Sick Puppy

Sick Puppy SICPP (Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice) takes place each June at New England Conservatory -- the best week of the year! and concerts.

SICPP (also known as "Sick Puppy") is an intensive performance seminar on music of the twentieth century for advanced instrumentalists, vocalists, young composers, and electronic musicians. The experience is intense: eight full days of master classes, lessons, rehearsals. It's an invaluable experience for anyone interested in new music and ready to tackle the challenges of 20th/21st century repert

oire under a faculty uniquely experienced in learning, performing and teaching these pieces. Often the SICPP faculty have worked directly with the composers (Cage, Reich, Wolff, Harvey, and more), and can impart first hand information about the music. For many fellows, they are the only person they know dipping into the pool of atonality, experimental, and extended techniques -- at SICPP they find themselves in an incredible community of like-minded musicians. SICPP features programs for performers (all instruments and voice types), composers, and electronic musicians (composition, performance, or sound installation). To subscribe to our mailing list for announcements about our festival and concerts, click here: http://eepurl.com/dewTmT

SICPP warmly welcomes Guggenheim Fellow and Fulbright Scholar Alvin Singleton as our 2026 composer in residence! A nativ...
12/20/2025

SICPP warmly welcomes Guggenheim Fellow and Fulbright Scholar Alvin Singleton as our 2026 composer in residence!

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Singleton's music will form the centerpiece of the week's explorations and performances, led by Artistic Director Stephen Drury and the Callithumpian Consort.

Read more about Alvin Singleton in his own words as he discusses labels, compositional process, and the power of place: https://tinyurl.com/3cun28tp

Photo credit: Martin Popeláø.

It is our greatest pleasure to announce that Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice (SICPP) will be retu...
12/19/2025

It is our greatest pleasure to announce that Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice (SICPP) will be returning home to New England Conservatory for an immersive week of new music in 2026!

We are honored to be joined in our homecoming by Fulbright Scholar and Guggenheim Fellow Alvin Singleton as our composer in residence. Singleton’s works will form the centerpiece of this season’s explorations and performances, led by Artistic Director Stephen Drury and the Callithumpian Consort.

Described as “a gathering of like-minded pariahs,” SICPP's core mission is to foster the connection between living composers and the performers who play their works, providing an intensive environment for advanced instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, and sound artists aged 18+ to explore and hone their skills. As always, that’s only half the story – stay tuned as we announce the week’s evening performances at Jordan Hall featuring our composer in residence, faculty, and Callithumpian Consort, or drop by during our infamous ‘Iditarod’ marathon concert at the conclusion of the festival.

SICPP is accepting applications with a priority deadline of January 16, so don’t miss out! From June 14-20, “puppies” across all disciplines will work closely with mentors and faculty to bring solo pieces, chamber works, and sound experiences to life once more at the NEC campus in historic Back Bay.

We are grateful as ever for your support – hope to see you there! 🐶

To find out more about our programs and to apply, please see the link in our bio.

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Boston, MA

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