Call for Scores – Improv Trio
Deadline: September 1st, 2026 @11:59pm
Concert: November 6, 2026, 7:30 PM @ Notional Space
Vancouver Pro Musica is pleased to offer a unique call-for-scores, one that bridges two creative communities: BC composers and a trio of Vancouver’s most inspiring musical improvisers. We are accepting scores that incorporate improvisation, however broadly defined, for guitarist Matthew Ariaratnam, violinist Meredith Bates, and cellist Marina Hasselberg, musicians with both classical and improvisation backgrounds. We are not accepting completely through-written notated scores for the trio.
We encourage composers to devise partially written scores that incorporate some form of improvisation, scores which may include partial notation, or be primarily verbally instructional in nature, entirely graphic – or indeed be some combination of such compositional strategies. We wish not to limit or define improvisation, and again the only constraint we place is to avoid completely notated scores.
Each instrumentalist we have selected incorporates electronics into their respective improvisational performing practice, and it is recommended to investigate their Bandcamp sites for their particular flavours and textures. Throughout the summer we will post short examples of their favorite gear and preferences, and will blind adjudicate the submissions for a concert in early November in Vancouver.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Marina Hasselberg, cello
Boundless inquisitiveness sits at the very heart of award-winning cellist Marina Hasselberg’s rich artistic practice. Over the past decade, she’s traveled a distinctive route that has variously led her through early music, free improvisation, the fringes of pop songcraft, electronics, contemporary chamber music, and an array of interdisciplinary collaborations that resist classification.
Hasselberg’s deep and meticulous explorations have culminated in a solo practice that blends disparate elements from various musical realms. Her forthcoming album Red (Redshift Records) sees her insightful interpretive vision colliding with her improvisatory prowess. Recorded by violinist and JUNO and Polaris-winning producer Jesse Zubot, the disc leads listeners through an eclectic, electronics-infused, and deeply personal collection that weaves compositions by everyone from Domenico Gabrielli to Linda Catlin Smith, together with spontaneous performances that feature Hasselberg amidst a cast of her frequent collaborators: Aram Bajakian, Kenton Loewen, Giorgio Magnanensi, and Zubot.
She’s a powerful player that’s nourished by her immersion in classical training, but by no means limited by it. Her relationship with the cello was ignited at age 11 during her studies at the musical academy of Évora, in her native Portugal. She later completed a Bachelors degree in Lisbon, and in 2008, she came to Canada to pursue a Masters degree in Literature and Performance from the University of Western Ontario.
Since making Vancouver her home, Hasselberg has become a fixture within an assortment of the city’s musical communities—both strictly as a cellist and as a vital creative instigator. In 2016, she was the recipient of the City of Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Artist in Music. She was also the feature artist for Pro Musica’s 2017 Sonic Boom Music Festival — an event that culminated in a sold-out concert where she premiered 11 new works for cello and electronics. As the artistic director of NOVO Ensemble she has commissioned and presented numerous works—especially by Canadian creators. In 2016, the group was rated Best Classical Ensemble in the Vancouver Is Awesome Reader’s Poll, flanked by the Vancouver Symphony and Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble. The long list of works she has premiered spans Howard Skempton’s spartan lyricism to pop eccentric Veda Hille, fellow Vancouverite cellist Peggy Lee to plunderphonic provocateur John Oswald as well as other notables such as Jordan Nobles, Michael Oesterle, Lisa Cay Miller, and Andrea Young.
Hasselberg served as the principal cellist of the Vancouver Island Symphony, while also enjoying collaborations with Vancouver New Music, Early Music Vancouver, Sound of Dragon Ensemble, Redshift Music Society, Turning Point Ensemble, Okkyung Lee, Kee Avil, Lan Tung, Sarah Davachi, Uri Caine, Ingrid Laubrock, and Endlings, the duo of John Dieterich of Deerhoof and Pulitzter Prize winning composer Raven Chacon. She has even found herself accompanying highly regarded pop stars from Father John Misty to Mariah Carey.
