"Europasinfonie" launches a competition for composers: a unique European project is looking for new musical works.
No Borders Orchestra, an ensemble that gathers top musicians from the former Yugoslavia, is a partner in the big European project Europasinfonie. Together with 11 other prominent European orchestras, institutions and opera houses, this project will bring the audience a new form of artistic collaboration that goes beyond the boundaries of the traditional concert hall next year, on June 18, 2027.
Within this unique project, 12 symphony orchestras and choirs from 12 different countries will be connected in a unique ensemble that works in real time.
This undertaking is a strong symbol of European integration, but also hints at a new era of artistic formats - an experiment under the motto "Twelve countries. One orchestra".
At the center of this visionary project is an international competition for composers, which began on May 2, 2026. The open call is intended for works that artistically deal with the unique conditions of real-time performance from multiple locations, in which the participating ensembles are connected via a digital network. A large string orchestra will perform live in a concert hall in Dresden, while the other sections will be streamed from 11 other countries via large LED screens. The broadcast of the concert will also be possible in Belgrade.
The international jury will award a total of three composer commissions: two for orchestral works and one for a work for orchestra and choir. Composers from the 27 EU member states and other eligible countries can submit one two-minute piece per category via the website www.europasinfonie.eu until July 31, 2026.
Three selected composers will be given the opportunity to write 15 to 20 minute pieces for the Europasinfonie concert. Each composer order carries a fee of 14,000 euros.
One of the key goals of the project is to support young artists, which is why composers under the age of 35 are especially encouraged to apply. At least one in three orders will be awarded to a representative of this age group, although there are no age restrictions.
Markus Rindt, artistic director of the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, said: "I am looking forward to the submissions from all over Europe and I am particularly interested in how composers will creatively respond to the challenges of network communication latency. Although we will be able to significantly reduce latency, the laws of physics impose certain limitations. Through the Europasinfonie project, musicians and composers will have the opportunity to explore entirely new models of pan-European collaboration."
All applications are submitted exclusively through the official website of the Europasinfonie project: www.europasinfonie.eu.
Selection process, publication and world premiere:
The conditions of participation imply that the ensembles are connected via a high-performance network, where due to physical limitations, long distances can cause delays that affect synchronized performance. Therefore, the competition is intended for composers who are ready to include this specific condition in their musical expression.
In addition to the No Borders Orchestra, the following also participate in the project: renowned European ensembles and institutions: Dresdner Sinfoniker (Germany), Athens State Orchestra (Greece), Brussels Philharmonic (Belgium), Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (Estonia), No Borders Orchestra (Serbia), Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano (Italy), Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid (Spain), Pannon Philharmonic (Hungary), Sinfonia Varsovia (Poland), Mozarteum Lab Choir Salzburg (Austria), Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno (Czech Republic), as well as a partner from the United Kingdom.
The musical director of the project is Andrea Molino.
This project is financed by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Commission or the European Union Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.
