@comanewmusic
Our vision is for contemporary music to be open to everyone, celebrating participation in new music-making as a meaningful and essential part of our lives. CoMA Festival 2026 Fri 6-Sun 29 March! https://linktr.ee/contemporarymusicforall
Photo of a smiling ensemble of musicians wearing colourful tops, sitting in an old chapel.
🎶Congratulations to our Norwich pop-up ensemble for playing the first concert of CoMA Festival 2026 this evening, just a day after they all met!
Find out what else is coming up between now and 29 March and how you can take part (or just watch): www.coma.org/whats-on/eve...
A group of seated instrumentalists rehearsing, with a saxophonist in the foreground.
A group of mainly string players at the session.
One of the string players photographed from behind.
The rehearsal group with a conductor standing up.
🎶Here's our brand new CoMA Norwich pop-up ensemble, rehearsing together with conductor Tadeusz Kaznowski for the first time this evening!
They don't hang around - they'll be performing their debut concert tomorrow.
Want to join in the music?
▶️https://www.coma.org/whats-on/events/coma-festival-2026/
Graphic featuring a circular pattern of green spots overlaid on a background of text listing the cities where the CoMA Festival takes place. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Be part of a new music adventure, 6-29 March, plus the logos for Arts Council England, Creative Australia, the Fenton Trust and Philip Bates Trust.
🎉🎶TODAY’S THE DAY FOR A NEW MUSIC ADVENTURE!
CoMA Festival 2026 is here and we invite you to join us. With concert premieres, unique artistic events and welcoming community, our biennial festival is a joyful celebration of contemporary music.
See it all here: www.coma.org/whats-on/eve...
CoMA Festival 2026
Loads of great stuff happening all over the place
Possibly near you!
Tamara, Madeleine, Bron and Fran all smiling in the sunshine in front of some blossoming trees.
Our CEO Tamara and Project Manager Fran are combining last-minute prep before CoMA Festival 2026 starts tomorrow with making the most of the sunshine!
Welcome to our guests from Australia, Madeleine Jevons and Bron Belcher, who you might see helping out at several of the festival events.
Image of a smiling woman playing violin, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Join us to make music in The Hague / Contemporary Music for All / workshop / Sat 14 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
CoMA's Dutch ensembles are hosting a friendly one-day workshop in The Hague #denhaag. The perfect opportunity to dip a toe – or a bow, or a reed, or a mallet – into the waters of contemporary music.
📌Sat 14 Mar, 12pm-8pm CET
Zandvliet College, The Hague
💷 €20
Email info@comaeindhoven.nl to register
Image of a colourful symmetrical pattern viewed through a kaleidoscope, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: CoMA Bristol ensemble presents Kaleidoscope / concert / Weds 18 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
📣COMA FESTIVAL 2026 - NEW ADDITION
Join CoMA Bristol for Kaleidoscope, a concert of bold and colourful new music.
Enjoy works inspired by medieval painters, space debris and the human mind...
📌 Weds 18 March, 7.30pm
Victoria Rooms, Bristol
💷 Free (collection at end)
www.coma.org/whats-on/eve...
Photo of a cotton tote bag placed on a colourful rug, printed with CoMA Festival 2026, Be part of a new music adventure. Three colourful badges and a pencil are placed on one corner of the bag.
Close-up photo of the three badges: a green on saying: CoMA Festival 2026; a mauve one saying CoMA Festival 2026, be part of a new music adventure; and an orange one saying: I'm part of a new music adventure! CoMA Festival 2026.
🛍️Who doesn't love a tote bag to put scores, records or groceries in?
❓Or a badge - perfect for starting off those awkward conversations about contemporary music.
✏️Or a pencil - in a colour that won't get lost under your music stand.
Come to CoMA Festival 2026 for the music, stay for the merch!
Close-up image of someone playing cello, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Let’s form a brand new ensemble / CoMA Norwich Pop-Up / Workshop & Concert / Fri 6 & Sat 7 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
Image of a white seagull squawking, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Shed your human form and take musical flight / The Birds vocal workshop with Loré Lixenberg / Sat 7 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
Image of several young musicians playing instruments, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Play brand new music by four young composers / Mysounds with CoMA West Midlands / Workshop / Sun 15 March, plus the logos for Arts Council England and Philip Bates Trust.
Image of a saxophonist’s legs and feet, with a music stand and several sheets of music on the floor, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: New music to pick up and play / Immediate Pieces Play Day / workshop / Sun 22 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
CoMA Festival 2026 starts this Fri and here's just a few of the ways YOU can join in and be part of our new music adventure!
Whether you're a regular player, just starting out, or dusting off an instrument, you'll be welcome at our festival workshops and play days.
www.coma.org/whats-on/eve...
