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SMT Newsletter
Volume 47, Issue 2
The SMT Newsletter is posted online in February and August. The Newsletter features information on national and regional theory conferences, awards, calls for papers and articles, grant and fellowship information, and general news about people in the field.
SMT Jacksonville 2024
The Society for Music Theory celebrates its forty-seventh Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida, November 7–10, 2024.
About Jacksonville
Visit Jacksonville built a microsite for our attendees to use. Visit the site to learn more about Jacksonville, including where to eat, what to do, and how to get there.
Conference Information
Information about the conference can be found on the SMT website.
Hotel Reservations
The Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel (225 E Coastline Drive) has reserved a block of rooms for conference attendees. The rates are $169/night for single and double occupancy; $194/night for triple occupancy; $219/night for quadruple occupancy; and $169 for student quadruple occupancy (limited rooms available). Hotel reservations for non-students may be made online. SMT student members should have received an email with a code to reserve at the student rate; please email Jennifer Diaz at smt@societymusictheory.org if you did not receive the email.
Using the conference room block at this hotel helps us meet our contractual obligations and keeps you close to all conference activities.
Conference Registration
Conference registration is open and available on our website. The rates are as follows:
| Rate Category | Early (6/01–9/27/2024) | Regular (9/28–11/1/2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Student or low-income | $70.00 | $95.00 |
| Emeritus/Retired | $100.00 | $135.00 |
| Standard | $130.00 | $175.00 |
Student Helpers
We are in need of student volunteers to assist during the conference. Volunteers will receive a registration fee waiver in exchange for 6.5 hours of service. The deadline to apply is September 6.
Hotel Accessibility
Every effort will be made to meet the unique requirements of all attendees. For specific needs or questions please contact Jennifer Diaz, Executive Director.
Sponsorships, Exhibitors, and Advertisers
The Society for Music Theory, with 1,200 members, brings together academics, graduate students, and other professionals specializing in musicology and music theory in higher education. It will be the forty-seventh Annual Meeting and provides an opportunity for attendees to network, share knowledge, and explore new directions in music research and practice. More than 150 presentations are scheduled, along with workshops, small meetings, receptions, and other events.
By participating in this year’s meeting, you will reach a large, specialized audience of customers for your products and services. We are expecting more than 400 registrants of leading specialists in the U.S., Canada, and other countries, including heads of research institutes, academic deans and department chairs, private consultants, and graduate students.
Visit our website to learn more about sponsorships and exhibits and advertisements.
Reserve your sponsorship, exhibit booth, and program ad by September 6th.
Organize a Social/Networking Event
Did you know? You can organize a party or session of up to two hours at the Annual Meeting to feature your program or service. Bring people together by hosting an info session or networking event! Reservation deadline is September 6.
Officer Reports
From the President
Jan Miyake
Greetings, SMT Community,
I hope everyone is enjoying the change in rhythms that summer brings. In the Winter Newsletter, I shared how I had chosen to center conversations and efforts on any new initiatives around two key priorities: 1) enhancing the sense of belonging for music theorists within our community and 2) establishing a consistent approach to fundraising. I wrote then about this first priority in the Winter Newsletter and promised to address the second in August. So, here I am!
Over the past decade, the giving rate for the Society for Music Theory… Read More
Greetings, SMT Community,
I hope everyone is enjoying the change in rhythms that summer brings. In the Winter Newsletter, I shared how I had chosen to center conversations and efforts on any new initiatives around two key priorities: 1) enhancing the sense of belonging for music theorists within our community and 2) establishing a consistent approach to fundraising. I wrote then about this first priority in the Winter Newsletter and promised to address the second in August. So, here I am!
Over the past decade, the giving rate for the Society for Music Theory has fluctuated between 7% (2015) and 14% (2023, after meaningful one-to-one outreach in December). With a total membership of around 1150, this means that approximately 160 members donate each year. I am proud to be one of those members for as long as I can remember. While these numbers are encouraging, I believe we can do better. It is important to improve because we aspire to spend more money than we currently generate. Fundraising is an area where we can achieve gradual and sustained growth.
One insight from my presidency is that SMT, despite being relatively young, functions as an institution. Institutional change typically comes slowly, but it does occur. We observe it in the breadth of scholarship in our journals and conferences. We see it reflected in our budget priorities, with conference accessibility gaining increasing importance through travel grants and live-streaming initiatives. We also witness it in the generosity of senior members who, even when feeling a reduced sense of belonging, continue to support SMT with donations, ensuring that younger generations benefit from a vibrant society. Institutions require long-term support, and fostering a culture of giving is crucial for sustaining this support.
Therefore, I prioritized making the appointment of the next Development and Fundraising Committee Chair, planning to charge them with the goal of establishing an annual fundraising cycle that would be easily transferable to subsequent chairs and emphasize participation, particularly through small gifts. I am delighted that Chris Segall accepted this role last December and have greatly appreciated his leadership. As you may have noticed, the development committee designated June as a key month for fundraising, in honor of the anniversary of our Articles of Incorporation (June 30, 1978). This inaugural campaign has been especially invigorated by Mary Wennerstrom’s philanthropic leadership. Prof. Wennerstrom boosted any gift of $5 or more with an additional $25. While a typical June sees half-a-dozen donations, this June, 80 music theory enthusiasts made gifts ranging from $5 to $2000. The overall fundraising total for June was a stunning $12,118.67.
I hope we can collectively celebrate this success and, in future Junes, commemorate the Society for Music Theory’s longevity, capacity for change, and commitment to its members.
In other news, this Fall, I am excited to welcome new Executive Board members: Judy Lochhead (President-Elect), Mitch Ohriner (Secretary), Jonathan De Souza, and Olga Sánchez-Kisielewska (Members-at-Large). Of course, this transition is bittersweet as it means that Michael Buchler (Past President), Charity Lofthouse (Secretary), Daphne Tan, and Chelsea Burns (Members-at-Large) will be concluding their terms.
Finally, if you are able to join us in Jacksonville (November 7–10), we are excited to introduce a new initiative: a public poster session geared towards a general audience. I encourage you to attend this session, invite any musically curious individuals you know in Jacksonville, and also participate in the two poster sessions aimed at music theory specialists. We are witnessing significant growth in interest and capability in creating music theory posters, and attending these sessions is a fantastic way to inspire your own creative ideas for presenting a poster.
I hope everyone is celebrating summer in their own way and that the upcoming fall is productive and meaningful. I look forward to seeing many of you in Jacksonville!
Greetings, SMT Community,
I hope everyone is enjoying the change in rhythms that summer brings. In the Winter Newsletter, I shared how I had chosen to center conversations and efforts on any new initiatives around two key priorities: 1) enhancing the sense of belonging for music theorists within our community and 2) establishing a consistent approach to fundraising. I wrote then about this first priority in the Winter Newsletter and promised to address the second in August. So, here I am!
Over the past decade, the giving rate for the Society for Music Theory has fluctuated between 7% (2015) and 14% (2023, after meaningful one-to-one outreach in December). With a total membership of around 1150, this means that approximately 160 members donate each year. I am proud to be one of those members for as long as I can remember. While these numbers are encouraging, I believe we can do better. It is important to improve because we aspire to spend more money than we currently generate. Fundraising is an area where we can achieve gradual and sustained growth.
One insight from my presidency is that SMT, despite being relatively young, functions as an institution. Institutional change typically comes slowly, but it does occur. We observe it in the breadth of scholarship in our journals and conferences. We see it reflected in our budget priorities, with conference accessibility gaining increasing importance through travel grants and live-streaming initiatives. We also witness it in the generosity of senior members who, even when feeling a reduced sense of belonging, continue to support SMT with donations, ensuring that younger generations benefit from a vibrant society. Institutions require long-term support, and fostering a culture of giving is crucial for sustaining this support.
Therefore, I prioritized making the appointment of the next Development and Fundraising Committee Chair, planning to charge them with the goal of establishing an annual fundraising cycle that would be easily transferable to subsequent chairs and emphasize participation, particularly through small gifts. I am delighted that Chris Segall accepted this role last December and have greatly appreciated his leadership. As you may have noticed, the development committee designated June as a key month for fundraising, in honor of the anniversary of our Articles of Incorporation (June 30, 1978). This inaugural campaign has been especially invigorated by Mary Wennerstrom’s philanthropic leadership. Prof. Wennerstrom boosted any gift of $5 or more with an additional $25. While a typical June sees half-a-dozen donations, this June, 80 music theory enthusiasts made gifts ranging from $5 to $2000. The overall fundraising total for June was a stunning $12,118.67.
I hope we can collectively celebrate this success and, in future Junes, commemorate the Society for Music Theory’s longevity, capacity for change, and commitment to its members.
In other news, this Fall, I am excited to welcome new Executive Board members: Judy Lochhead (President-Elect), Mitch Ohriner (Secretary), Jonathan De Souza, and Olga Sánchez-Kisielewska (Members-at-Large). Of course, this transition is bittersweet as it means that Michael Buchler (Past President), Charity Lofthouse (Secretary), Daphne Tan, and Chelsea Burns (Members-at-Large) will be concluding their terms.
