On September 8, during the Gaudeamus Music Week, Nieuw Geneco, the Dutch professional association for composers, presented the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award 2023 to Ensemble Black Pencil and the November Music festival for their tireless efforts and commitment to a fair and sustainable practice in new music. With the presentation of the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award, Nieuw Geneco focuses attention on fair practice, fee guidelines and good commissioning in new music.

The award is being presented for the 4th time. Nieuw Geneco composers have made a motivated nomination, based on their recent experiences and tested against the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Code. The jury previously announced 8 nominees. The jury chose no fewer than two winners.

From the jury report:

‘From its inception, November Music has been committed to being a home for new music and composers in particular. Every year the festival succeeds in bringing the musical world’s top to Den Bosch and performing new works at the highest level for a large audience. The annual Bosch Requiem has become a tradition in which controversial new compositions are created and to which the public flocks in large numbers.

Here too, the jury praises the current practice of transparent communication, clear agreements and the large audience reach, in addition to the commitment that the festival shows to pay composers fairly. The jury notes that the festival acts as an equal partner of the composer by to continue to involve the composer in all facets of the production and by showing understanding for the capriciousness of the creative process, without losing sight of transparency and goals. In addition to all this, the festival is a strong international player and offers composers opportunities at festivals abroad.’

November Music is from the first edition collaborative partner of New Music Conference.