The Society for Music Theory
43rd Annual Meeting

held jointly with

The American Musicological Society
86th Annual Meeting

#AMSMT20

Virtual Conference
November 7–8 and 14–15

View Final Program  Access the SMT Meeting Platform

laptop on coffee table

Meeting debrief

Thank you to everyone who participated in AMS/SMT 2020.

Accessing SMT 2020 content

You will be able to access the SMT content platform and view conference materials through January 15.

Publication award winners

  • WALLACE BERRY AWARD: Joseph Straus, Broken Beauty, Oxford University Press, 2018.
  • OUTSTANDING PUBLICATION AWARD: Mark Spicer, “Fragile, Emergent, and Absent Tonics in Pop and Rock Songs,” Music Theory Online 23.2 (2017).
  • EMERGING SCHOLAR AWARD (BOOK): Jonathan de Souza, Music at Hand: Instruments, Bodies, and Cognition, Oxford University Press, 2017.
  • EMERGING SCHOLAR AWARD (ARTICLE): Megan Kaes Long, “Cadential Syntax and Tonal Expectation in Late Sixteenth-Century Homophony,” Music Theory Spectrum 40.1 (2018): 52 – 83.
  • OUTSTANDING MULTI-AUTHOR PUBLICATION AWARD: Alexander Rehding and Steven Rings, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Critical Concepts in Music Theory, Oxford University Press, 2019.
  • CITATION OF SPECIAL MERIT: Gregory J. Decker & Matthew R. Shaftel, eds., Singing in Signs: New Semiotic Explorations of Opera, Oxford University Press, 2020.

Next year

We look forward to seeing you next year in Jacksonville!


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Musicological Society (AMS) and Society for Music Theory (SMT) have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s in-person meeting. Instead, AMS and SMT will hold its joint meeting virtually over two weekends, November 7-8 and 14-15, 2020. AMS and SMT will each have separate conference platforms, allowing attendees to register for just AMS events, just SMT events, or both. However, the conference programs and schedules will be aligned, and all attendees will have access to a joint Exhibit Hall. View the FAQ below for more information.

 

This conference is held jointly with the AMS. Click here to go to the AMS 2020 site.

SMT 2020 Gear!
To commemorate "these strange times," get SMT mugs, facemasks, and buttons here!
Conference Information

Location

Online

Meeting Schedule and Abstracts

SMT Final Schedule and Abstracts

SMT Meeting Platform

AMS Preliminary Schedule and Abstracts

Registration

Early Bird Rates (Register before Oct 1, 2020)

  • SMT Members
    • Student, retired, low income: $25
    • Regular: $55
  • Non-members
    • Student, retired, low income: $75
    • Regular: $165

Regular rates

  • SMT Members
    • Student, retired, low income: $55
    • Regular: $85
  • Non-members
    • Student, retired, low income: $100
    • Regular: $200
Business meeting

Documents for the business meeting can be viewed here:

Information for Presenters, Chairs, and Monitors

To help the conference run smoothly in the new virtual format, we have created resources for session chairs, presenters, volunteers, and Interest Groups so you know what to expect. Click the links below to view helpful information:

Guidelines and Policies

All attendees should view and abide by these guidelines and policies for respectful interactions.

Conference Guide Program

The deadline has passed to sign up to participate in the Conference Guides program.

The Professional Development Committee's Conference Guides Program offers a simple and informal means for longer-term SMT members to welcome and connect with newer members. 

CV and Cover Letter Review Session

The deadline has passed to sign up to participate in the CV Review Session.

Our team of faculty reviewers will provide tailored feedback on CVs and other job documents. We warmly invite SMT members at all career stages—students, recent graduates, faculty members, independent scholars—to participate in the session. 

Graduate School Fair

The deadline has passed to sign up to participate in the Grad School Fair.

The Graduate School Fair is a once-a-year opportunity to share information about your music theory program with colleagues, prospective students, and current students. This year, the fair will be held virtually on Sunday, November 8, from 3:30-5:30 PM CST. Each school will be assigned to one hour during the fair (3:30-4:30 or 4:30-5:30). Programs are welcome to upload promotional materials about their graduate degrees in advance of the virtual conference (upload link will be available at a later date). Universities are asked to provide their own Zoom meeting link which will be listed in the program book. 

Information for Exhibitors

Vendors interested in hosting an exhibit at AMS/SMT 2020 can find information on the AMS conference website.

FAQs about the Virtual Meeting

When will the annual meeting take place?

The American Musicological Conference (AMS) and the Society for Music Theory (SMT) will meet November 7-8 and 14-15, 2020, beginning at 10:00am each day. Sessions, meetings, and events will start on the hour.

Will I be required to be a member of both societies to register for all AMS and SMT events?

No. If you wish to register for both events, please use the registration form for the society for which you are a member. You will have the option of purchasing an "Add-on" to register for the other society's event at a discounted price, available through 3 November 2020. Non-member fees are also available for those who wish to attend but are not members of either society.

When will the schedule for the conference be made available?

The preliminary schedule will be available September 1.

When can I register and what will it cost?

Early registration will be available through October 1, 2020. Regular registration rates will go into effect October 2. Attendees have the option to register for SMT, AMS, or for both. SMT registrants may purchase the AMS "Add-on" registration through the SMT portal at a discounted rate, available through November 3, 2020. See registration rate table below.
 

Rate Category

SMT
Early Bird (by Oct 1)

AMS
Early Bird
Add-On

SMT
Regular

AMS
Regular
Add-On

SMT Members

Student, retired, and/or low income

$25

$40

$55

$55

Regular

$55

$90

$85

$130

Non-Members

Student, retired, and/or low income

$75

$80

$100

$130

Regular

$165

$140

$200

$220

Will I have access to all conference events if I do not register at the joint rate?

No. Registering just for SMT or AMS will only give you access to that society’s platform and events, as well as to any joint sessions, meetings, and exhibits. For unlimited access, you must register with both organizations.

Will there be an exhibit hall?

Yes, we will have a virtual exhibit hall available to all registrants, including SMT-only registrants. Exhibitors will have a dedicated space on the AMS platform and the opportunity to collect leads and set up one-on-one meetings with interested attendees.

Will there be a program book?

Absolutely. There will be a publicly downloadable PDF program, as well as searchable digital program available to all registrants. The preliminary program will be available on or before September 1, 2020.

How do I reserve an exhibit booth or program book ad?

Information about exhibitor and advertiser packages and prices will be released shortly on the AMS and SMT websites.

Will presentations be pre-recorded or live? Asynchronous or synchronous?

It depends. Most presentations will be pre-recorded and available in advance of a scheduled, live Q&A. Certain special sessions, like workshops, lectures, plenaries, award presentations, and business meetings, will be conducted or screened live.

Will there still be a poster session?

Yes. The virtual meeting will feature the full range of traditional session types, including poster sessions.

Is there a deadline for presenters to upload materials?

Yes. Presenters must register by October 8 and upload materials by October 15. Information and instructions on creating, formatting, and uploading presentations will be made available well in advance of the conference.

Will presentations be available after the conference?

Yes, select SMT presentations and events will be archived and publicly available for one week after the event. AMS presentations will be archived and available to registrants for up to one year after the conclusion of the conference. 

Will there be opportunities to network and socialize?

Yes. There will be many opportunities to network, socialize, and connect with colleagues and friends. There will also be tools to help you introduce yourself to new colleagues and arrange one-on-one meetup. More information about these opportunities will be forthcoming.