The Cdmc

Set up in 1977, the Centre de Documentation de la Musique Contemporaine is located in the Parc de la Villette, close by the Cité de la Musique in Paris. From the start it has been supported by the Ministry of Culture and Communication and by the Sacem, and it has a partnership with Radio France that has given it its own recordings of contemporary music. A research centre for music creation, the Cdmc holds a unique collection that is constantly being enlarged thanks to the collaboration of composers and publishers.

The Cdmc is a link between composers, performers and organisers for innovative projects and the encouragement of new repertories; it also takes part in promoting works with programmers.

The Cdmc regularly organises encounters, seminars and professional day sessions; these events facilitate the exchange of points of view between specialists and professionals, and allow composers and performers to get together.

The Cdmc’s catalogue lists numerous documents concerning 20,000 contemporary works: symphonic music, chamber music, opera, music theatre, electroacoustic music, etc. These varied documents include:

  • published and unpublished scores,
  • sound documents, including 30 years of Ina/Radio France recordings,
  • music videos,
  • books, periodicals, studies and theses,
  • documentation files on works,
  • biographical files on composers,
  • archives of concert and festival programmes in France.

All these documents can be consulted at the Cdmc. In an area open to all at no cost, the Centre has twelve desks for the consultation of scores and simultaneous listening of sound recordings, as well as three video stations. A team of specialist documentalists is available to adv ise users and accompany them in their research.

The Cdmc’s catalogue can be consulted on its website, where one can also find much information concerning contemporary music:

  • a calendar of events in the world of contemporary music,
  • competitions, commissions and project calls,
  • an address book for the movers and shakers of contemporary music,
  • biographies of today’s composers,
  • sound recordings of the encounters organised by the Cdmc.

The online information bulletin Ostinato lists currents activities at the Centre and in the contemporary music scene.

The Cdmc operates the Gateway to contemporary music.