About The AIC

 

 Mission Statement

To strengthen the voice of contemporary composers, through advocacy, promotion, discussion and opportunity.


The Association of Irish Composers represents contemporary music composers in Ireland and Northern Ireland. We seek to enhance the professional status of our members on local, national and international levels through four strands of activity: opportunity, discussion, promotion and advocacy/support. 

The AIC is the Irish section of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) and is the Irish member of ECSA through our partners IASCA. Our national partners include the Contemporary Music Centre and Irish Music Rights Organisation. We receive financial support from IMRO, Culture Ireland and Arts Council Ireland.

Areas of activity

Opportunities: The AIC facilitates a number of performance opportunities on both national and international levels, including national concert series and project support. We provide exclusive access to international opportunities such as the annual ISCM World Music Days festival and soundSCAPE Artist Residency.

Discussion: The AIC provides a platform for the analysis of and discussion of contemporary music through the online AIC New Music Journal, with content generated by composers, and by presenting talks and conversation events.

Promotion: The AIC promotes its members’ work through facilitating national and international performances of their music, and through distribution over online and physical media. 

Advocacy/support: The AIC’s dedicated Advocacy Group advocates on behalf of its members in all areas that affect composers’ rights on a national and international level, and for better awareness of new Irish music. We provide information and advice on matters of copyright, commission fees and related rights, and undertake to represent members when issues in such areas arise.

Policies

The AIC is a democratic organisation that seeks to support, represent and promote all kinds of contemporary art music without discrimination on grounds of age, gender or ethnicity. 

The AIC aims to represent and present (through concerts and opportunities) a minimum of 30% of female composers.

The conditions of membership of the AIC are: being born in or resident in Ireland, and having some years’ experience of dedicated compositional work, including but not limited to: professional recognition through commissions, awards, prizes, etc; third-level study; public performances/presentations of their work; or CMC representation. Membership applications are considered at each committee meeting.

Membership allows composers to submit to exclusive opportunities such as the annual ISCM World Music Days festival and other associated events; to have the opportunity to take part in AIC performances and events, or have their work performed; to propose new projects and performances; to have their own news and works promoted and disseminated through the AIC’s many channels.

The committee of the AIC meets bi-monthly.

The AIC supports the careers of early-career composers where possible, and composers who are members of the Irish Composers’ Collective and who meet the minimum requirements (including performances of works outside the ICC) are welcome to join.

Subscription fees for membership cost €50 (€30 for students/ICC members). Non-payment of these fees for two years or more will mean removal from the register of members.

All members of the AIC can participate in the running of the AIC at any time by joining the committee or attending meetings. All members are welcome to join working groups such as the advocacy discussion group at any time. 

All members can present themselves for committee positions, or vote for candidates for committee positions at the AGM.

The AGM should take place in January of each year, with the membership informed of the venue, date and time two weeks in advance.

Members are welcome to propose project or event ideas to the committee at any time.

Submissions to calls for scores, proposals or performers are decided by a selection panel of a minimum of four people. Selection panels must consist of representatives of the AIC committee who have not submitted applications, and a minimum of one independent musician, composer or new music presenter. In opportunities involved a third party partner, the selection panel must where possible include a representative of this partner. 

Structure

The AIC is managed and headed by a steering committee, which consists of five portfolio representatives and as many as four ordinary members.

The portfolio committee positions are as follows:

  • Chairperson: lead representative of the organisation; spearheading advocacy initiatives
  • Secretary/Coordinator: ongoing management of the running of the organisation; managing communications, mailouts and social media; arranging and presenting meetings; compiling funding applications; writing annual and interim reports; attending the ISCM General Assembly
  • Concert Secretary: project management and promotion of concerts and events; future event planning
  • Treasurer: managing and reporting on finances; managing bank account
  • Journal Coordinator: managing the AIC New Music Journal; liaising between Journal editorial team and committee
  • Web Manager: managing the maintenance and technical development of the main AIC website (www.composers.ie) and AIC New Music Journal website (www.aicnewmusicjournal.com)

View the current members of the committee.