Finally, if you are able to join us in Jacksonville (November 7–10), we are excited to introduce a new initiative: a public poster session geared towards a general audience. I encourage you to attend this session, invite any musically curious individuals you know in Jacksonville, and also participate in the two poster sessions aimed at music theory specialists. We are witnessing significant growth in interest and capability in creating music theory posters, and attending these sessions is a fantastic way to inspire your own creative ideas for presenting a poster.
I hope everyone is celebrating summer in their own way and that the upcoming fall is productive and meaningful. I look forward to seeing many of you in Jacksonville!
From the Vice President
Leigh VanHandel
The Subventions Committee will meet in August to review applications for the SMT Subvention Grants. These grants are intended to assist with publication expenses and occasionally with organizing conferences or workshops. The deadline is July 31st. I thank the subvention committee (Arnie Cox, David Byrne, and David Forrest) for their dedicated service on this important committee. I also wish to thank the SMT members who have donated to the SMT-Forward campaign, making these subvention grants possible. … Read More
The Subventions Committee will meet in August to review applications for the SMT Subvention Grants. These grants are intended to assist with publication expenses and occasionally with organizing conferences or workshops. The deadline is July 31st. I thank the subvention committee (Arnie Cox, David Byrne, and David Forrest) for their dedicated service on this important committee. I also wish to thank the SMT members who have donated to the SMT-Forward campaign, making these subvention grants possible.
One of the roles of the Vice President is to act as a liaison to our international counterparts. It has been my pleasure to meet with representatives from international societies to strengthen SMT’s relationship with our colleagues. Increased collaboration with international colleagues will foster the exchange of new ideas and perspectives within our changing discipline, and I look forward to seeing how those conversations develop.
The Vice President also serves as the liaison for the Interest Groups and Regional Societies. The Interest Group Chairs have been preparing their sessions for our annual meeting in Jacksonville, which promises to be an exciting and diverse program. Managing and supporting the growing number of Interest Groups within the constraints of conference space and time is an ongoing challenge, and we welcome any suggestions on how to ensure that Interest Groups remain a vital part of the society.
The Regional Societies are in the process of coordinating their spring conference schedules, and representatives of those societies should submit announcements and calls for papers for the SMT webpage. I look forward to continuing conversations with our Regional Society representatives about how to best address their needs and interests.
As a reminder, SMT asks presenters at Interest Group meetings to use the following citation template: Author, Title, ___ Interest Group meeting, Society for Music Theory Annual Meeting, City, Date.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions pertaining to Interest Groups, Regional Societies, Subvention Grants, or our international colleagues, feel free to email me at vicepresident@societymusictheory.org.
The Subventions Committee will meet in August to review applications for the SMT Subvention Grants. These grants are intended to assist with publication expenses and occasionally with organizing conferences or workshops. The deadline is July 31st. I thank the subvention committee (Arnie Cox, David Byrne, and David Forrest) for their dedicated service on this important committee. I also wish to thank the SMT members who have donated to the SMT-Forward campaign, making these subvention grants possible.
One of the roles of the Vice President is to act as a liaison to our international counterparts. It has been my pleasure to meet with representatives from international societies to strengthen SMT’s relationship with our colleagues. Increased collaboration with international colleagues will foster the exchange of new ideas and perspectives within our changing discipline, and I look forward to seeing how those conversations develop.
The Vice President also serves as the liaison for the Interest Groups and Regional Societies. The Interest Group Chairs have been preparing their sessions for our annual meeting in Jacksonville, which promises to be an exciting and diverse program. Managing and supporting the growing number of Interest Groups within the constraints of conference space and time is an ongoing challenge, and we welcome any suggestions on how to ensure that Interest Groups remain a vital part of the society.
The Regional Societies are in the process of coordinating their spring conference schedules, and representatives of those societies should submit announcements and calls for papers for the SMT webpage. I look forward to continuing conversations with our Regional Society representatives about how to best address their needs and interests.
As a reminder, SMT asks presenters at Interest Group meetings to use the following citation template: Author, Title, ___ Interest Group meeting, Society for Music Theory Annual Meeting, City, Date.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions pertaining to Interest Groups, Regional Societies, Subvention Grants, or our international colleagues, feel free to email me at vicepresident@societymusictheory.org.
From the Secretary
Charity Lofthouse
With summer upon us, it is my pleasure to communicate the following motions passed by the SMT Executive Board since the previous Secretary’s report in the February 2024 Newsletter:
• Approved the November 2023, and January and March 2023 meeting minutes.
• Approved the transfer of $40,000 from the SMT savings account to its Fidelity contingency fund.
• Approved a motion to continue print copies of Music Theory Spectrum by offering additional membership options that include print copies at cost.
• … Read More
With summer upon us, it is my pleasure to communicate the following motions passed by the SMT Executive Board since the previous Secretary’s report in the February 2024 Newsletter:
• Approved the November 2023, and January and March 2023 meeting minutes.
• Approved the transfer of $40,000 from the SMT savings account to its Fidelity contingency fund.
• Approved a motion to continue print copies of Music Theory Spectrum by offering additional membership options that include print copies at cost.
• Approved a motion to subsidize 50% of the additional cost for SMT memberships that include print copies of Music Theory Spectrum at three membership levels (students, retirees, and members earning under $35,000 annually).
• Approved a motion to accept the recommendation set forth by the Remote Access Task Force to livestream two rooms for 2024 and to improve streaming services in order to offer livestreaming for purchase in 2027.
• Approved a motion to include the following sentence in calls for proposals for the Annual Meeting: “The Committee may accept a proposed poster under the condition that it be transformed into a paper or accept a paper under the condition that it be transformed into a poster.”
With summer upon us, it is my pleasure to communicate the following motions passed by the SMT Executive Board since the previous Secretary’s report in the February 2024 Newsletter:
• Approved the November 2023, and January and March 2023 meeting minutes.
• Approved the transfer of $40,000 from the SMT savings account to its Fidelity contingency fund.
• Approved a motion to continue print copies of Music Theory Spectrum by offering additional membership options that include print copies at cost.
• Approved a motion to subsidize 50% of the additional cost for SMT memberships that include print copies of Music Theory Spectrum at three membership levels (students, retirees, and members earning under $35,000 annually).
• Approved a motion to accept the recommendation set forth by the Remote Access Task Force to livestream two rooms for 2024 and to improve streaming services in order to offer livestreaming for purchase in 2027.
• Approved a motion to include the following sentence in calls for proposals for the Annual Meeting: “The Committee may accept a proposed poster under the condition that it be transformed into a paper or accept a paper under the condition that it be transformed into a poster.”
From the Treasurer
Nora Engebretsen
At the midpoint of our fiscal year, I’m pleased to report that two welcome surprises and your on-going generosity leave us well positioned as we look forward to our solo conference in Jacksonville. Higher than expected payments from AMS (revenue from the 2023 joint meeting in Denver) and Oxford University Press (profits from Music Theory Spectrum) brought in more than $10,000 in unanticipated income, and, as we continue to build a culture of giving, donations are running more than $10,000 above this time last year. Membership dues, our greatest source of income and a recurring… Read More
At the midpoint of our fiscal year, I’m pleased to report that two welcome surprises and your on-going generosity leave us well positioned as we look forward to our solo conference in Jacksonville. Higher than expected payments from AMS (revenue from the 2023 joint meeting in Denver) and Oxford University Press (profits from Music Theory Spectrum) brought in more than $10,000 in unanticipated income, and, as we continue to build a culture of giving, donations are running more than $10,000 above this time last year. Membership dues, our greatest source of income and a recurring investment you make in the Society, are holding steady. Finally, to better leverage the funds we have available, the Executive Board, with guidance from the Investment Committee, has approved a transfer of $40,000 from our very-low-interest savings account into our Fidelity account (the Contingency Fund), in hopes of generating additional income.
Beginning with this issue of the Newsletter, the Executive Board has committed to publishing the prior fiscal year’s finalized budget statement each August. The final 2023 budget statement and approved 2024 budget are available online in the SMT archives, and appended to the PDF version of the Newsletter. A few line-items that may be of particular interest include:
- SMT funded just over $9,000 in conference access grants, two $5,000 dissertation fellowships, and over $3,000 in publication subventions (lines 21–24).
- The “23 for 2023” fundraising campaign generated over $25,000, significantly exceeding the budgeted target (line 39).
- Both the Fidelity and Vanguard funds (lines 57–58) performed very well in 2023, posting significant gains even in the last two months (post-Denver).
I am happy to answer any questions and to discuss any concerns, and I look forward to seeing you in Jacksonville!
