Call for Composers – TouchLab TERMINAL & Gaudeamus

Gaudeamus and Insomnio are launching a Call for Composers to create new works that challenge and expand the artistic research with Insomnio’s TouchLab TERMINAL.

Gaudeamus and Insomnio invite young composers to submit proposals for pieces of 10–20 minutes, written for an instrumentation within Ensemble Insomnio.

Insomnio has always sought to expand the boundaries of ensemble playing. With its Research & Creation Hub TouchLab, the ensemble has developed TouchLab TERMINAL: an open-source networked audio software that enables real-time collaboration across distance. What began as a tool for rehearsals and concerts now unfolds as an artistic medium for creating entirely new forms of performance.

With TERMINAL, Insomnio opens a field where ensemble playing, acoustics, time, and presence can all be reimagined. Musicians can perform together remotely in perfect synchrony, while composers are invited to explore hybrid spaces, shifting acoustics, and new forms of togetherness that go far beyond the traditional concert hall.

The deadline for this call is 1 December. The first 40 proposals will be viewed. Composers younger than 35 by December 2025 can participate. For composers living or studying in The Netherlands we have a stipend available for students or a commission fee for alumni. For composers outside of The Netherlands a stipend is guaranteed and in consultation with the composer we will have to find resources for a full commission fee. Selected works will be premiered during Gaudeamus Festival, September 2026.

How can I participate?

To apply, please send a concise description (max. 1 page) of your artistic idea and
how it engages with the possibilities of TERMINAL — spatiality, ensemble playing across distance, acoustics, time, audience perspectives, or new forms of touch.

If your concept requires a singer, this can be discussed.
Any kind of live or fixed electronics is welcome.

Please also send a short biography (max 200 words) and a maximum of 2 recent compositions (as sound or video files or a link to a webpage (YouTube, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, etc)). Scores and programme notes can also be included, but are not compulsory.