Here we answer some common questions about Making Waves, for Listeners, Supporters and Composers.

Listeners

Can I download the playlists?

Our playlists are provided on streaming-only platforms and cannot be downloaded. Composers sometimes elect to make individual tracks freely downloadable, depending on the platform where the playlist is hosted. Sometimes tracks are available online as purchasable mp3s, and we hope to include more information on independent commercial releases in future.

How do I find out more about the featured composers?

Each composer, past and present,  featured on Making Waves has a profile page, all of which are listed here. We include a short biography as well as program notes on featured works. Also located in their profile are links to each composer’s own website or social media pages.

How did you pick works for your playlist?

Themes naturally emerged from the pool of submissions made to us. Once a playlist theme was decided, we selected submissions that not only exemplify each month’s theme in a direct way, but also highlighted diverse and interesting ways in which that theme has been approached by our composers.

How can I support Australian composers?

We encourage you to discover the composers that speak to you the most.  Find out more about their career, their works. Visit their websites, follow via social media and via listening platforms such as Soundcloud and YouTube. Reach out and let a composer know what you like about their music, by commenting and sharing their work, and joining the conversation on the Making Waves playlist and Facebook Page.  Buy their music where you can – some composers sell audio recordings via Bandcamp or iTunes, and the Australian Music Centre and CutCommon are great for purchasing music scores. Keep an eye out for upcoming concerts and attend live. Reach out and contact a composer if you’re interested in performing some of their work, collaborating, or commissioning a new work.

Why are some tracks missing from the website?

Sometimes content is removed from the third-party services we use (eg Soundcloud). As time goes on this is completely understandable, and composers are under no obligation to maintain that contact. We encourage anyone who really wants to hear a particular work to contact the composer directly!

Supporters

How can I support Making Waves?

If you like what we do, help us grow the project! Spread the word about Making Waves and encourage your networks to listen, share and enjoy each month’s playlist.  Subscribe to our email bulletins for the latest news and playlists.  Follow us via various social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WordPress, Soundcloud, YouTube) to keep up with the current playlist and celebrate each featured composer.

If you have any ideas about collaborating with Making Waves, we’d love to hear from you! You would be in very good company, whether keen to pool online resources, share repertoire knowledge, curatorial experience, social networks, or live infrastructure.

If you believe in what we’re doing as much as we do, and have the means to support the work of Making Waves in helping listeners discover a generation of composers around Australia, you might consider offering a small financial contribution towards the project.

Finally, on a larger scale, we would be very interested to talk to any organisations that might like to take Making Waves under their wing…!

Can I join the Making Waves team?

If you have grand ideas for Making Waves’s future or a new life for the project, we invite you to contact us via the Contact page of our website, located here.

Composers (submissions are not currently open)

How do I let you know about my online recordings?

Simply head to the Submit page of our website here.

Who can submit tracks?

Any composer may submit their work. Our focus is on Australian composers in their early- to mid- careers, and this informs our curation of monthly playlists.

I’m a composer. Is there an age limit to be featured?

No. Composers of all ages are encouraged to submit.

I’m not an Australian composer. Can I still submit my music?

Our focus is on Australian composers or those with links to Australia. That could mean you completed your studies here, for example. You need not be currently residing in Australia. International composers are welcome to send us links to their work, as from time-to-time we will create special edition playlists such as Canadian Waves (June 2016).  We also encourage international composers to get in touch if you would be interested in guest-curating a special edition playlist featuring your local colleagues.

Is there a limit to how many times i can submit or be featured?

No. We do however, endeavour to feature different composers month to month. We also do our best to include composers whom have never before been featured, where appropriate.

What type of music are you looking for?

Put simply, composed music. Any instrumentation or format including electronic music is welcome. We acknowledge that the extent of cross-over between art music and the pop/jazz/folk/etc music worlds is constantly evolving and incorporate that understanding when designing our playlists. Tracks designed for airplay on commercial radio stations however, are not likely to be strong candidates for selection.

What formats do you accept submission via?

Our preferred platforms are SoundCloud, Spotify, YouTube and Vimeo. We encourage the submission of materials from any other platforms that allow streaming, and will do what we can to work with what composers have sent, as we don’t want to be locked down to a particular platform.  Having said that, most composers seem to submit material hosted on either Soundcloud or YouTube. Sending us work from either platform gives us the greatest chance of putting together a diverse playlist, and gives you the greatest chance of having your work included.

Please don’t submit audio files for inclusion in a playlist.

Why do you prefer tracks without applause at the end?

Each playlist is designed as a curated listening experience. Applause between tracks diminishes  that experience by breaking the listener’s sense of immersion, and somewhat restricts the order in which we can program works within a playlist.

Once featured, do I have any obligations?

No, there are no further obligations. You will have sent us the required materials and information at the time the track was submitted.  We will ask previously-featured composers to confirm that your supplied biography, headshot and program notes are current. We would also encourage you to share the social media spotlights of that months playlist with amongst your networks.