Call for Music

Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026 (AOE)
Submission Portal: https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/ISMIR2026/  
Conference: Abu Dhabi, UAE, November 8-12, 2026 (hybrid) 
Contact: ismir2026-music@ismir.net

Theme: Cross-Roading Cultures Through MIR

We particularly encourage submissions that use MIR technologies to build bridges across cultures, especially works that connect musical practices in the UAE, the Gulf, and the broader Arab world with those from elsewhere.

We mean by MIR technologies any techniques related to real-time MIR analysis (sonic or visual output), tools that create or explore novel timbres / sonic spaces, MIR-driven interactive systems responding to performers or audiences, musical interfaces leveraging
MIR techniques for performance control, compositions generated or structured with MIR algorithms, improvisational frameworks guided or enhanced by real-time MIR, or interfaces enabling remote or distributed collaboration.

Format

We encourage performances to follow a lecture-concert format: a brief explanation of the work and its MIR components, followed by the performance and a short audience Q&A. Given the conference's hybrid format, performances (held on-site, online, or jointly across both settings) should be suitable for live streaming. 

Duration: Each performance slot is strictly limited to 10 minutes total, including a mandatory 1-2 minute introduction/explanation and 1-2 minutes of Q&A. The musical segment should therefore be planned for a maximum of ~8 minutes.

Important Dates 

Time zone: Anywhere On Earth (AOE) 

• Submission portal opening: June 1, 2026 
• Submission deadline: July 31, 2026 (AOE) 
• Notification of acceptance: September 1, 2026 
• Performance-ready upload due: November 1, 2026 

Early-Bird Special for Concert Submissions 

Accepted submissions for the music program will be eligible to register at the early-bird rate, even if early-bird registration has closed. 

Tracks (Overview)

This year’s call includes two submission tracks that share the same theme, important dates, and submission portal: 

Track 1 (General) 

Submission Materials 

Submit via CMT by July 31, 2026 (AOE): 

• Performance proposal including program notes (text) + technical rider (PDF). Please clearly describe how MIR-related technology is embedded in the performance and the expected on-site/online setup. 
• Recording (audio or video) of a previous performance, rehearsal, or clear demonstration of the proposed work (file upload or stable URL). 
• The tech rider should list all required equipment, clearly indicating what will be provided by the venue (from the announced resources list) vs. what the performer(s) will bring. 

Evaluation Criteria 

Submissions will be evaluated based on quality and originality, and on how convincingly the work aligns with the shared theme. 

Track 2 (Collaboration) 

Purpose 

Track 2 is designed for works built in collaboration with UAE-based / local artists and foregrounds musical exchange across contexts. 

This track is not limited to remote performance. If you can travel to Abu Dhabi, you may propose an entirely in-person collaboration. Track 2 also supports collaboration when travel is difficult, including due to regional and political constraints, through hybrid or remote approaches when justified and well planned. 

Format 

• The work should involve active collaboration with a UAE-based / local artist(s) (or ensemble), who should be treated as artistic partners (not only as executors). 
• Hybrid/remote collaboration is welcome when relevant, as long as the plan is clear and feasible. 

Submission Materials (Project-Oriented) 

Submit via CMT by July 31, 2026 (AOE): 

A project proposal describing: 

• Who the collaborators are (confirmed or requested) and how the collaboration will work 
• The artistic concept and how it advances the shared theme of cross-roading cultures
• How does MIR technology participate in the exchange (as analysis, interface, mediation, interaction, generation, etc.)? 
• A feasible technical and rehearsal plan (including a minimal viable version of the performance) 
• What will be performed at ISMIR (duration, performance configuration, on-site vs online roles) 

Optional supporting media (sketches, demos, rehearsal excerpts, prior related work) are encouraged. 

Evaluation Criteria 

Submissions will be evaluated based on quality, originality, and feasibility (including the realism of the collaboration, rehearsal plan, and technical dependencies).

Potential Collaborator Musicians (UAE/Region) 

The following list is provided to help participants find potential collaborators. You may also propose collaborators not listed here. Inclusion on the list is not a guarantee of availability. 

[THIS LIST WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON] 

Example Ideas (Illustrative, Not Requirements) 

These are intended as inspiration—participants are welcome to propose other collaboration formats. 

• Latency as musical material: treat delay, distance, or uneven connectivity as part of the musical form rather than a flaw to hide. 
• Delayed call-and-response ("network majlis"): build a piece where responses arrive intentionally late and shape the structure. 
• Distributed pulse, local groove: remote collaborators influence pulse/structure while local performers anchor groove and articulation. 
• Remote electronics + local tradition bearers: design a “living instrument” in which remote processing and local technique continually shape one another. 
• Score across time zones (async contribution): collect materials asynchronously from distributed contributors and realize them live in Abu Dhabi. 

(If useful, see a condensed set of Track 2 collaboration ideas here: [ismir2026.ismir.net/Remote-hybrid-collaboration-ideas])

General Policies/Notes 

• Only one accepted submission per participant (a participant may appear in multiple submissions, but will be accepted to perform in only one). 
• The submission is not anonymous. 
• The proposals and performance media will be submitted through CMT for a light review. Acceptance is competitive; not all submissions can be included. 
• The submission proposal is for informational purposes only and will not be included in the conference proceedings. 
• The artist must hold the copyright to the submitted materials to be used in ISMIR 2026.