At the midpoint of our fiscal year, I’m pleased to report that two welcome surprises and your on-going generosity leave us well positioned as we look forward to our solo conference in Jacksonville. Higher than expected payments from AMS (revenue from the 2023 joint meeting in Denver) and Oxford University Press (profits from Music Theory Spectrum) brought in more than $10,000 in unanticipated income, and, as we continue to build a culture of giving, donations are running more than $10,000 above this time last year. Membership dues, our greatest source of income and a recurring investment you make in the Society, are holding steady. Finally, to better leverage the funds we have available, the Executive Board, with guidance from the Investment Committee, has approved a transfer of $40,000 from our very-low-interest savings account into our Fidelity account (the Contingency Fund), in hopes of generating additional income.
Beginning with this issue of the Newsletter, the Executive Board has committed to publishing the prior fiscal year’s finalized budget statement each August. The final 2023 budget statement and approved 2024 budget are available online in the SMT archives, and appended to the PDF version of the Newsletter. A few line-items that may be of particular interest include:
- SMT funded just over $9,000 in conference access grants, two $5,000 dissertation fellowships, and over $3,000 in publication subventions (lines 21–24).
- The “23 for 2023” fundraising campaign generated over $25,000, significantly exceeding the budgeted target (line 39).
- Both the Fidelity and Vanguard funds (lines 57–58) performed very well in 2023, posting significant gains even in the last two months (post-Denver).
I am happy to answer any questions and to discuss any concerns, and I look forward to seeing you in Jacksonville!
Interest Group Reports
Kristi Hardman, Lindsey Reymore, Stephen Spencer, and Lina S. Tabak
The Analysis of World Musics Interest Group and the Timbre & Orchestration Interest Group will be hosting a joint interest group meeting at the 2024 meeting of the Society for Music Theory. We are looking for 20-minute sessions that will engage the audience in activities such as group discussions or guided listening. Shorter presentations may be included—for example, a session might include a ten-minute lightning talk plus ten minutes of guided discussion. We welcome and encourage proposals for innovative formats.
Please email proposals of no… Read More
Analysis of World Musics Interest Group
Authored by Kristi Hardman, Lindsey Reymore, Stephen Spencer, and Lina S. Tabak
The Analysis of World Musics Interest Group and the Timbre & Orchestration Interest Group will be hosting a joint interest group meeting at the 2024 meeting of the Society for Music Theory. We are looking for 20-minute sessions that will engage the audience in activities such as group discussions or guided listening. Shorter presentations may be included—for example, a session might include a ten-minute lightning talk plus ten minutes of guided discussion. We welcome and encourage proposals for innovative formats.
Please email proposals of no more than 400 words, together with a brief bio (up to 100 words) to timbre.smt@gmail.com. The proposal should include a description of the format of the session, including a breakdown of how the time will be used. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
The Analysis of World Musics Interest Group and the Timbre & Orchestration Interest Group will be hosting a joint interest group meeting at the 2024 meeting of the Society for Music Theory. We are looking for 20-minute sessions that will engage the audience in activities such as group discussions or guided listening. Shorter presentations may be included—for example, a session might include a ten-minute lightning talk plus ten minutes of guided discussion. We welcome and encourage proposals for innovative formats.
Please email proposals of no more than 400 words, together with a brief bio (up to 100 words) to timbre.smt@gmail.com. The proposal should include a description of the format of the session, including a breakdown of how the time will be used. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
Christoph Neidhöfer and Philip Stoecker
The Autographs and Archival Documents Interest Group (AADIG) promotes scholarship that is informed by the study of archival materials, broadly construed. To remain updated on all group activities we encourage everyone to see our AADIG Facebook and AADIG Knowledge Commons pages, as well as our … Read More
Autographs and Archival Documents Interest Group
Authored by Christoph Neidhöfer and Philip Stoecker
The Autographs and Archival Documents Interest Group (AADIG) promotes scholarship that is informed by the study of archival materials, broadly construed. To remain updated on all group activities we encourage everyone to see our AADIG Facebook and AADIG Knowledge Commons pages, as well as our AADIG page with SMT, where you can sign up for our email list.
More information about our activities for the 2024 Annual Meeting will be announced soon.
The Autographs and Archival Documents Interest Group (AADIG) promotes scholarship that is informed by the study of archival materials, broadly construed. To remain updated on all group activities we encourage everyone to see our AADIG Facebook and AADIG Knowledge Commons pages, as well as our AADIG page with SMT, where you can sign up for our email list.
More information about our activities for the 2024 Annual Meeting will be announced soon.
Rachel Gain and Amy Tai, co-chairs
The Dance and Movement Interest Group created an online bibliography of sources (Dance/Movement and Music Bibliography) related to dance and movement and their relationship with music. We welcome contributions, which you can email to us at danceandmovement@societymusictheory.org (please note that sending us the DOI, ISBN, JSTOR link, or .RIS file would greatly decrease the workload on our end).
Our group is also compiling a repository of resources on dance/movement and music on our… Read More
The Dance and Movement Interest Group created an online bibliography of sources (Dance/Movement and Music Bibliography) related to dance and movement and their relationship with music. We welcome contributions, which you can email to us at danceandmovement@societymusictheory.org (please note that sending us the DOI, ISBN, JSTOR link, or .RIS file would greatly decrease the workload on our end).
Our group is also compiling a repository of resources on dance/movement and music on our Dance/Movement Knowledge Commons page (formerly Humanities Commons). We can upload files and have collaboratively editable docs. If there is anything you would like to share with the group, please email them to danceandmovement@societymusictheory.org, and the co-chairs will classify and post them. We are open to new ideas about types of resources you’d like to share and see.
We will organize an informal online gathering where scholars on dance/movement and music meet and discuss their current research on June 24, 2024, at 3pm EDT. Stay tuned for announcements on SMT-announce and Knowledge Commons!
The Dance and Movement Interest Group created an online bibliography of sources (Dance/Movement and Music Bibliography) related to dance and movement and their relationship with music. We welcome contributions, which you can email to us at danceandmovement@societymusictheory.org (please note that sending us the DOI, ISBN, JSTOR link, or .RIS file would greatly decrease the workload on our end).
Our group is also compiling a repository of resources on dance/movement and music on our Dance/Movement Knowledge Commons page (formerly Humanities Commons). We can upload files and have collaboratively editable docs. If there is anything you would like to share with the group, please email them to danceandmovement@societymusictheory.org, and the co-chairs will classify and post them. We are open to new ideas about types of resources you’d like to share and see.
We will organize an informal online gathering where scholars on dance/movement and music meet and discuss their current research on June 24, 2024, at 3pm EDT. Stay tuned for announcements on SMT-announce and Knowledge Commons!
William Ayers and Charity Lofthouse
The Film and Multimedia Interest Group strives to create a scholarly space to stimulate and disseminate research on music (broadly understood to include sound) within film, games, and multimedia, employing well-established music analytical methodologies, as well as newly developed analytical frameworks.
In support of this mission, we sponsor a number of activities, including an annual business meeting at the SMT Annual Meeting and a publication award, which will have its second recipient this fall. More information about our upcoming meeting will be posted on our… Read More
The Film and Multimedia Interest Group strives to create a scholarly space to stimulate and disseminate research on music (broadly understood to include sound) within film, games, and multimedia, employing well-established music analytical methodologies, as well as newly developed analytical frameworks.
In support of this mission, we sponsor a number of activities, including an annual business meeting at the SMT Annual Meeting and a publication award, which will have its second recipient this fall. More information about our upcoming meeting will be posted on our Film and Multimedia Knowledge Commons page. Please join this our Knowledge Commons group if you want to get involved or stay updated!
You may also reach out using the contact information on our Film and Multimedia IG page on the SMT website. We are always looking for volunteers, and we look forward to seeing you in Jacksonville!
The Film and Multimedia Interest Group strives to create a scholarly space to stimulate and disseminate research on music (broadly understood to include sound) within film, games, and multimedia, employing well-established music analytical methodologies, as well as newly developed analytical frameworks.
In support of this mission, we sponsor a number of activities, including an annual business meeting at the SMT Annual Meeting and a publication award, which will have its second recipient this fall. More information about our upcoming meeting will be posted on our Film and Multimedia Knowledge Commons page. Please join this our Knowledge Commons group if you want to get involved or stay updated!
You may also reach out using the contact information on our Film and Multimedia IG page on the SMT website. We are always looking for volunteers, and we look forward to seeing you in Jacksonville!
Ji Yeon Lee
The SMT Global Interculturalism and Musical Peripheries Interest Group (GIMPIG) is currently planning a joint session with the Post-1945 Music Analysis Interest Group at the SMT national meeting in November. A CFP will be released soon.
GIMPIG aims to create a platform for scholars to research underrepresented and neglected new music from around the world, considering the dynamics of musical canonicity and marginality, as well as insider/outsider perspectives and postcolonial issues. Please consider becoming a member of… Read More
The SMT Global Interculturalism and Musical Peripheries Interest Group (GIMPIG) is currently planning a joint session with the Post-1945 Music Analysis Interest Group at the SMT national meeting in November. A CFP will be released soon.