Graphic featuring a circular pattern of green spots overlaid on a background of text listing the cities where the CoMA Festival takes place. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: 10 days to go! 6-29 March, swipe to see what’s coming up, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
Graphic featuring a circular pattern of green spots overlaid on a background of text listing the cities where the CoMA Festival takes place. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Day by day: Friday 6 & Saturday 7 March: CoMA Norwich Pop-Up (workshop & concert) Norwich. Saturday 7 March: The Birds Vocal Workshop (workshop) York. Sunday 8 March: Come & Play Afternoon (workshop) London; There was a tree (concert) London. Wednesday 11 March: Movers & Shakers (concert) Leeds. Saturday 14 March: Contemporary Music For All (workshop) The Hague; Wandering Sequences (concert) Manchester. Sunday 15 March: Mysounds with CoMA West Midlands (workshop) Birmingham; sound @ CoMA Festival (workshop) Aberdeen. Swipe for more.
Graphic featuring a circular pattern of green spots overlaid on a background of text listing the cities where the CoMA Festival takes place. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Day by Day: Thursday 19 March: CoMA Melbourne’s first gig! (concert; workshops Feb/Mar) Melbourne; Hoofd vol klanken: Mark Applebaum (concert) Ghent. Friday 20 March: Translations (concert) Glasgow. Saturday 21 March: A Sense of (p)Lace (workshops & concert) Nottingham. Sunday 22 March: Immediate Pieces Play Day (workshop) Leeds; Concert CoMA (concert) Paris. Wednesday 25 March: CoMA Listening Club (talk) online. Saturday 28 March: Sky Above the Clouds (concert) Sheffield. Sunday 29 March: The Finishing Line (concert) London.
⏳It’s 10 days until CoMA Festival 2026 kicks off and here’s the full line-up of events at a glance.
👀See what’s happening near you and then head to our festival programme page to find out how you can be part of a new music adventure!
📌https://www.coma.org/whats-on/events/coma-festival-2026/
Close-up image of someone playing cello, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Let’s form a brand new ensemble / CoMA Norwich Pop-Up / Workshop & Concert / Fri 6 & Sat 7 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
Image of a white seagull squawking, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: Shed your human form and take musical flight / The Birds vocal workshop with Loré Lixenberg / Sat 7 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
Image of a graphic score made from cut-up text and lace patterns, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: A celebration of Nottingham lace in music, art and words / A Sense of (p)Lace / Workshops & concert / Sat 21 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
Image of a saxophonist’s legs and feet, with a music stand and several sheets of music on the floor, overlaid with a circular pattern of green spots. Below, there is the CoMA Festival 2026 logo and text saying: New music to pick up and play / Immediate Pieces Play Day / workshop / Sun 22 March, plus the logo for Arts Council England.
📆With one month until the CoMA Festival 2026, it's time to discover how *you* can join in with our joyful celebration of new music, across the UK and beyond!
🎻Dust off an instrument, make graphic scores or find the songs of your inner bird - come and have a go.
www.coma.org/whats-on/eve...
📣Announcing CoMA Festival 2026
Fri 6 – Sun 29 March
Be part of a new music adventure!
CoMA Festival 2026 is for all music lovers – whether you play an instrument, sing, would like to have a go or just listen, we invite you to join us.
Full programme at www.coma.org/whats-on/eve...
Group photo of 12 people (the CoMA Board and staff team) standing in two rows in a meeting room, all smiling.
Photo of the same 12 people, this time looking more relaxed and talking to one another.
It was lovely to have nearly all of our Board of Trustees plus the CoMA team together in one room in Leeds last Fri to catch up and make plans.
We welcomed our newest Trustees Leon, Mimi, Colin and Sharon and said a sad but appreciative farewell to Tony Harris, stepping down after many years.
A reminder we are fundraising to exist this year. We spent all of 2025 applying and re-applying for arts funding which were all rejected.
We've reached 4%. Any help would be appreciated to bring you more music, tea & cake in what will be our 17th year.
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...
👀Nice work, @alterclassical.bsky.social!👏🏼
A poster for the concert on a display board
The front of the programme
CoMA London standing to receive applause
Had a good time at a concert by the @comanewmusic.bsky.social London ensemble
💖 Spread the word: PRXLUDES IS GOING .LIVE! 💖
Tickets are flying out for our launch party at Folklore Hoxton, London on 5 February, with Standard Issue and Stomping Ground - are we seeing you there? Get yer tix now:
dice.fm/event/8er2p5...
Slide with a bright pink and yellow duotone photo of young string players, overlaid with text saying: Our top 10 CoMA picks for youth ensembles Swipe to discover…
Slide with a bright pink and yellow duotone photo of young string players, overlaid with text saying: Slap On by Zoë Martlew This fast-paced work is a joy to perform, with lots of percussive playing, vocal sounds, and fun choreography.
Slide with a bright pink and yellow duotone photo of young string players, overlaid with text saying: Beach Thing by Fergus Hall Part graphic score, part notation – players can bring the seaside creatures to life with their instruments.
Slide with a bright pink and yellow duotone photo of young string players, overlaid with text saying: Nightly Dreams by Martyn C Adams Feels like a track from a video game, with gentle lilting melodies and triumphant themes.
🎵🎻MUSIC TEACHERS: if you’re planning next term’s pieces to suit a youth ensemble, classroom or school-aged students, don’t miss our handy list of 10 inspiring, educational and accessible contemporary pieces!
