The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Composition & Technology area is elated to announce a call for their inaugural Milwaukee Sonic Arts Festival. Dedicated to experimental electronic music and sonic art that engages with technology as a means of sonic expression and featuring performers Alex Weir (Percussion) and Jennifer Clippert (Flutes), the festival features three concerts and two presentation/workshop sessions on a single day and will act as a community gathering and celebration of the region’s exceptional electronic music scene.  

There is no submission or registration fee. As a community building event, attendance is required, so although submissions from anywhere are welcome, artists and presenters from Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, and the Midwest in general may find it easier to attend, though all submissions are encouraged! 

Works that include electronics in any way, including fixed media, pieces for voice/instruments and electronics, audiovisual works, and live electronic improvisations are welcome. Composers, performers, and composer-performers are all encouraged to submit to this call.  

Featured Performers Jennifer Clippert and Alex Weir will present a handful of selected works and have generously offered to workshop these pieces one-on-one with the selected composers in advance of the event. 

UW-Milwaukee has an outstanding array of performance spaces, equipment, and loudspeaker configurations – submissions in all categories may be for stereo, quad, 5.1, 7.1, or 8.1 double-diamond speaker arrays and feature video. 

Concert/Performance Submissions: 

The submission process requests a score (if applicable), recording/audio representation (required), name of the person/people who will be performing the work (required if applicable), and a “tech rider” that clarifies any equipment/staging requirements.  

Viable Performance Categories include: 

-Works for featured performers and electronics  

• solos and duos are welcome  

• works involving piccolo, alto, soprano, and bass flutes are all encouraged/possible 

• Any percussion setup is possible; however, practicality/feasibility of the setup will be considered in the adjudication process  

-Works that the composer can perform themselves/works where the composer provides their own performer and/or works submitted by performers 

-Audiovisual works (1 screen with stereo, quad, 5.1, 7.1, or 8.1 double-diamond) 

-Fixed media (stereo, quad, 5.1, 7.1, or 8.1 double-diamond) 

Paper/Presentation/Workshop Submissions: 

The festival will feature up to two paper/presentation/workshop sessions – each will run for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes, and feature an assortment of papers, presentations, and/or workshops on a topic of your choosing relating to electronic music and/or transdisciplinary art.  

Please include an abstract and outline of your presentation, a proposal for your workshop, and in the case of a paper presentation, your completed paper. You will be asked to select from these options: 

• 15 minute presentation 

• 30 minute presentation 

• 1 hour and 15 minute workshop 

Submit Via this link: 

Milwaukee Sonic Arts Festival - 2026 Submission Form – Fill out form  

Submission Deadline: August 30th 

Notification of Acceptance: within 1 to 2 weeks of deadline 

Event: Saturday October 24th 2026 –  

Concerts at 11am, 3:30pm and 7:30pm in the UWM Recital Hall 

Presentations/Workshops at 1:30pm and 6:00pm in the MB60 Electronic Music Studio 

No submission or registration fee  

Submissions will be adjudicated by UW-Milwaukee faculty and students 

Please email haering@uwm.edu if you have any questions and/or if we can help in any way! :)