Georgia Straight journalist Janet Smith wrote of Hasselberg that she “has become a standout presence on Vancouver’s music scene.” Meanwhile, speaking to her imagination and versatility, veteran writer Alexander Varty describes her as “a spark plug in two very different musical worlds.”
https://redshiftmusicsociety.bandcamp.com/album/red-2
Matthew Ariaratnam, guitar
Matthew Ariaratnam is an interdisciplinary sound artist, composer, guitarist, and listener based on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations – so called Vancouver, BC. He is currently primarily focused on free improvised music and part of the 8EAST Collective curating free improvisation concerts. His current projects include a duo with drummer Adrian Avendaño, Ambr Aria, Sounding the Dusk Meridian, Magic Maze, Gamelan Bike Bike, Gamelan Trike Trike, and a monthly collaborative music series Improv Karaoke. He creates sensory walks, sonic bike rides, writes dumbpop and chamber music, and frequently collaborates with choreographers, visual artists, and theatre-makers.
https://matthewariaratnam.bandcamp.com/
Meredith Bates, violin
Meredith Bates is a distinguished Vancouver-based violinist and composer, known for her unique contributions to the Canadian music scene as both a solo artist and collaborator. With a strong focus on artistic exploration, she has gained recognition through her versatile performances and innovative projects, including her work with acclaimed ensembles such as Pugs and Crows and Gentle Party.
Bates’ dedication to musical growth is evidenced by her studies with notable musicians, and her participation in various creative workshops and residencies. She founded Like the Mind, a collaborative group of female improvisers, and Sound Migrations, blending soundscapes with visual art. Her leadership roles in organizations like the Improvised Arts Society, Seagrass Music Society, and the Canadian New Music Network demonstrate her commitment to fostering artistic communities.
Her solo albums, particularly If Not Now (2020) and Tesseract (2023), received critical acclaim, with Tesseract being nominated for a JUNO Award for Best Instrumental Album of the Year and featured on Bandcamp’s Best Experimental Music List. These works highlight her ability to create immersive and mood-altering music.
https://meredithbates.bandcamp.com/
ITINERARY:
- Score Submission Deadline:
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026 - Notification of Results:
Friday, September 11th, 2026 - Rehearsal Date(s):
TBD. There will be a joint rehearsal/reading session prior to the concert that all selected composers will be encouraged to attend - Concert:
November 6, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Notional Space
APPLICATIONS:
Please review the following guidelines and requirements carefully.
Candidates must:
- Be residents of British Columbia
- Attend all events in the itinerary
- Provide all required performance materials (scores & parts*) in good time for rehearsals prior to the final concert
Submitted works:
- Have been composed within the past 3 years
- Have not had a previous professional performance (pieces that have been performed in school settings will still be considered)
- Have a maximum 10 minutes in length (pieces 7-9 mins preferred)
- Be scored for 1-3 members of the ensemble (preference will be given to pieces scored for all 3 musicians; pieces for more than 3 musicians will not be considered)
- For works that include lyrics/text: Acceptable texts for works include those written by the composer or those in the public domain. Text written by others is also acceptable on the condition that the composer obtains written permission from the author or publisher
- For works with text, please consult with thee musicians prior to submitting; VPM can provide contact info upon request
- May include electronics. Please inquire to [email protected] if you would like to include electronics in your piece.
- Be scored with some form of improvisation included. Scores may include partial written notation or be primarily verbally instructional in nature or entirely graphic – or indeed be some combination of such compositional strategies.
- Completely notated scores will not be accepted.
- Must include 2 copies of the score: one copy anonymous for the jury adjudication of submissions
(Please read How to Prepare an Anonymized Score PDF)
How to Submit:
- Apply using the submission form below
- The Application fee is $25
- If you require accommodation, please contact the VPM administration at [email protected] prior to submitting your score
- Fee payments can be made via Paypal or cheque by mail
- Please make cheques payable to:
Vancouver Pro Musica Society
PO Box 78077 RPO Grandview
Vancouver, BC V5N 5W1
All composers who submit applications:
- Automatically become members in good standing of Vancouver Pro Musica
- Are exempt from membership dues for one year
- Receive one ticket to the concert
JURY:
All submitted works will be adjudicated by an anonymous jury
RECORDING:
Composers whose works are presented will receive an archive recording of their work for non-commercial purposes
SUBMISSION FORM: