Caribbean Bridges 2026: Caribbean Concert Music Symposium
XI Symposium on Musical Research
Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music
October 15-17, 2026
Caribbean Bridges, an international symposium on concert music in the Caribbean, will be held from October 15-17, 2026, at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music (CMPR). The symposium will focus on strengthening ties among composers, performers, artists, and scholars from across the Caribbean and its diaspora, as well as with specialists from outside the Caribbean. The symposium invites submissions of original musical works, papers, workshops, lecture-recitals, and documentaries.
Caribbean Bridges will provide a space for presentations by regional composers, roundtables with composers and academics, and evening concerts by CMPR faculty musicians and other guest artists. The presentations and roundtables will focus on a wide range of topics related to classical and popular music in the Caribbean, and the performances will include both local music from the participating countries and newly composed concert hall pieces.
Call for papers:
Proposals for individual presentations, panels of 2-3 presentations, workshops, and documentaries must include:
1) a 250-word summary and
2) Personal data (name, email address, telephone number and institutional affiliation) in a Word document (.doc; .docx) or .pdf.
We are particularly interested in proposals that address the following topics:
● Musical bridges: the context of concert music in the Caribbean
● Tradition, identity and influences: the new concert music in the Caribbean.
● Jazz, fusion and experimentation
● Afro-Caribbean composers
● The future of art music: engaging the musical youth of the Caribbean
● Dialogues between classical, traditional and popular music in the Caribbean
● Composition, improvisation, and other forms of musical creativity
● Music, sound and the environment: climate change and musical activism
● Archives, editions and preservation of Caribbean art music
● Pedagogy and curriculum
Send your proposals to: puentes.papers2026@gmail.com before July 25, 2026
Proposals may be submitted in English or Spanish.
Presentations can be made in English or Spanish.
Call for sheet music submissions:
Composers with a genuine connection to the Caribbean, defined here as the circum-Caribbean region, are invited to submit compositions. This includes composers born in the Caribbean, those living abroad, and those born outside the Caribbean but residing or working in the region. Accepted compositions will be considered for performance during the Caribbean Bridges Symposium by the Sanromá Trio, Camerata Caribe, faculty members, and students. Compositions may be for full ensembles or for any combination of instruments within ensembles. Submissions of previously performed works are permitted.
Instrumentation:
Sanromá Trio: violin, cello and piano
Camerata Caribe: flute, oboe, bassoon, horn, clarinet and piano
Guitar (solo)
Piano (solo)
Voice
Please send the scores in PDF format, audio recordings or MIDI recordings, if available.
Submitted scores must include contact information and a brief biography.
Send them to: puentes.scores2026@gmail.com no later than July 25, 2026.
Caribbean Bridges 2026: Symposium of Art Music from across the Caribbean
11th Symposium of Music Research
Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music
October 15-17, 2026
Puentes Caribeños (Caribbean Bridges), an international symposium on Caribbean art music, will be held from October 15 to 17, 2026 at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico (CMPR). The symposium will focus on strengthening bonds between composers, performers, artists, and scholars throughout the Caribbean and its diaspora, as well as specialists from outside the region. The symposium invites submissions of original musical works, papers, workshops, lecture recitals, and documentary films.
Puentes Caribeños comprises presentations by regional composers, panel discussions by composers and academics, and evening concerts by faculty musicians from CMPR and other invited artists. Panel sessions will focus on a wide range of issues concerning art and popular music in the Caribbean, and performances will include both local traditional music from the participating countries and recently written pieces for the concert hall.
Call for Papers:
Proposals for individual paper presentations, panel presentations of 2-3 papers, workshops, and documentary films should include:
1) an abstract of 250 words and
2) personal information (name, email, phone number, and institutional affiliation) in a Word document (.doc; .docx) or .pdf.
We are particularly interested in proposals that engage with the following topics:
Musical Bridges: the Context of Art Music across the Caribbean
Tradition, Identity, and Influences: New Art Music in the Caribbean.
Jazz, Fusion, and Experimentation
Afro-Caribbean Composers
The Future of an Art Form: Engaging the Caribbean's Musical Youth
Dialogues between Art, Traditional, and Popular Music in the Caribbean
Composition, Improvisation, and Other Modes of Musical Creativity
Music, Sound, and Environment: Climate Change and Musical Activism
Archives, editions, and preservation of Caribbean art music
Pedagogy and curriculum
Please send proposals to: Puentes.papers2026@gmail.com no later than July 25th 2026
Proposals may be submitted in English or Spanish. Presentations may be delivered in English or Spanish.
Call for Scores:
Compositions are invited from composers with an authentic connection to the Caribbean, defined here as the circum-Caribbean region. This includes composers born in the Caribbean, those living abroad, and those born outside the Caribbean but resident or artistically active here. Accepted compositions will be considered for performance during the Puentes Caribeños symposium by Trio Sanromá Camerata Caribe, faculty members, and students. Compositions may be for the full ensembles or any combination of instruments within the ensembles. Submission of previously performed works is permitted.
Instrumentation:
Trio Sanromá: Violin, Violoncello, and Piano
Camerata Caribe: Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Horn, Clarinet, and Piano
Guitar (solo)
Piano (solo)
Voice
Please send scores in PDF format, audio recordings, or MIDI realizations, if available. Score submissions must include contact information and short bio. Send to: Puentes.scores2026@gmail.com no later than July 25th 2026.
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