No(w) Strings

This score collection is the fifth in MATRIX’s No(w) series. The title of these editions can be read in two ways. The emphasis lies on music being written today, in the here and now: Now Strings!

New music also explores new sounds and playing techniques, sometimes making instruments sound radically different. If you listen to some of these works with your eyes closed, you might not even recognize your own instrument anymore… No Strings!

To compile this collection, we launched an international call. We invited composers to submit works that are innovative and technically challenging, yet still accessible to amateur musicians and music students. This is no easy task, as extended techniques or alternative ways of producing sound are not typically part of standard training. Nevertheless, we are convinced that encountering these different approaches to an instrument can be inspiring for both students and teachers.

To provide the selected compositions with the necessary context, and to assess their level of difficulty and technical challenges, we were able to rely on the expertise of Marjan Bosmans and Stijn Kuppens.

We hope that No(w) Strings offers an engaging introduction to new music in all its forms. The selected scores are intended as starting points, but above all, we wish to encourage experimentation. Feedback is therefore very welcome.

Finally, MATRIX is happy to act as a support resource. We are glad to answer any questions that may arise along the way and can offer assistance in the development of projects that grow out of the use of this collection.

No(w) Strings was made possible with the support of Sabam for Culture.