Belgrade, Serbia
12-15 OCTOBER
Paris/Belgrade, October 11, 2021– A flagship project of the International Music Council (IMC), the International Rostrum of Composers (IRC) will be held this year for the first time in Belgrade, Serbia, following the invitation of our partner, Radio Television of Serbia – Radio Belgrade. Since its inception in 1954, the IRC has become the most important platform for the promotion of contemporary music via radio broadcast while offering a unique forum for professional exchange among radio music producers and presenters. Its central purpose, supported by the European Broadcasting Union, is to provide contemporary musical creations the largest possible number of broadcasts worldwide.
During the event in Belgrade, contemporary music producers from 21 national radio networks from four continents will present some 40 works composed within the five years preceding the Rostrum. After having listened to these works, the assembly of delegates will select and recommend the most distinctive works in two categories: ‘general’ and ‘young composers under 30’. These and other works will be presented in concerts and broadcast during the year following the event by the participating and other interested radio stations. In this way, these works will reach billions of listeners.
For instance, for the last two editions only, some 100 recent works have been presented and then broadcast by participating radios more than 2000 times, reaching one of the highest recorded broadcast rates ever.
Moreover, since the launch of the Streaming Week in 2015, presented works have been listened on freely accessible streaming more than 7000 times.
In its 67-year history, the IRC has revealed the emergence of many of the world’s most gifted composers whilst they are still young. Famous composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Luigi Nono and Murray Schafer had their first international successes when they were presented at the Rostrum.
This year’s edition will see the launch of a new IRC Prize, consisting in the commission of a work for the composer selected in the general category, which has been made possible thanks to the support by RTP Antena 2 (Portugal). The commissioned work will be premiered in Portugal. The young composers selected in the “under 30” category have been receiving a commission by Swedish Radio since 2015 with works premiered by the NEO Ensemble (Sweden).
Besides the listening sessions, delegates will traditionally be offered opportunities for exchange and professional development and will be invited to have an insight into Serbia’s legendary and vibrant composing history thanks to a rich side programme organised by our hosts, Radio Television of Serbia – Radio Belgrade.
The Rostrum sessions will be co-chaired by Evert van Berkel, Producer at Swedish Radio Ltd, and IMC Secretary General Silja Fischer
This year’s selection of the Rostrum will be announced at a press conference to be held on October 15th at 12:30 in the Marble Hall of the Radio Belgrade.