GIMPIG aims to create a platform for scholars to research underrepresented and neglected new music from around the world, considering the dynamics of musical canonicity and marginality, as well as insider/outsider perspectives and postcolonial issues. Please consider becoming a member of GIMPIG and check out our GIMPIG Facebook page. We welcome any suggestions and input for the group’s activities.
The SMT Global Interculturalism and Musical Peripheries Interest Group (GIMPIG) is currently planning a joint session with the Post-1945 Music Analysis Interest Group at the SMT national meeting in November. A CFP will be released soon.
GIMPIG aims to create a platform for scholars to research underrepresented and neglected new music from around the world, considering the dynamics of musical canonicity and marginality, as well as insider/outsider perspectives and postcolonial issues. Please consider becoming a member of GIMPIG and check out our GIMPIG Facebook page. We welcome any suggestions and input for the group’s activities.
Abigail Shupe
The History of Theory Interest Group met jointly with the Analysis of World Music Interest Group and hosted a series of lightning talks about analyzing non-Western music. The session was well-attended and included a lively discussion on what “counts” as music theory in a given culture. Plans are underway for the 2024 session. In the last year, the group held elections for new leadership. Stephanie Probst and Scott Gleason rotated off as co-chairs and we thank them for their service to the group. At the 2024 conference, Daniel Walden will continue as co-… Read More
The History of Theory Interest Group met jointly with the Analysis of World Music Interest Group and hosted a series of lightning talks about analyzing non-Western music. The session was well-attended and included a lively discussion on what “counts” as music theory in a given culture. Plans are underway for the 2024 session. In the last year, the group held elections for new leadership. Stephanie Probst and Scott Gleason rotated off as co-chairs and we thank them for their service to the group. At the 2024 conference, Daniel Walden will continue as co-chair, William O’Hara will rotate on as co-chair, and Abigail Shupe will rotate off, with gratitude for her time in leadership. Please consider submitting to our History of Music Theory blog, co-managed with the AMS History of Theory study group.
The History of Theory Interest Group met jointly with the Analysis of World Music Interest Group and hosted a series of lightning talks about analyzing non-Western music. The session was well-attended and included a lively discussion on what “counts” as music theory in a given culture. Plans are underway for the 2024 session. In the last year, the group held elections for new leadership. Stephanie Probst and Scott Gleason rotated off as co-chairs and we thank them for their service to the group. At the 2024 conference, Daniel Walden will continue as co-chair, William O’Hara will rotate on as co-chair, and Abigail Shupe will rotate off, with gratitude for her time in leadership. Please consider submitting to our History of Music Theory blog, co-managed with the AMS History of Theory study group.
Sean R. Smither and Andrew Malilay White
The SMT Improvisation and Music Theory Pedagogy Interest Groups will meet jointly at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Music Theory in November 2024 in Jacksonville, FL. We will host a session featuring short presentations, workshops, and teaching demonstrations of roughly 10 minutes on the topic of “Improvisation in/as Pedagogy.” At our meeting, Sean Smither will step down as chair and Andrew Malilay White will rotate from vice-chair to chair. We will be holding elections electronically for vice-chair. Please stay tuned for more information on… Read More
The SMT Improvisation and Music Theory Pedagogy Interest Groups will meet jointly at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Music Theory in November 2024 in Jacksonville, FL. We will host a session featuring short presentations, workshops, and teaching demonstrations of roughly 10 minutes on the topic of “Improvisation in/as Pedagogy.” At our meeting, Sean Smither will step down as chair and Andrew Malilay White will rotate from vice-chair to chair. We will be holding elections electronically for vice-chair. Please stay tuned for more information on nominations and voting.
For more information on our joint interest group meeting and on the Improvisation Interest Group in general, please visit the Improvisation Interest Group website.
The SMT Improvisation and Music Theory Pedagogy Interest Groups will meet jointly at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Music Theory in November 2024 in Jacksonville, FL. We will host a session featuring short presentations, workshops, and teaching demonstrations of roughly 10 minutes on the topic of “Improvisation in/as Pedagogy.” At our meeting, Sean Smither will step down as chair and Andrew Malilay White will rotate from vice-chair to chair. We will be holding elections electronically for vice-chair. Please stay tuned for more information on nominations and voting.
For more information on our joint interest group meeting and on the Improvisation Interest Group in general, please visit the Improvisation Interest Group website.
Ben Baker
The Jazz Interest Group will host its thirtieth annual meeting at the 2024 SMT Annual Meeting in Jacksonville. We invite all interested members to attend.
The Jazz Publications Committee is soliciting nominations for the 2024 Award for Excellence in Jazz Scholarship. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the field of jazz theory and analysis. Eligibility extends to books, book chapters, articles, delivered conference papers, dissertations, or theses in English (or translated to English) that have been published, presented, or defended since January 1… Read More
The Jazz Interest Group will host its thirtieth annual meeting at the 2024 SMT Annual Meeting in Jacksonville. We invite all interested members to attend.
The Jazz Publications Committee is soliciting nominations for the 2024 Award for Excellence in Jazz Scholarship. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the field of jazz theory and analysis. Eligibility extends to books, book chapters, articles, delivered conference papers, dissertations, or theses in English (or translated to English) that have been published, presented, or defended since January 1, 2019. A document must be nominated by one member of the Society for Music Theory (self-nominations are permitted), and an SMT member may nominate only one work per calendar year. Nominations should include (1) the name of the author and that author’s contact information (if known); (2) a description of the document and complete bibliographic information, if applicable; and (3) a statement to the effect that the work was published, presented, or defended within the previous five calendar years. The committee may ask a nominee to submit copies of the nominated document, if needed.
Please send nominations to Publications Committee chair Sean Smither by Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The additional committee members are Varun Chandrasekhar (Washington University in St. Louis) and Dustin Chau (The University of Chicago).
The Jazz Interest Group maintains an online presence on our Jazz IG Knowledge Commons page. Our Jazz Theory Bibliography is managed by James McGowan (Carleton University), to whom new entries, questions, and comments should be sent. We will also elect a new IG chair this fall; please stay tuned for more information on the nomination and election process. Feel free to contact the current interest group chair, Ben Baker (Eastman School of Music), with any other questions.
The Jazz Interest Group will host its thirtieth annual meeting at the 2024 SMT Annual Meeting in Jacksonville. We invite all interested members to attend.
The Jazz Publications Committee is soliciting nominations for the 2024 Award for Excellence in Jazz Scholarship. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the field of jazz theory and analysis. Eligibility extends to books, book chapters, articles, delivered conference papers, dissertations, or theses in English (or translated to English) that have been published, presented, or defended since January 1, 2019. A document must be nominated by one member of the Society for Music Theory (self-nominations are permitted), and an SMT member may nominate only one work per calendar year. Nominations should include (1) the name of the author and that author’s contact information (if known); (2) a description of the document and complete bibliographic information, if applicable; and (3) a statement to the effect that the work was published, presented, or defended within the previous five calendar years. The committee may ask a nominee to submit copies of the nominated document, if needed.
Please send nominations to Publications Committee chair Sean Smither by Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The additional committee members are Varun Chandrasekhar (Washington University in St. Louis) and Dustin Chau (The University of Chicago).
The Jazz Interest Group maintains an online presence on our Jazz IG Knowledge Commons page. Our Jazz Theory Bibliography is managed by James McGowan (Carleton University), to whom new entries, questions, and comments should be sent. We will also elect a new IG chair this fall; please stay tuned for more information on the nomination and election process. Feel free to contact the current interest group chair, Ben Baker (Eastman School of Music), with any other questions.
Mike Hall
The Mathematics of Music Interest Group promotes scholarship involving mathematical approaches to music theory and analysis. The group maintains an e-discussion list and plans events at SMT Annual Meetings and throughout the year. Our 2023 annual meeting featured a panel of short talks engaging with Julian Hook’s recent book, Exploring Musical Spaces: A Synthesis of Mathematical Approaches (Oxford University Press, 2023). Panelists included Clifton Callender (Florida State University), Richard Cohn (Yale University), Mariana Montiel (Georgia… Read More
The Mathematics of Music Interest Group promotes scholarship involving mathematical approaches to music theory and analysis. The group maintains an e-discussion list and plans events at SMT Annual Meetings and throughout the year. Our 2023 annual meeting featured a panel of short talks engaging with Julian Hook’s recent book, Exploring Musical Spaces: A Synthesis of Mathematical Approaches (Oxford University Press, 2023). Panelists included Clifton Callender (Florida State University), Richard Cohn (Yale University), Mariana Montiel (Georgia State University), James Sullivan (Michigan State University), Kaylee Bernard (Eastman School of Music) and Ryan Galik (Michigan State University), with a response provided by Julian Hook (Indiana University) followed by Q & A. Please look for announcements about upcoming lightning talks (in-person or by Zoom) and the program for the 2024 Annual Meeting. All interested individuals are invited to join the Mathematics of Music Interest Group. We currently have an open co-chair position. For more information, visit the Mathematics of Music IG page on the SMT website or contact the current chair Mike Hall.
The Mathematics of Music Interest Group promotes scholarship involving mathematical approaches to music theory and analysis. The group maintains an e-discussion list and plans events at SMT Annual Meetings and throughout the year. Our 2023 annual meeting featured a panel of short talks engaging with Julian Hook’s recent book, Exploring Musical Spaces: A Synthesis of Mathematical Approaches (Oxford University Press, 2023). Panelists included Clifton Callender (Florida State University), Richard Cohn (Yale University), Mariana Montiel (Georgia State University), James Sullivan (Michigan State University), Kaylee Bernard (Eastman School of Music) and Ryan Galik (Michigan State University), with a response provided by Julian Hook (Indiana University) followed by Q & A. Please look for announcements about upcoming lightning talks (in-person or by Zoom) and the program for the 2024 Annual Meeting. All interested individuals are invited to join the Mathematics of Music Interest Group. We currently have an open co-chair position. For more information, visit the Mathematics of Music IG page on the SMT website or contact the current chair Mike Hall.
Audrey Slote
On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the Music and Philosophy Interest Group held a virtual business meeting to discuss our goals and to institute a set of bylaws to guide norms and procedures for meetings during and outside of the SMT Annual Meeting, officer elections, and an award in recognition of outstanding scholarship in the intersection of music theory and philosophy.
Please stay tuned for more information about a late summer/early fall book club-style Zoom gathering, new officer elections, and nominations for our newly instituted award. You can look for updates… Read More
On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the Music and Philosophy Interest Group held a virtual business meeting to discuss our goals and to institute a set of bylaws to guide norms and procedures for meetings during and outside of the SMT Annual Meeting, officer elections, and an award in recognition of outstanding scholarship in the intersection of music theory and philosophy.
Please stay tuned for more information about a late summer/early fall book club-style Zoom gathering, new officer elections, and nominations for our newly instituted award. You can look for updates on our Music and Philosophy Facebook page, Music and Philosophy Knowledge Commons site, or via email (ajslote@uchicago.edu). If you would like to receive email notifications from us or would like to take a look at our bylaws, please email current co-chair Audrey Slote.
On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the Music and Philosophy Interest Group held a virtual business meeting to discuss our goals and to institute a set of bylaws to guide norms and procedures for meetings during and outside of the SMT Annual Meeting, officer elections, and an award in recognition of outstanding scholarship in the intersection of music theory and philosophy.
Please stay tuned for more information about a late summer/early fall book club-style Zoom gathering, new officer elections, and nominations for our newly instituted award. You can look for updates on our Music and Philosophy Facebook page, Music and Philosophy Knowledge Commons site, or via email (ajslote@uchicago.edu). If you would like to receive email notifications from us or would like to take a look at our bylaws, please email current co-chair Audrey Slote.
Sammy Gardner
The Music Cognition Interest Group provides a space for scholars to meet, converse, and share ideas about music theory, cognition, and perception. MCIG looks forward to meeting at the 2024 SMT Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, FL! Details for our meeting are forthcoming.
Read MoreThe Music Cognition Interest Group provides a space for scholars to meet, converse, and share ideas about music theory, cognition, and perception. MCIG looks forward to meeting at the 2024 SMT Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, FL! Details for our meeting are forthcoming.
The Music Cognition Interest Group provides a space for scholars to meet, converse, and share ideas about music theory, cognition, and perception. MCIG looks forward to meeting at the 2024 SMT Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, FL! Details for our meeting are forthcoming.
Nick Shea
Over the next few years, the Music Informatics Interest Group (MIIG) will be programming a series of workshop-like tutorials that aim to increase the accessibility of informatics-related methods of music analysis. Workshops will tackle a variety of topics and will be crafted such that anyone should feel comfortable downloading the relevant software and working through the exercises together as guided by a MIIG member. Accessibility, more than anything, will be the focus. These workshops will be run in-person at SMT and virtually throughout the year.
Interested MIIG… Read More
Over the next few years, the Music Informatics Interest Group (MIIG) will be programming a series of workshop-like tutorials that aim to increase the accessibility of informatics-related methods of music analysis. Workshops will tackle a variety of topics and will be crafted such that anyone should feel comfortable downloading the relevant software and working through the exercises together as guided by a MIIG member. Accessibility, more than anything, will be the focus. These workshops will be run in-person at SMT and virtually throughout the year.
Interested MIIG members will then work with myself to streamline the workshop content into short videos to be submitted for publication in an open-access journal. Our end-goal will be to produce a series of videos that non-informatics members feel comfortable working through with upper-level undergraduates or graduate students during a unit on music technology, corpus studies, or cognition, for instance.
The MIIG hosted an open brainstorming session on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. We spent time discussing the general trajectory of the video tutorial project — its scope, goals, and options for content. You can read our MIIG meeting notes here. Overall, we came to the conclusion that the videos in the series would need to be motivated by a broader philosophical question that is then explored with the viewer in real-time using a specific tool. To air out this process, we decided to host two workshops at SMT this year during our 90-minute group meeting. First, we'll begin with an open-ended tutorial-like session, where participants will work with the speaker to ask basic questions of precompiled music databases. Users will enter commands in real time in tandem with the speaker, working in a pre-installed virtual environment with packages already loaded. Our second session will shift focus on a more specific question that at the same time demonstrates everyday best practices of music and data analysis. This will also be a live-coding session. Nat Condit-Schultz has offered to lead the first part of the workshop, including setting up the virtual environment in https://posit.cloud/. I (Nick Shea) volunteered to lead the second part of the workshop, which will focus on the methodological stakes associated with various sampling strategies in music theory as it relates to artist diversity, genre, and representativeness. However, I also encourage other members to suggest a different potential workshop topic for the second half of the session. If you are interested in presenting on a specific topic that tackles a relevant question in computational music analysis and/or music information retrieval, please email me at njshea@asu.edu with a short description of your presentation plan. I will then email group members with a poll to vote on the workshop topic well before our meeting. The winning topic will then be featured as the second session of the workshop at SMT. Our interest group meeting will be held on Nov 9, 12:30–2:00 pm.
Please email Nick Shea with any questions.
Over the next few years, the Music Informatics Interest Group (MIIG) will be programming a series of workshop-like tutorials that aim to increase the accessibility of informatics-related methods of music analysis. Workshops will tackle a variety of topics and will be crafted such that anyone should feel comfortable downloading the relevant software and working through the exercises together as guided by a MIIG member. Accessibility, more than anything, will be the focus. These workshops will be run in-person at SMT and virtually throughout the year.
Interested MIIG members will then work with myself to streamline the workshop content into short videos to be submitted for publication in an open-access journal. Our end-goal will be to produce a series of videos that non-informatics members feel comfortable working through with upper-level undergraduates or graduate students during a unit on music technology, corpus studies, or cognition, for instance.
The MIIG hosted an open brainstorming session on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. We spent time discussing the general trajectory of the video tutorial project — its scope, goals, and options for content. You can read our MIIG meeting notes here. Overall, we came to the conclusion that the videos in the series would need to be motivated by a broader philosophical question that is then explored with the viewer in real-time using a specific tool. To air out this process, we decided to host two workshops at SMT this year during our 90-minute group meeting. First, we'll begin with an open-ended tutorial-like session, where participants will work with the speaker to ask basic questions of precompiled music databases. Users will enter commands in real time in tandem with the speaker, working in a pre-installed virtual environment with packages already loaded. Our second session will shift focus on a more specific question that at the same time demonstrates everyday best practices of music and data analysis. This will also be a live-coding session. Nat Condit-Schultz has offered to lead the first part of the workshop, including setting up the virtual environment in https://posit.cloud/. I (Nick Shea) volunteered to lead the second part of the workshop, which will focus on the methodological stakes associated with various sampling strategies in music theory as it relates to artist diversity, genre, and representativeness. However, I also encourage other members to suggest a different potential workshop topic for the second half of the session. If you are interested in presenting on a specific topic that tackles a relevant question in computational music analysis and/or music information retrieval, please email me at njshea@asu.edu with a short description of your presentation plan. I will then email group members with a poll to vote on the workshop topic well before our meeting. The winning topic will then be featured as the second session of the workshop at SMT. Our interest group meeting will be held on Nov 9, 12:30–2:00 pm.
Please email Nick Shea with any questions.
Tim Chenette
The SMT Improvisation and Music Theory Pedagogy Interest Groups will meet jointly at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Music Theory in November 2024 in Jacksonville, FL. We will host a session featuring short presentations, workshops, and teaching demonstrations of roughly 10 minutes on the topic of “Improvisation in/as Pedagogy.” Following the session, Sean Smither will step down as chair of the Improvisation IG and Andrew Malilay White will rotate from vice-chair to chair. Electronic elections for Improvisation vice-chair will follow; please stay… Read More
The SMT Improvisation and Music Theory Pedagogy Interest Groups will meet jointly at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Music Theory in November 2024 in Jacksonville, FL. We will host a session featuring short presentations, workshops, and teaching demonstrations of roughly 10 minutes on the topic of “Improvisation in/as Pedagogy.” Following the session, Sean Smither will step down as chair of the Improvisation IG and Andrew Malilay White will rotate from vice-chair to chair. Electronic elections for Improvisation vice-chair will follow; please stay tuned for more information on nominations and voting.
The SMT Improvisation and Music Theory Pedagogy Interest Groups will meet jointly at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Music Theory in November 2024 in Jacksonville, FL. We will host a session featuring short presentations, workshops, and teaching demonstrations of roughly 10 minutes on the topic of “Improvisation in/as Pedagogy.” Following the session, Sean Smither will step down as chair of the Improvisation IG and Andrew Malilay White will rotate from vice-chair to chair. Electronic elections for Improvisation vice-chair will follow; please stay tuned for more information on nominations and voting.
Daniel Ketter and Nathan Pell
We are excited to announce that Performance and Analysis Interest Group (PAIG) members elected a new co-chair in March, from a crowded field of candidates. Christa Cole (Oberlin College) will serve a four-year term, replacing Nathan Pell (The Graduate Center, CUNY) as he rotates out of the position. Christa's term will begin at PAIG's inaugural virtual spring session on June 26, 2024, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern. This session will be devoted to lightning talks so as to free up time at the SMT Annual Meeting for activities best suited to an in-person format. Stay… Read More
We are excited to announce that Performance and Analysis Interest Group (PAIG) members elected a new co-chair in March, from a crowded field of candidates. Christa Cole (Oberlin College) will serve a four-year term, replacing Nathan Pell (The Graduate Center, CUNY) as he rotates out of the position. Christa's term will begin at PAIG's inaugural virtual spring session on June 26, 2024, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern. This session will be devoted to lightning talks so as to free up time at the SMT Annual Meeting for activities best suited to an in-person format. Stay tuned for an SMT-announce message with the program and Zoom link! You can request to join the PAIG listserv by writing to the PAIG email address or by writing to one of our co-chairs. The PAIG Blog continues to host a wide array of resources for those interested in performance studies: a bibliography, discography, directory, pedagogy resource, and many fascinating blog essays.
We are excited to announce that Performance and Analysis Interest Group (PAIG) members elected a new co-chair in March, from a crowded field of candidates. Christa Cole (Oberlin College) will serve a four-year term, replacing Nathan Pell (The Graduate Center, CUNY) as he rotates out of the position. Christa's term will begin at PAIG's inaugural virtual spring session on June 26, 2024, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern. This session will be devoted to lightning talks so as to free up time at the SMT Annual Meeting for activities best suited to an in-person format. Stay tuned for an SMT-announce message with the program and Zoom link! You can request to join the PAIG listserv by writing to the PAIG email address or by writing to one of our co-chairs. The PAIG Blog continues to host a wide array of resources for those interested in performance studies: a bibliography, discography, directory, pedagogy resource, and many fascinating blog essays.
Noah Kahrs and Gui-Hwan Lee
The Post-1945 Music Analysis Interest Group recently held elections, and Noah Kahrs and Gui-Hwan Lee are the new co-chairs. Thanks again to our outgoing co-chairs William Ayers and Elizabeth Hambleton for their work steering the group in the past two years!
We are currently planning a joint meeting with the Global Interculturalisms and Musical Peripheries Interest Group for SMT Annual Meeting in November. By time of publication of the SMT Newlsetter, our call for papers should have concluded; stay tuned for an announcement of our program.… Read More
The Post-1945 Music Analysis Interest Group recently held elections, and Noah Kahrs and Gui-Hwan Lee are the new co-chairs. Thanks again to our outgoing co-chairs William Ayers and Elizabeth Hambleton for their work steering the group in the past two years!
We are currently planning a joint meeting with the Global Interculturalisms and Musical Peripheries Interest Group for SMT Annual Meeting in November. By time of publication of the SMT Newlsetter, our call for papers should have concluded; stay tuned for an announcement of our program.
The publication award committee is currently deliberating, and this year's winner will be announced during our business meeting in December. Thanks to our wonderful committee members William Ayers (chair), C. Catherine Losada, and Landon Morrison!
More information and updates about our group are always available at our Post-1945 Music Analysis IG Knowledge Commons page or Post-1945 Music Analysis IG website.
The Post-1945 Music Analysis Interest Group recently held elections, and Noah Kahrs and Gui-Hwan Lee are the new co-chairs. Thanks again to our outgoing co-chairs William Ayers and Elizabeth Hambleton for their work steering the group in the past two years!
We are currently planning a joint meeting with the Global Interculturalisms and Musical Peripheries Interest Group for SMT Annual Meeting in November. By time of publication of the SMT Newlsetter, our call for papers should have concluded; stay tuned for an announcement of our program.
The publication award committee is currently deliberating, and this year's winner will be announced during our business meeting in December. Thanks to our wonderful committee members William Ayers (chair), C. Catherine Losada, and Landon Morrison!
More information and updates about our group are always available at our Post-1945 Music Analysis IG Knowledge Commons page or Post-1945 Music Analysis IG website.
Stephen Lett
The Scholars for Social Responsibility (SSRIG) first met in 2004 at the AMS/SMT Annual Meeting in Seattle. The group was organized as a space for professional music scholars who opposed the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. The minutes from this meeting and a statement signed by members of the group are available online.
As I now write twenty years later, Israel continues to escalate its decades-long, genocidal settler-colonial campaign to displace and eradicate Palestinians… Read More
The Scholars for Social Responsibility (SSRIG) first met in 2004 at the AMS/SMT Annual Meeting in Seattle. The group was organized as a space for professional music scholars who opposed the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. The minutes from this meeting and a statement signed by members of the group are available online.
As I now write twenty years later, Israel continues to escalate its decades-long, genocidal settler-colonial campaign to displace and eradicate Palestinians from Palestine. So I write here to express that I stand in solidarity with all Palestinians and to echo calls to action to liberate Palestine within our lifetime. Taking action is the only responsible thing to do. So I also write to express my support for all students, faculty, staff, and “outside agitators” demanding that institutions of higher education disclose relationships with and divest from Israel.
The brutal repression of student-led direct action over the couple months has been horrifying to witness, yet this is entirely in line with what many scholars have been arguing for decades. Namely, the university is the intellectual and research arm of Empire. While there are insurgent formations within the university (and within society at large), they are only tolerated until their teachings materialize into movements on campus and beyond. What we have been witnessing is what happens when those movements gain traction: violent state repression.
As the current chair of SSRIG, I want to make my intentions for this group clear. This is a space of insurgent study and praxis for those of us who happen to find ourselves dwelling in and around this academic profession. This is a space where there is no question about where our responsibilities lie. We know that it is our responsibility to destroy institutions premised on extraction and exploitation. We know that it is our responsibility to nurture and (re)build institutions premised on caretaking all our relations. That is, we know that our responsibility is precisely to the praxis of abolition, decolonization, and revolution. The only questions to engage are those of tactics and strategy.
If you’re interested in pursuing such insurgent study and praxis, I invite you to join our study group. Just send me an email (s.e.lett@gmail.com) expressing your interest and what you hope to achieve through this community. We are currently meeting monthly to discuss short readings and to make plans for the 2024 Annual Meeting in Jacksonville.
The Scholars for Social Responsibility (SSRIG) first met in 2004 at the AMS/SMT Annual Meeting in Seattle. The group was organized as a space for professional music scholars who opposed the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. The minutes from this meeting and a statement signed by members of the group are available online.
As I now write twenty years later, Israel continues to escalate its decades-long, genocidal settler-colonial campaign to displace and eradicate Palestinians from Palestine. So I write here to express that I stand in solidarity with all Palestinians and to echo calls to action to liberate Palestine within our lifetime. Taking action is the only responsible thing to do. So I also write to express my support for all students, faculty, staff, and “outside agitators” demanding that institutions of higher education disclose relationships with and divest from Israel.
The brutal repression of student-led direct action over the couple months has been horrifying to witness, yet this is entirely in line with what many scholars have been arguing for decades. Namely, the university is the intellectual and research arm of Empire. While there are insurgent formations within the university (and within society at large), they are only tolerated until their teachings materialize into movements on campus and beyond. What we have been witnessing is what happens when those movements gain traction: violent state repression.
As the current chair of SSRIG, I want to make my intentions for this group clear. This is a space of insurgent study and praxis for those of us who happen to find ourselves dwelling in and around this academic profession. This is a space where there is no question about where our responsibilities lie. We know that it is our responsibility to destroy institutions premised on extraction and exploitation. We know that it is our responsibility to nurture and (re)build institutions premised on caretaking all our relations. That is, we know that our responsibility is precisely to the praxis of abolition, decolonization, and revolution. The only questions to engage are those of tactics and strategy.
If you’re interested in pursuing such insurgent study and praxis, I invite you to join our study group. Just send me an email (s.e.lett@gmail.com) expressing your interest and what you hope to achieve through this community. We are currently meeting monthly to discuss short readings and to make plans for the 2024 Annual Meeting in Jacksonville.
Kristi Hardman, Lindsey Reymore, Stephen Spencer, and Lina S. Tabak
The Analysis of World Musics Interest Group and the Timbre & Orchestration Interest Group will be hosting a joint interest group meeting at the 2024 meeting of the Society for Music Theory. We are looking for 20-minute sessions that will engage the audience in activities such as group discussions or guided listening. Shorter presentations may be included—for example, a session might include a ten-minute lightning talk plus ten minutes of guided discussion. We welcome and encourage proposals for innovative formats.
Please email proposals of no… Read More
Timbre and Orchestration Interest Group
Authored by Kristi Hardman, Lindsey Reymore, Stephen Spencer, and Lina S. Tabak
The Analysis of World Musics Interest Group and the Timbre & Orchestration Interest Group will be hosting a joint interest group meeting at the 2024 meeting of the Society for Music Theory. We are looking for 20-minute sessions that will engage the audience in activities such as group discussions or guided listening. Shorter presentations may be included—for example, a session might include a ten-minute lightning talk plus ten minutes of guided discussion. We welcome and encourage proposals for innovative formats.
Please email proposals of no more than 400 words, together with a brief bio (up to 100 words) to timbre.smt@gmail.com. The proposal should include a description of the format of the session, including a breakdown of how the time will be used. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
The Analysis of World Musics Interest Group and the Timbre & Orchestration Interest Group will be hosting a joint interest group meeting at the 2024 meeting of the Society for Music Theory. We are looking for 20-minute sessions that will engage the audience in activities such as group discussions or guided listening. Shorter presentations may be included—for example, a session might include a ten-minute lightning talk plus ten minutes of guided discussion. We welcome and encourage proposals for innovative formats.
Please email proposals of no more than 400 words, together with a brief bio (up to 100 words) to timbre.smt@gmail.com. The proposal should include a description of the format of the session, including a breakdown of how the time will be used. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
YouYoung Kang and Alfred Cramer
At the 2023 SMT Annual Meeting of the Work and Family Interest Group, Janet Bourne presented results from a Spring 2023 survey about the disruptions experienced by SMT members during the Covid pandemic. Janet carried out the survey in collaboration with WorkFam’s chairs, Rachel Lumsden and Inessa Bazayev. This work will be published as an article in an upcoming issue of MTO.
The SMT Work and Family Interest Group (WorkFam) advocates for members who desire better balance between work and family life. Resources on the… Read More
At the 2023 SMT Annual Meeting of the Work and Family Interest Group, Janet Bourne presented results from a Spring 2023 survey about the disruptions experienced by SMT members during the Covid pandemic. Janet carried out the survey in collaboration with WorkFam’s chairs, Rachel Lumsden and Inessa Bazayev. This work will be published as an article in an upcoming issue of MTO.
The SMT Work and Family Interest Group (WorkFam) advocates for members who desire better balance between work and family life. Resources on the WorkFam page on the SMT website include a bibliography, personal narratives from the interview initiative (2018), leave survey results (2016), recommendations for faculty and administrators on supporting families at institutions of higher learning (2015), and the family policies survey results (2012). If you have questions about WorkFam, email one of the new co-chairs, YouYoung Kang or Alfred Cramer.
Part of WorkFam’s mission is to “promote awareness concerning various challenges of balancing work with family, as well as initiate discussion on how these challenges can be resolved.” Indeed, it may be in the nature of such discussion that it requires perpetual initiation. At the upcoming Annual Meeting, we plan a panel and discussion on the topic of maximizing family time as music theory professionals. We hope SMT members at all career stages will participate in the discussion.
At the 2023 SMT Annual Meeting of the Work and Family Interest Group, Janet Bourne presented results from a Spring 2023 survey about the disruptions experienced by SMT members during the Covid pandemic. Janet carried out the survey in collaboration with WorkFam’s chairs, Rachel Lumsden and Inessa Bazayev. This work will be published as an article in an upcoming issue of MTO.
The SMT Work and Family Interest Group (WorkFam) advocates for members who desire better balance between work and family life. Resources on the WorkFam page on the SMT website include a bibliography, personal narratives from the interview initiative (2018), leave survey results (2016), recommendations for faculty and administrators on supporting families at institutions of higher learning (2015), and the family policies survey results (2012). If you have questions about WorkFam, email one of the new co-chairs, YouYoung Kang or Alfred Cramer.
Part of WorkFam’s mission is to “promote awareness concerning various challenges of balancing work with family, as well as initiate discussion on how these challenges can be resolved.” Indeed, it may be in the nature of such discussion that it requires perpetual initiation. At the upcoming Annual Meeting, we plan a panel and discussion on the topic of maximizing family time as music theory professionals. We hope SMT members at all career stages will participate in the discussion.
Regional Society Reports
Andrew Pau, outgoing MTMW Secretary
Music Theory Midwest held its thirty-fifth annual conference on May 10–11, 2024, at Ball State University. The Program Committee, chaired by René Rusch (University of Michigan), assembled a program of 36 presentations, 21 of which were eligible for the Arthur J. Komar Award for Outstanding Student Presentation. Noriko Manabe (Indiana University) gave a keynote address on “Intertextuality in Protest Music,” and Paul Steinbeck (Washington University in St. Louis) led a pre-conference workshop on “Analyzing Improvisation.” The conference also featured a… Read More
Music Theory Midwest held its thirty-fifth annual conference on May 10–11, 2024, at Ball State University. The Program Committee, chaired by René Rusch (University of Michigan), assembled a program of 36 presentations, 21 of which were eligible for the Arthur J. Komar Award for Outstanding Student Presentation. Noriko Manabe (Indiana University) gave a keynote address on “Intertextuality in Protest Music,” and Paul Steinbeck (Washington University in St. Louis) led a pre-conference workshop on “Analyzing Improvisation.” The conference also featured a demonstration and performance by the Ball State New Music Ensemble, led by Amelia Kaplan. Sincere thanks to Brett Clement for acting as local arrangements chair, and to everyone who contributed toward making the conference a success!
The 2024 Arthur J. Komar Award was given to Audrey Slote (University of Chicago) for “Democratized Form: Collage and Cohesion in the Music of Bon Iver.” Honorable mention was given to Laine Gruver (Northwestern University) for “House of the Dragon’s Expression of Apotheosis: Leitmotivic and Agential Troping in ‘Lucerys’ Death’” and Evan Tanovich (University of Toronto) for “Haydn’s Exposition-Like Developments.” Congratulations to these scholars! Many thanks to the members of the Komar Award committee, who followed a recusal process for potential conflicts of interest: Daniel Shanahan (Northwestern University), chair; Leah Frederick (University of Michigan); Matthew Poon (University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire); and Eleanor Trawick (Ball State University).
We recognize the contributions of Executive Committee members whose two-year terms ended in 2024. Thanks to our outgoing members: Andrew Pau (Oberlin College & Conservatory), Secretary; Johanna Frymoyer (University of Notre Dame) and Joon Park (University of Illinois Chicago), Area Representatives; and Clair Nguyen (University of Cincinnati), Student Representative.
Members of the 2024–2025 Executive Committee are: Christopher Segall (University of Cincinnati), President; Matt Chiu (Baldwin Wallace University), Secretary; Rebecca Perry-Ockey (Lawrence University), Treasurer; Alyssa Barna (University of Minnesota), Orit Hilewicz (Indiana University), Nancy Murphy (University of Michigan), and Sarah Sarver (Oklahoma State University), Area Representatives; Lydia Bangura (University of Michigan) and Dustin Chau (University of Chicago), Student Representatives.
Music Theory Midwest is pleased to announce that our 2025 conference will be held online, as the inaugural effort in a joint initiative with the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic and the South Central Society of Music Theory to organize a multi-year rotation of online spring conferences. The initiative is aimed at improving accessibility for scholars who may find it difficult to attend in-person conferences. We welcome the participation of other regional societies in this initiative; please contact Chris Segall for further information.
For more information please visit the Music Theory Midwest website.
Music Theory Midwest held its thirty-fifth annual conference on May 10–11, 2024, at Ball State University. The Program Committee, chaired by René Rusch (University of Michigan), assembled a program of 36 presentations, 21 of which were eligible for the Arthur J. Komar Award for Outstanding Student Presentation. Noriko Manabe (Indiana University) gave a keynote address on “Intertextuality in Protest Music,” and Paul Steinbeck (Washington University in St. Louis) led a pre-conference workshop on “Analyzing Improvisation.” The conference also featured a demonstration and performance by the Ball State New Music Ensemble, led by Amelia Kaplan. Sincere thanks to Brett Clement for acting as local arrangements chair, and to everyone who contributed toward making the conference a success!
