Call for the first Al-Quds Composition Award

The first Al-Quds Composition Award will be presented by the new Al-Quds University College of Music, celebrating the cultural uniqueness of the city of Jerusalem. This year it will be supported by the Representative Office of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ramallah.

It will be awarded and the winning submission performed during the Autumn Academy of Al-Quds University College of Music, Jerusalem, during October 2012. The Artistic director of the performances will be Anke Rauthmann, director of Berlin International Opera.

This new award aims to encourage the creation of high quality chamber music works which include elements of Oriental and Western European music combined with human voice.

A panel of judges consisting of international composers and contemporary music experts will select the winning composition. The winning composer is expected to attend the rehearsals and award concert in Jerusalem. The cost of travel and accommodation will be covered.

Deadline of submission: July 25th 2012

Maximum of instruments or voices involved: 4 (human voice is obligatory)

Title of the new piece: Impossible Grace

Composition prize: 1000 Euros

 „Music scores“ by Maria Tupay Duque

 

The music should be inspired by and reflect on the following poem ‘Impossible Grace’

by Meena Alexander, poet in residence at Al-Quds University, 2011:

Impossible Grace

I

At Herod’s gate

I heap flowers in a crate

Poppies, moist lilies --

It’s dusk, I wait.

II

Wild iris --

The color of your eyes before you were born

That hard winter

And your mother brought you to Damascus gate.

III

My desire silent as a cloud,

It floats through New gate

Over the fists

Of the beardless boy-soldiers.

IV

You stopped for me at Lion’s gate,

Feet wet with dew

From the torn flagstones

Of Jerusalem.

V

Love, I was forced to approach you

Through Dung gate

My hands the color

Of the broken houses of Silwan.

VI

At Zion’s gate I knelt and wept.

An old man, half lame --

He kept house in Raimon’s café,

Led me to the fountain.

VII

At Golden gate

Where rooftops ring with music

I glimpse your face.

You have a coat of many colors -- impossible grace.

 

Please send the score digitally or by post to:

Petra R. Klose

Al-Quds University College of Music

c/o Künstler und Kulturprojekte

Marc Aurel Strasse 2a/6/8

1010 Vienna – Austria

Mail: petra@music.alquds.edu

The score must contain the composer's name, address, telephone number, e-mail and a brief biographical sketch.

If a recording of the work is available, it should accompany the score.

The premiere performance of the winning composition will be presented in two concerts in Jerusalem in October 2012.

For further information please contact:

Ms. Petra R. Klose

Tel: +43 664 2549593 or +972 54 4687640

Mail: petra@music.alquds.edu

Supported by: