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TRACK
Contemporary Classical Music. Understanding Through Gamification
For artists, musicians, designers, technologists, and interdisciplinary teams
Partners

Focus: Gamifying the Experience of Contemporary Academic Music

Contemporary classical music challenges listening habits through new sounds, structures, and technologies.

This track invites participants to design interactive, game-based experiences that make complex music engaging and accessible.

Possible Project Outcomes:

  • WEB3 game

  • Boardgame

  • Escape room

  • Social Media game

  • Artwork

Industry Challenge Statement
Contemporary classical music reflects the complexity of the world we live in.

Like composers in Mozart’s time, today’s composers write for their contemporaries.

Yet while the global music industry has expanded dramatically, contemporary classical music remains marginal for broad audiences.

Why?

Because it requires openness to unfamiliar sounds, new listening habits, emotional intensity, and engagement with political, philosophical, and environmental ideas.

Without accessible entry points, complexity is often perceived as exclusion.
At the same time, contemporary music is inherently experimental and playful. Composers already “gamify” reality:
The Challenge
We are looking for new methods, technologies, and products that apply game mechanics to contemporary classical music.

Not using music as a soundtrack for games — but turning listening, understanding, and participation into playable experiences.

Projects may address:
  • Active listening
    Example: Steve Reich’s Clapping Music App

    A rhythm-based game that helps users experience phased repetition while learning about minimalism.
    Explore Example
  • Understanding vocabulary and context
    Example: John Cage Apps (4’33”, Prepared Piano)

    Apps that translate conceptual music into interactive formats.
    Explore Example
  • Audience participation
    Example: Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night

    A mobile outdoor sound sculpture where the audience becomes the performer.
    Explore Example
What We Expect
We invite participants to design gamified listening formats in digital or physical environments: interactive platforms, social media games, WEB3 tools, escape rooms, board games, participatory installations, or hybrid works — potentially leading to the creation of a new artistic piece.
Why
Understanding grows through interaction.

Curiosity grows through play.

By transforming listening into exploration, we aim to lower entry barriers, expand audiences, and reposition contemporary classical music as an engaging cultural experience rather than an inaccessible niche.
Music Track Team
  • Anastasia Bonch-Osmolovskaya
    Track Lead
    Educational Director of the CultTech Association, responsible for the conceptual and structural design of the CultTech Lab program. Anastasia develops the learning framework, translates curatorial ideas into an operational program, and works on building the Lab ecosystem connecting artists, technologists, and cultural institutions.
  • Evgenia Lianskaya-Lininger
    Art curator
    Musicologist and music critic with a PhD in Arts specializing in contemporary academic music. Evgenia works with maezanatentum – Institut für künstlerische Forschung and Mozarthaus Vienna in artistic research, education, and outreach. Her work focuses on contemporary music and musical theatre.
  • Oliver Schmidt
    Tech curator
    Technical designer working across interactive media, video games, and immersive technologies. Oliver specializes in creating systems that translate complex ideas into intuitive and engaging digital experiences, with work spanning virtual reality, game development, and interactive learning platforms.
  • Florin Gorgos
    Learning Lead
    Post-genre composer working across film, theater, concert music, and interactive media. His work explores a simple premise: music is the design of how we experience time, expressed through formats ranging from symphonic productions at Synchron Stage with Red Bull Media House to GrooveDeck, a music game developed with Sony CSL within CultTech Lab 2025 and presented at the CultTech Summit.

  • Sofia Surgutschowa
    Artisitc advisor, Zafraan
    Creative producer and cultural manager working across international music and interdisciplinary projects. Sofia has worked with leading artists as a manager at IMG Artists and now collaborates with major institutions including the Verbier Festival and the Zafraan Ensemble. Co-founder of the Babylon ORCHESTRA and the Biennale In Situ in Lausanne, her work focuses on cultural exchange and contemporary music initiatives.

  • Clemens Hund-Göschel
    Artistic advisor, Zafraan
    Pianist specializing in contemporary music and experimental performance formats. He performs internationally as a soloist and with ensembles including Zafraan Ensemble, premiering works by leading contemporary composers. He also co-developed the card game LOG BOOK with François Sarhan, introducing new audiences to contemporary music through play.
  • Irina Tokareva
    Producer
    Experienced manager and producer with over 10 years in international relations, event production, and project supervision. Specializes in managing complex cultural collaborations, developing international partnerships, and curating large-scale programmes.
  • Anastasia Shikina
    CultTech Lab Weekly Director
    Video producer, editor, and filmmaker with 7+ years of experience creating documentaries, commercials, and branded content across international markets. Specializes in end-to-end video production and crafting engaging visual stories for digital platforms.
Fees & Grants
School Participation
  • Participation in the School phase requires a fee of €450.
  • Grants covering up to 100% of the participation fee are available, provided by the CultTech Association and Track Partners.
Studio Participation
  • Participation in the Studio phase is free of charge for teams selected to continue.
  • Studio teams receive production grants, tailored to the needs of each project.
Program Benefits
CultTech Weekly
public short-form series following Lab projects from concept to prototype
  • Sustained public visibility throughout the program
  • Early audience building around your project
  • Audience feedback to test ideas in real time
  • Expanded professional network and collaboration opportunities
  • A strong public narrative to position your work
  • Media-ready documentation for future grants, partners, and showcases
School Phase
Online development phase refining ideas into clear project plans with mentors and peer exchange
  • A two-month guided program with art and tech curators
  • Dedicated support from the Lab’s learning team and invited experts
  • A vibrant interdisciplinary network fostering dialogue and collaborative problem-solving
  • Development of the concept into a production-ready project plan
  • One-year membership in the CultTech Association
  • Certificate of completion
  • CultTech Summit pass
Studio Phase
Production phase turning validated concepts into showcase-ready prototypes
  • A 4-day Studio Camp (travel and accommodation covered)
  • Dedicated producer support
  • Presentation at the CultTech Summit (travel and accommodation covered)
  • Additional presentation opportunities at partner platforms
  • Production grants
How to Apply
CultTech Lab is open to individuals and teams worldwide, with no restrictions regarding age, gender, education, or professional status. Applications are submitted via Google Form. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a short online interview.

Applications should include:
  • Project Description
    • A project proposal responding to the industrial challenge statement, outlining the concept and intended format
    • A brief description of the technical approach
    • A short roadmap for the project’s development
    • A short motivation statement from each team member
  • Team Background
    • Roles within the project and relevant experience
    • Links to previous work (portfolio, projects, websites)
    • Links to online profiles (e.g., LinkedIn)
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Have a question?

You may find the answer in our FAQ page. If not, feel free to contact us at lab@culttech.at