In 2025, the World New Music Days festival, one of the largest annual contemporary music festivals and an initiative of the ISCM – International Society for Contemporary Music, is being organised by Miso Music Portugal, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, and will take place in Lisbon and Porto between 30 May and 7 June. With the subtitle ‘Thirst for Change’, reflecting on the current environmental and social challenges facing our ‘blue planet’, World New Music Days 2025 promises to be a celebration of musical innovation and a platform for reflection on the transformative role of music in times of change. The São Luiz Theatre is joining this celebration by hosting four concerts.
Programme
4th June
6pm | Sala Bernardo Sassetti
WNMD 2025 · CONCERT NO. 17 – BUY TICKETS
KOMOREBI DUO · Whispers and Echoes
Camila Mandillo · soprano
João Casimiro de Almeida · piano
The Komorebi Duo will present a diverse program showcasing works by international composers, including Jim O’Leary’s Susan Pennefather Gray, an individual submission, A Sea Spray of Ash by Robert McIntyre, proposed by the ISCM Australian section, and Zikkus-P by Daniel Osorio, from the ISCM Chilean section. In addition to these international pieces, the performance will feature compositions by Portuguese composers from different generations, ranging from António Pinho Vargas to Fátima Fonte, along with works by Isabel Soveral and Eduardo Luís Patriarca. Komorebi Duo is formed by Camila Mandillo (soprano) and João Casimiro Almeida (piano). Camila Mandillo, known for her extensive experience in opera and chamber music, has been gaining increasing recognition for her interpretations of contemporary music. João Casimiro Almeida is regarded as one of the most distinguished Portuguese pianists of his generation, collaborating with various ensembles dedicated to modern and experimental music.
JIM O’LEARY (Canada, 1971)
Susan Pennefather Gray (2014–2015), 8′
Individual submission
FÁTIMA FONTE (Portugal, 1983)
Cartas Portuguesas (2020), 6′
ISCM Portuguese section submission
EDUARDO LUÍS PATRIARCA (Portugal, 1970)
Livro dos Mantras em memória do Venerável Mestre Hsing Yun (2024), 6′
ANTÓNIO PINHO VARGAS (Portugal, 1951)
A Maior Tortura (2006), 6′
DANIEL OSORIO (Chile, 1971)
Zikkus-P (2010), 9’
ISCM Chile section submission
ISABEL SOVERAL (Portugal, 1961)
Ciclo Shakespeare – Since Brass nor Stone (2007), 11′
ROBERT MCINTYRE (Australia, 1998) YCA
A Sea Spray of Ash (2019), 4′
ISCM Australian section submission
YCA · ISCM Young Composers Award candidate
The Komorebi Duo will present a diverse program showcasing works by international composers, including Jim O’Leary’s Susan Pennefather Gray, A Sea Spray of Ash by Robert McIntyre, proposed by the ISCM Australian section, and Zikkus-P by Daniel Osorio, from the ISCM Chilean section.
In addition to these international pieces, the performance will feature compositions by Portuguese composers from different generations, ranging from António Pinho Vargas to Eva Aguilar, along with works by Isabel Soveral, Eduardo Luís Patriarca, and Fátima Fonte.
Komorebi Duo is formed by Camila Mandillo (soprano) and João Casimiro Almeida (piano). Camila Mandillo, known for her extensive experience in opera and chamber music, has been gaining increasing recognition for her interpretations of contemporary music. João Casimiro Almeida is regarded as one of the most distinguished Portuguese pianists of his generation, collaborating with various ensembles dedicated to modern and experimental music.
9pm | Sala Luis Miguel Cintra
MEET THE COMPOSERS #6 · pre-concert talks
9pm –9:30pm
Participants: Mauro Godoy Villalobos, Chris Cree Brown, Ji-Hyang Kim, Rytis Mažulis, Haukur Tómasson, João Quinteiro
Meet the Composers provides a platform for creators to share their perspectives and shed light on their works.
WNMD 2025 · CONCERT NO. 18 – BUY TICKETS
CAMERATA ALMA MATER STRING ENSEMBLE · String Theory
Pedro Neves · conductor
A concert of contemporary music from the four corners of the world, with compositions selected by different sections of the International Society for Contemporary Music, the promoters of the World New Music Days, a festival organised this year by Miso Music Portugal in partnership with various institutions, for the first time in Portugal. The programme also includes a piece by South Korean composer Ji-Hyang Kim and an absolute premiere of Madrugada II, a work by João Quinteiro whose material comes from his opera Regresso. Camerata Alma Mater is a string orchestra made up of excellent and award-winning young Portuguese musicians and was founded in 2010 on the initiative of conductor Pedro Neves. It is dedicated to performing music from various eras for this type of formation, regularly presenting works by contemporary composers. Pedro Neves is also the conductor and artistic director of the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, where he often conducts contemporary music.
