Welcome to Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited, the World's First Virtual New Music Festival!

FAQ Page

It's the world’s first virtual new music festival. It's "virtual" because it has no physical existence beyond the sights and sounds made possible by computer software and hardware. It was determined to be the world’s first virtual new music festival because when we searched for "virtual new music festival" and "virtual festival of new music" on 20 August 2006, Google returned zero results in each case. Ours is not the first virtual music festival: there are others, including the BBC, who evidently claim that distinction. But it's the first expressly "virtual new music festival" on the Web of which we're aware.

Five of the six results returned by Google for "virtual new music festival" on 23 June 2007 pertained to Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited, as did all the results on the same date for "virtual festival of new music." For those who think primacy is important, these facts may matter. For theoretical physicists and others who dismiss conventional linear time as an illusion, it really doesn't! "New" and "old" are about as meaningful—and meaningless—as "up" and "down," but lots of composers and critics still get excited about such things, and we certainly don't want to deprive them of their fun!

Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited began on 20 August 2006 and, so far as we’re concerned, it’s here to stay. Our big annual event is the official public unveiling of our latest project on the Web each October 31 (Halloween).

For decades composers and critics have been heatedly engaged in "Style Wars" over the relative value of tonal and non-tonal forms of art music. The tonal side maintains that non-tonal composers, including many academics, have focussed so much on novelty at the expense of intelligible communication that they have given new music a bad rap and alienated the public. The non-tonal side maintains that new music should break with the tonal past and search for new forms of expression. Some tonal composers suspect their non-tonal counterparts often lack what it takes to write good accessible music in traditional keys and modes. Some non-tonal composers opine that their tonal counterparts are creatively challenged nostalgists out of touch with the modern world.

Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited was conceived as an experiment to get each side to know the other by exchanging roles—and to have some fun doing it. Whether participating composers respond with parody or attempt to create new music by wearing the hats and walking in the shoes of those on the "opposite" side is entirely their choice. Meanwhile, the public is invited to respond to what they see and hear as events unfold.

Although Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited is a project initiated and promoted by members of the Delian Society, an international body of men and women dedicated to the revitalization of tonal art music, in the spirit of good will, both tonal and non-tonal composers are cordially invited to take part. Exploring our creative differences—and rapprochement—are what Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited is all about!

If you are reading this, you already are participating. Admission is free to everyone with access to our web pages. Just click the links, look, and listen, In the interest of promoting broad participation, you're encouraged to exchange ideas and post comments at the following URL:

If you’re a composer and want to contribute music to the festival, you must, in the Halloween Spirit, wear the musical equivalent of a costume or, otherwise stated, play the devil’s advocate:

Tonal composers—those who write mainly tonal music—may only submit one non-tonal score in PDF format and an mp3 or MIDI performance of the same.

Non-tonal composers—those who write mainly non-tonal music—may only submit one tonal score in PDF format and an mp3 or MIDI performance of the same.

Because our web space and human resources are not unlimited, up to ten tonal and ten non-tonal composers will be accepted this year. There is no competitive selection process: those accepted will be the first ten tonal and the first ten non-tonal composers to declare their intention to take part. Using the e-mail link below, they must state their primary orientation (tonal or non-tonal), agree to the terms and conditions appearing on the present web page, and place Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited 2008 in the subject field of their posts. As many as five additional composers who regularly write both tonal and non-tonal music, or who propose some interesting addition will be accommodated as a "special" category of participants. Delian Society tonal composers, however, will be invited to respond to this opportunity before the public at large. Those responding thus far are listed below:

This year's festival is devoted to the overarching theme "Shades of Gray." Each composer is asked to create a work to accompany a black-and-white image of his/her choice. This image should be submitted in JPEG or GIF format (including short animated GIFs under 10 MB) along with the required mp3, MIDI file, and score (when applicable).

Since our virtual performance space isn’t unlimited in size, your mp3 or MIDI should not exceed approximately three minutes of music.

All materials should be received by October 1 of the year in which you plan to participate.

If under 10 MB, your submission materials can be e-mailed as attachments to dillonford@newmusicclassics.com. Please include "Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited 2008" in your subject field. In lieu of attachments, you may wish to provide one or more URLs where these materials can be downloaded, especially if they collectively exceed 10 MB. We require the following information: your legal name, physical address, e-mail address, and any other relevant contact information (e.g., your web site URL, to which visitors can link from our web site). A concise program note of 100 words or less and a good JPG or GIF photograph of you, the composer, should also also accompany your submission, for use on the web page where your music will be accessed by the public. A portion of your score may be scanned and displayed as an adjunct to the virtual performance. Your text and graphics may be edited to correct any obvious errors and to ensure clarity and legibility within our overall design context.

By submitting your music and other materials as described above, you agree to allow us to upload them to the newmusicclassics.com web site on or immediately prior to October 31 of the year they are received for a period of at least one calendar year.

You further agree that you will not hold newmusicclassics.com and its owner responsible for any illegal misappropriation of your music and materials by a third party. You are advised to protect your music by registering it with the appropriate copyright agency in the country where you hold citizenship.

All materials submitted must be your own. You retain all rights to your materials, and they will be removed from our server upon your written request should you at any time deem this necessary.

We will not include or retain on our web pages any submission or comments received from any participant or the public that in our judgment would violate the laws of the United States of America or which might reasonably be construed as hate speech, libel, or an ad hominem attack. The project is not publicly funded, and any material deemed contrary to the best interests of the project, the majority of its participants, and the general public may be rejected or removed. However, every attempt will be made to ensure legal and responsible freedom of speech, and controversial or unpopular subject matter consistent with the objectives of the project will not be arbitrarily excluded.

Kindly review the contents of this page carefully before sending your reply and submission materials.

Welcome to Nu Mu [sic!] Unlimited, the World's First Virtual New Music Festival!

Please visit this page often for further updates. We look forward to hearing from you!