborative, including using improvisation as a tool for creative development, innovative group-composition models, and other approaches which leverage ICE's performers as both creative and an expressive resources.
The Submission Process
1. Using the online form, please propose your project for the ICElab program. Explain your concept, your proposed instrumentation, collaborators and duration. Be sure to explain not just the work itself, but also how you envision the collaborative, creative development process unfolding. 2. If you plan to use extra-musical elements in your project, please provide a detailed abstract of your intentions. This abstract should outline a specific conceptual justification for the inclusion of projected images, light, electronic sounds, etc.
3. Please provide a 100-word autobiography that will give us some perspective on your work and ideas. 4. Finally, we request an explanation of why you want to work with ICE, and how this project will help you realize your long-term creative goals.
5. In addition to the proposal questions, please submit 2 scores or other visual representations of your work in PDF format to ---, and 2 links to audio recordings in MP3 or MP4 format, or as a streaming link. These links should point to the direct download OR streaming audio of your files. There are many FREE file-hosting services that can be accessed around the world including Soundcloud, MediaFire, and Dropbox. SUBMIT LINKS ONLY, DO NOT ATTACH FILES.
You are also encouraged to include links to video samples if they will strengthen your application. These submissions should be representative of the quality and variety of your work.
Deadline for submissions is January 15, 2012 at midnight. ICE will announce the selected ICElab composer-collaborators in late February 2012. For questions on applying, email icelab@iceorg.org.
ICElab FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
ICElab is open to all emerging artists and composers. ICE does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, or sexual orientation; artists from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How does ICE define "emerging"?
For ICE, "emerging artists” are prospective collaborators for whom ICElab would be a significant professional opportunity or major advancement in their artistic field.
How does ICE define “composer”?
For the purposes of ICElab, ICE defines a “composer” as anyone who works within the field of sound.
Is there a fee to apply?
No. We hate fees too!
How much will I be paid?
Commission fees for ICElab composer-collaborators will range from $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the scope and size of the project. Additionally, all ICElab team members including the composer, will be paid for their time during the workshop period. Travel and other incidental expenses will be covered by ICE.
What instrumentation can I use?
You may select any group of up to nine instrumentalists or vocalists from ICE’s Artist Roundtable. Non-traditional collections or configurations of performers are welcomed and encouraged (string quartets and Pierrot ensembles are openly discouraged).
Can I propose a project with a visual or multimedia component?
Yes; the sky’s the limit! ICE is an acclaimed performer, presenter and incubator of all kinds of projects, from purely acoustic music compositions to multimedia performances. All ideas are welcome.
What kind of time commitment is involved?
Composer-collaborators are required to participate in a week-long residency with ICE, pre-performance rehearsals as necessary, and 3-5 educational outreach events with ICE musicians over the course of the project. Composers are also expected to participate actively and regularly in the DigitICE online media portal. All artists will be compensated for their time. Travel and other incidental expenses will be covered by ICE.
Why can I only submit electronic materials? Why no hard copies/CDs?
We require electronic submission of scores and recordings. This allows our submission process to be free of charge to you, protects the environment, and streamlines ICE’s collaborative review process. We will not accept any supplementary hard copy materials.
Why can’t I write for more than nine instruments? Doesn’t ICE have a full orchestra?
ICE is interested in commissioning and creating work that can be produced, mounted and disseminated practically and widely. We don’t want your piece to be performed just once or twice because it’s too expensive to produce; we want your piece to be performed all over the world, all the time.
Why is a video artist or sound engineer considered part of the ten-member team?
ICElab seeks to unify the creative process and bring composers, performers, and technicians together to create genre-defying new work. We believe that by bringing team members together early in the process and considering everyone equal partners in the creative venture, we can make vital new work that transcends barriers and disciplines.
What if I know I want to create a work with video or lights or dance, but I don’t know any video artists, lighting designers or choreographers?
ICE will work with you to find the dream-team for your project.
If I know who I want to work with, and am applying with another artist or with a group of artists, do I need to submit materials for everyone involved?
No. Just submit materials for yourself and your work, and reference the collaborators by name. We will contact you if we need more information about your proposed team.