MAURO GODOY VILLALOBOS (Chile, 1967)
Moods (2016), 8′
ISCM Swedish section submission
CHRIS CREE BROWN (New Zealand, 1953)
Evanesce (2023), 9′
ISCM New Zealand section submission
JI-HYANG KIM (South Korea, 1970)
Nachtmusik für Streicher (2012–2022), 12′
Individual submission
RYTIS MAŽULIS (Lithuania, 1961)
Timeless (2024), 7′
ISCM Lithuanian section submission
HAUKUR TÓMASSON (Iceland, 1960)
Air Sculptured (2022), 11’
ISCM Icelandic section submission
JOÃO QUINTEIRO (Portugal, 1984)
Madrugada II (2024–2025), 14′ WP
WP · world premiere
5th June
6pm | Sala Bernardo Sassetti
WNMD 2025 · CONCERT NO. 20 – BUY TICKETS
SOND’AR-TE TRIO · Into the Light
Vítor Vieira · violin
Filipe Quaresma · cello
Elsa Silva · piano
The Sond’Ar-te Trio featuring Vítor Vieira (violin), Filipe Quaresma (cello), and Elsa Silva (piano), musicians from the Sond’Ar-te Electric Ensemble founded in 2007, brings together proposals from various ISCM sections for the World New Music Days, celebrating the music of today. The program includes Lenka Novosedlíková’s VPD, Ashley John Long’s Beyond the Haze of Winter’s Edge, Gonçalo Gato’s Elementos and José Luis Perdigón De Paz’s torque. Additionally, the concert will feature works by two composers currently active in Portugal, representing different generations: Sara Carvalho and Diana Andrashenko.
DIANA ANDRASHENKO (Ukraine, 2001) YCA
Quadro sobre uma noite estrelada (2023), 7′
LENKA NOVOSEDLÍKOVÁ (Slovakia, 1989)
VPD (2024), 10′
ISCM Slovak section
SARA CARVALHO (Portugal, 1970)
sobre a areia o tempo poisa (2016), 9′
ASHLEY JOHN LONG (Wales, 1986)
Beyond the Haze of Winter’s Edge (2020), 5′
ISCM Welsh section
GONÇALO GATO (Portugal, 1979)
Elementos (2018), 10′
ISCM Portuguese section
JOSÉ LUIS PERDIGÓN DE PAZ (Espanha, 1990) YCA
torque (2019), 14′
ISCM Spanish section
YCA · ISCM Young Composers Award candidate
9pm | Sala Luis Miguel Cintra
MEET THE COMPOSERS #7 · pre-concert talks
9pm–9:30pm
Participants: Ville Aslak Raasakka, Ângela da Ponte, Sam Hayden, Shin Kim
Meet the Composers provides a platform for creators to share their perspectives and shed light on their works.
WNMD 2025 · CONCERT NO. 21 – BUY TICKETS
ENSEMBLE MPMP · State of Emergency
Rita Castro Blanco · conductor
Ensemble MPMP, conducted by Rita Castro Blanco, a promising young Portuguese conductor, takes the stage at São Luiz Theatre with a program featuring music from the past decade, offering a concert full of variety and surprises. The program includes works proposed by different ISCM sections, such as Sam Hayden’s Die Abkehr (Turning Away), Shin Kim’s Kaleidoscope, and Ville Aslak Raasakka’s The Harvest, alongside Anna Þorvaldsdóttir’s Aequilibria and Ângela da Ponte’s State of(f) Emergencies. Founded in 2012, Ensemble MPMP collaborates closely with musicologists and composers, focusing on both the rediscovery of musical heritage and the promotion of contemporary repertoire.
VILLE ASLAK RAASAKKA (Finland, 1977)
The Harvest (2022), 10′
ISCM Finnish section
ÂNGELA DA PONTE (Portugal, 1984)
State of(f) Emergencies (2019), 10′
SAM HAYDEN (UK, 1968)
Die Abkehr (Turning Away) (2017), 11′
ISCM British section
ANNA ÞORVALDSDÓTTIR (Iceland, 1977)
Aequilibria (2014), 14′
SHIN KIM (South Korea, 1994)
Kaleidoscope (2023), 10′, YCA
ISCM South Korean section
YCA · ISCM Young Composers Award candidate