🎼See in your new year with some sparkling new music!
www.coma.org/a-handy-guid...
Cover image showing a range of CoMA activities and events arranged in a hexagon pattern, with text saying: CoMA (Contemporary Music for All) Annual Review 2024-25.
Catch up on a year's worth of projects, events and making music together with CoMA's Annual Review 2024-25!
Read it online or download from our website: www.coma.org/read-comas-a...
Cover image of CoMA's choral partsongs anthology
CHORAL PARTSONGS: Ideal for amateur choirs looking to expand their horizons, these 12 pieces are open scored so don’t require conventional SATB groupings. Composers include Jürg Frey, Hollie Harding, Hannah Kendall, Yshani Perinpanayagam and James Weeks.
Order here: www.coma.org/our-music/pu...
🧵4/4
Cover image of CoMA's partsongs anthology
PARTSONGS: 12 pieces specially composed for small vocal groups, including works by Amber Priestley, Janet Oates, Christopher Fox, Kerry Andrew and Michael Pisaro. Try them in classrooms, workshops, concert halls – or even around the festive fireplace.
Order here: www.coma.org/our-music/pu...
🧵3/4
Cover image of CoMA's Open Score anthology
Our anthologies:
OPEN SCORE: 17 varied pieces that can be played by musicians with a variety of instruments and experience levels. Composers include Naomi Pinnock, Howard Skempton, Michael Finnissy, Tansy Davies and Donnacha Dennehy.
Find out more and order here: www.coma.org/our-music/pu...
🧵2/4
Cheesy photomontage of three red and white Christmas stockings with the CoMA anthologies peeking out of their tops. Alongside a sprig of holly, gift tags read: Give CoMA this Christmas.
🎄Give CoMA this Christmas🎄
📚Did you know that we have three anthologies of exciting and approachable contemporary pieces for sale?
🎁Perfect for the music teachers, choir leaders, ensemble organisers and enthusiastic amateur musicians in your life!
🧵1/4
Photo of a large ensemble with a range of orchestra instruments performing in a church. The members are standing up as the audience applauds the end of a piece, while conductor Rebecca Lenton holds a handwritten sign. Photos: ©Joschua Lenton / Klangwerkstatt Berlin
Photo of conductor Rebecca Lenton during a performance of Pauline Oliveros's Tuning Meditation, holding up a handwritten sign with instructions saying: BREATHE / Sing your own note / BREATHE / Sing someone else's note / Repeat Photos: ©Joschua Lenton / Klangwerkstatt Berlin
Photo of a man standing to play the double bass and also holding a small megaphone. Photos: ©Joschua Lenton / Klangwerkstatt Berlin
Photo of a woman with curly grey hair playing the violin as part of an ensemble. Photos: ©Joschua Lenton / Klangwerkstatt Berlin
Here's a taste of the recent KNM Campus Days event in Berlin, where a CoMA Allcomers ensemble joined KNM Campus Ensemble plus others to rehearse and play a concert at this year's Klangwerkstatt Festival.
Thank-you to everyone who made all our CoMA musicians so welcome!
Photo credits in alt text
🌳Tuesday timeline cleanse!🌲
Watch this delightful new film showing our Little Woodland Heights project being delivered in Scoil Mhuire Eimhín in County Limerick earlier this year, facilitated by composer Fiona Linnane, soprano Tríona Walsh and teacher Nuala Dooly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z6v...
Photo of the CoMA Bespoke composers, CoMA staff and Matthew Shlomowitz standing in the street all smiling.
CoMA Bespoke was led by University of Southampton with funding from an AHRC Impact Accelerator Award, in partnership with CoMA. 🧵3/3
and challenged them to write music tailored to each group’s specific combination of instruments. Mentored by Matthew Shlomowitz, the composers also supported ensemble members to compose their own pieces for their group. 🧵2/3
Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Screenshot from YouTube of CoMA Sussex ensemble performing Banishing the Boggart of Clayton Hall by Franklyn Oliver, with a man dressed in medieval clothes and tied up with rope standing at the front looking worried.
You can now watch every CoMA Bespoke: Showcase performance on our YouTube channel – that’s 13 new pieces, plus extras! Delivered in partnership with @unisouthampton.bsky.social, CoMA Bespoke embedded composers @frazireland.bsky.social, Franklyn Oliver and @uriagnon.bsky.social with UK ensembles 🧵1/3
Deadline now extended to 30 November - don't miss out!
Graphic with a green background featuring a monochrome photo of two young musicians playing a keyboard together, with a violin resting next to them. The text says: Calling young composers and instrumentalists / Are you: Aged 16-21? In the West Midlands? Wanting to create and play adventurous new music? / Mysounds + CoMA West Midlands / Apply by 14 November / Be part of CoMA Festival 2026!
We've extended the range of our Mysounds + CoMA West Midlands callout so it's now open to ages 16-21.
If you'd like to:
🎶Write and play new music for the CoMA Festival 2026
🤯Expand your creative experience
🎻🥁🎺Meet other musicians
Find out more here: www.coma.org/get-involved...
