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: