NIEF-NORF

SUMMER
FESTIVAL

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

JUNE 14 - 28, 2026

FESTIVAL OVERVIEW

The Nief-Norf Summer Festival is a multidisciplinary new music festival that brings together performers, composers, improvisers, scholars, and music technologists for collaboration and exploration of contemporary music within an immersive environment. Hosted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the festival provides opportunities for masterclasses, workshops, and performances with world-renowned faculty at the state-of-the-art Natalie L. Haslam Music Center. Nief-Norf fosters an incredible community of contemporary musicians who create, collaborate, experiment, and problem solve in exploration of what it means to be contemporary musicians and perform for a modern audience.

Learn more about our NNSF26 tracks below!

The NNSF Performance Track offers a concentrated contemporary music experience and currently invites applications from all instrumentalists and vocalists aged 18 and older including undergraduates, graduates, and professionals.
Performance Fellows will perform on an average of five or more works, ranging from world premieres written by festival composition fellows to large ensemble and/or chamber music, open score realizations, and group improvisations.
The NNSF Composition Track offers an intensive experience in chamber music composition, and currently invites applicants from composers of all styles and backgrounds, including undergraduates, graduates, and professionals.
Admitted fellows will compose one work for 2-8 musicians up to eight minutes in duration under the mentorship of the NNSF composition faculty, and collaborate with performance fellows in real time leading up to a world premiere showcase within our SYNNERGY gathering. Composers will receive audio and video recordings from both their dress rehearsal and world premiere performance.
Composition fellows will receive an instrumentation survey to indicate their preferred ensemble options no later than April 1, 2026. Instrumentation assignments will be sent by April 10, 2026!

For a discounted tuition price, composers may opt not to compose a world premiere for the festival, while still receiving all other summer festival benefits (private composition lessons, masterclasses, etc.).
A limited number of positions are available for the Composer-Performer Track — a strategic hybrid in which fellows have the opportunity to collaborate throughout their composition process as well as perform on several other pieces of repertoire during the festival. A schedule is synthesized to allow composer-performers to attend select masterclasses and lectures from both tracks.
Composers who wish to perform in their own world premiere but not perform any additional repertoire should apply for the Composition Track.
NNSF Music Technology fellows will explore the development of their own music/projects mentored by festival coaches, fostering the realization of original concepts involving interactive electronic and electro-acoustic sound production. Tech fellows will also collaborate with the other tracks in the performance of chamber, open score, improvised, and/or electronic music.
Applications are open to music technologists of all backgrounds, interests, and specialties.
The NNSF ensemble track allows pre-formed ensembles to have a highly curated contemporary performance experience within the collaborative environment of the festival. Ensembles will have a world premiere composed for their instrumentation, as well as a 1-hour showcase concert at SYNNERGY.
Ensemble members will also receive all benefits of the performance track! Applicants should fill out an individual application per ensemble member, and indicate their pre-formed ensemble when prompted. See below for tuition discount information!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There is no application fee for NNSF! The application is one page that will prompt you upload or link to the following items:
- Video Statement — Hyperlink
  - Briefly tell us about yourself; what is your experience with contemporary music, why would you like to attend NNSF, and what do you seek to gain from the festival?
- Biography, Résumé, or Curriculum Vitae — PDF Upload
  - A concise survey of your musical experience and/or education
- Scores of Previous Work — PDF Uploads
  - Composition and Composer-Performer tracks only
- Recording(s) — Hyperlink(s)
  - Demonstrate your work / performance history
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older by May 31, 2026.
Please see tuition timeline below for detailed financial due dates! Tuition invoices will be sent upon acceptance and payments can be made on the total balance at individual discretion until the deadline.
TUITION — FELLOWS
Early Enrollment: $1,899 ($799 deposit)
General Enrollment: $2,299 ($999 deposit)
Tuition for fellows does NOT include housing or meals— please see housing and meal options below!
Tuition and housing refunds will not be issued after May 1, 2026 — deposits are non-refundable except in extreme circumstances.
NNSF26 applicants may request up to $1,000 of need-based financial aid, merit-based scholarship, or both.
To apply, please complete the following form:
NNSF26 Scholarship / Financial Aid Application 🔗
Scholarship applications will be reviewed shortly after General Enrollment concludes on February 28, 2026.
Work-study applicants are not eligible to receive additional scholarships or financial aid.
NNSF Affiliate — $250 discount per new individual who is accepted & submits tuition deposit
- Refer a colleague for a $250 discount — there will be a referral prompt on the application form!
- There is a maximum of four affiliate discounts (total of $1,000).
- Alumni who refer a colleague but cannot personally attend the festival will receive a $50 check from Nief-Norf!
Alumni — $250 discount
- All NNSF alumni will automatically receive a $250 discount!
- Alumni can also earn up to three referral discounts.
Composition Auditor Track (no world premiere)
- Early Enrollment Tuition: $999
- General Enrollment Tuition: $1,299
Ensemble Track
- Duo: 10% tuition discount
- Trio: 15% tuition discount
- Quartet: 20% tuition discount
- Quintet or more: 25% tuition discount
- Ensemble members are also eligible for alumni & referral discounts!
Work-Study Fellow positions are extremely limited and are reserved for individuals with unique and proven experience in arts administration, technology, social media, and other relevant backgrounds.

TUITION: $950 (all enrollment tiers)

ADDITIONAL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Personal statement highlighting interest, relevant skills and qualifications, and future goals in arts administration / technology / etc.
- One letter of reference contact
- Interview with Nief-Norf Administration Team (you will be contacted to set up an interview time after applying!)
Work-Study applications will be reviewed shortly after General Enrollment concludes on February 28, 2026.
Please note: Work-Study applicants are not eligible to receive additional scholarships or financial aid.
Nief-Norf offers optional Summer Festival housing in association with the University of Tennessee. Individuals are required to provide their own bed sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, and meals.
Check-In: June 14, 2026 // Check-Out: June 28, 2026 (14 Nights)
The NNSF25 dorm is located approximately 0.5 miles (7-minute walk) from the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center.
NNSF25 HOUSING DETAILS
- UT Housing will cost $800 per person (approximately $57/night)
  - Includes wifi, laundry, shared kitchen per floor, and a bathroom in each dorm room
- All fellows will have one roommate
  - Please email adally@niefnorf.org to inquire about individual accommodations — we will do our absolute best to make it happen!
  - If you have a roommate in mind, please let us know!
- Housing payments are due Friday, May 8, 2026
Fellows driving to NNSF26 will need to purchase a University of Tennessee parking pass for $49 (which will be added to your digital festival invoice!).