The 2024 Arthur J. Komar Award was given to Audrey Slote (University of Chicago) for “Democratized Form: Collage and Cohesion in the Music of Bon Iver.” Honorable mention was given to Laine Gruver (Northwestern University) for “House of the Dragon’s Expression of Apotheosis: Leitmotivic and Agential Troping in ‘Lucerys’ Death’” and Evan Tanovich (University of Toronto) for “Haydn’s Exposition-Like Developments.” Congratulations to these scholars! Many thanks to the members of the Komar Award committee, who followed a recusal process for potential conflicts of interest: Daniel Shanahan (Northwestern University), chair; Leah Frederick (University of Michigan); Matthew Poon (University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire); and Eleanor Trawick (Ball State University).
We recognize the contributions of Executive Committee members whose two-year terms ended in 2024. Thanks to our outgoing members: Andrew Pau (Oberlin College & Conservatory), Secretary; Johanna Frymoyer (University of Notre Dame) and Joon Park (University of Illinois Chicago), Area Representatives; and Clair Nguyen (University of Cincinnati), Student Representative.
Members of the 2024–2025 Executive Committee are: Christopher Segall (University of Cincinnati), President; Matt Chiu (Baldwin Wallace University), Secretary; Rebecca Perry-Ockey (Lawrence University), Treasurer; Alyssa Barna (University of Minnesota), Orit Hilewicz (Indiana University), Nancy Murphy (University of Michigan), and Sarah Sarver (Oklahoma State University), Area Representatives; Lydia Bangura (University of Michigan) and Dustin Chau (University of Chicago), Student Representatives.
Music Theory Midwest is pleased to announce that our 2025 conference will be held online, as the inaugural effort in a joint initiative with the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic and the South Central Society of Music Theory to organize a multi-year rotation of online spring conferences. The initiative is aimed at improving accessibility for scholars who may find it difficult to attend in-person conferences. We welcome the participation of other regional societies in this initiative; please contact Chris Segall for further information.
For more information please visit the Music Theory Midwest website.
Philip Stoecker, MTSNYS President
The Music Theory Society of New York State (MTSNYS) held its annual meeting at Ithaca College on April 6–7, 2024 with Peter Silberman (Ithaca College) serving as local arrangements chair. More than twenty scholars presented on diverse theoretical and analytic topics and repertoire. Alex Reed (Ithaca College) served as chair of the 2024 program committee. The plenary session consisted of a (belated) 50th anniversary celebration; the plenary included Mary Arlin, Timothy A. Johnson, Betsy Marvin, and Philip Stoecker. Nancy Rao (Rutgers University) led the conference workshop… Read More
The Music Theory Society of New York State (MTSNYS) held its annual meeting at Ithaca College on April 6–7, 2024 with Peter Silberman (Ithaca College) serving as local arrangements chair. More than twenty scholars presented on diverse theoretical and analytic topics and repertoire. Alex Reed (Ithaca College) served as chair of the 2024 program committee. The plenary session consisted of a (belated) 50th anniversary celebration; the plenary included Mary Arlin, Timothy A. Johnson, Betsy Marvin, and Philip Stoecker. Nancy Rao (Rutgers University) led the conference workshop on “‘Shilin Jita’: Listening to Opera in America of the Roaring Twenties.”
MTSNYS both supports and encourages pre-professionals in their pursuit of a career in music theory with the Patricia Carpenter Emerging Scholar Award for the best student paper delivered at the Annual Meeting. The award carries a cash prize and promise of publication in the Society’s journal, Theory and Practice. Both the oral and written version of the paper are taken into consideration. I am pleased to announce that Micah Roberts (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music) received the 2024 Patricia Carpenter Emerging Scholar Award for his paper “‘Ancient Voices’: A Hypermetrical and Orchestrational Analysis of the Theme Songs to Seasons of CBS’s Survivor,” which will appear in a future issue of Theory and Practice. Congratulations, Micah!
We are pleased to announce the publication of Volume 47–48 of Theory and Practice. Beginning with volumes 47–48, Theory and Practice is now available in an open access format. PDFs of individual articles from this double volume are available for download. Theory and Practice is the journal of MTSNYS. The editors, Trevor DeClercq and Kyle Hutchinson, welcome article submissions on a broad range of topics in music theory. You can find more information about Theory and Practice on the MTSNYS website.
The Society’s 2025 meeting will take place at Fordham University (Lincoln Center Campus in NYC), on April 5–6, with Sevin Yaraman in charge of local arrangements. The program committee is Gilad Rabinovitch (Queens College), chair; Yayoi Uno Everett (City University of New York, Hunter College); Peter Silberman (Ithaca College); Sean Smither (Juilliard School and Mannes School of Music); Stephanie Venturino (Yale University); and Philip Stoecker (Hofstra University), ex officio. A call for proposals will be announced in the summer; conference updates will be available on the MTSNYS website.
The current MTSNYS officers are Philip Stoecker (Hofstra University), President; Loretta Terrigno (Eastman School of Music), Vice President; Sarah Marlowe (Eastman School of Music), Secretary; Anna Stephan-Robinson (West Liberty University), Treasurer. Board Members-at-Large are Nathan Lam (Eastman School of Music), Lukas Perry (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), Ruka Shironishi (The New School University, Mannes School of Music, and Queens College), and Stephanie Venturino (Yale University).
The Music Theory Society of New York State (MTSNYS) held its annual meeting at Ithaca College on April 6–7, 2024 with Peter Silberman (Ithaca College) serving as local arrangements chair. More than twenty scholars presented on diverse theoretical and analytic topics and repertoire. Alex Reed (Ithaca College) served as chair of the 2024 program committee. The plenary session consisted of a (belated) 50th anniversary celebration; the plenary included Mary Arlin, Timothy A. Johnson, Betsy Marvin, and Philip Stoecker. Nancy Rao (Rutgers University) led the conference workshop on “‘Shilin Jita’: Listening to Opera in America of the Roaring Twenties.”
MTSNYS both supports and encourages pre-professionals in their pursuit of a career in music theory with the Patricia Carpenter Emerging Scholar Award for the best student paper delivered at the Annual Meeting. The award carries a cash prize and promise of publication in the Society’s journal, Theory and Practice. Both the oral and written version of the paper are taken into consideration. I am pleased to announce that Micah Roberts (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music) received the 2024 Patricia Carpenter Emerging Scholar Award for his paper “‘Ancient Voices’: A Hypermetrical and Orchestrational Analysis of the Theme Songs to Seasons of CBS’s Survivor,” which will appear in a future issue of Theory and Practice. Congratulations, Micah!
We are pleased to announce the publication of Volume 47–48 of Theory and Practice. Beginning with volumes 47–48, Theory and Practice is now available in an open access format. PDFs of individual articles from this double volume are available for download. Theory and Practice is the journal of MTSNYS. The editors, Trevor DeClercq and Kyle Hutchinson, welcome article submissions on a broad range of topics in music theory. You can find more information about Theory and Practice on the MTSNYS website.
The Society’s 2025 meeting will take place at Fordham University (Lincoln Center Campus in NYC), on April 5–6, with Sevin Yaraman in charge of local arrangements. The program committee is Gilad Rabinovitch (Queens College), chair; Yayoi Uno Everett (City University of New York, Hunter College); Peter Silberman (Ithaca College); Sean Smither (Juilliard School and Mannes School of Music); Stephanie Venturino (Yale University); and Philip Stoecker (Hofstra University), ex officio. A call for proposals will be announced in the summer; conference updates will be available on the MTSNYS website.
The current MTSNYS officers are Philip Stoecker (Hofstra University), President; Loretta Terrigno (Eastman School of Music), Vice President; Sarah Marlowe (Eastman School of Music), Secretary; Anna Stephan-Robinson (West Liberty University), Treasurer. Board Members-at-Large are Nathan Lam (Eastman School of Music), Lukas Perry (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), Ruka Shironishi (The New School University, Mannes School of Music, and Queens College), and Stephanie Venturino (Yale University).
Jenine Brown, MTSMA President
The Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic (MTSMA) held its twenty-second annual meeting at Christopher Newport University in March 2024. I am grateful to Chelsey Hamm for coordinating local arrangements. Thank you also to Rosa Abrahams, program committee chair, and the rest of the program committee for organizing a wonderful program (Kimberly Goddard Loeffert, Stefan Greenfield-Casas, Edward Latham, and Fred Maus). The Dorothy Payne Award for best student paper went to Ruixue Hu (Eastman School of Music): “Theorizing Phrase Structure in Guqin Music.” A special thank you… Read More
The Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic (MTSMA) held its twenty-second annual meeting at Christopher Newport University in March 2024. I am grateful to Chelsey Hamm for coordinating local arrangements. Thank you also to Rosa Abrahams, program committee chair, and the rest of the program committee for organizing a wonderful program (Kimberly Goddard Loeffert, Stefan Greenfield-Casas, Edward Latham, and Fred Maus). The Dorothy Payne Award for best student paper went to Ruixue Hu (Eastman School of Music): “Theorizing Phrase Structure in Guqin Music.” A special thank you goes to Alexander Rehding for delivering the professional development workshop and keynote address.
The Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic (MTSMA) held its twenty-second annual meeting at Christopher Newport University in March 2024. I am grateful to Chelsey Hamm for coordinating local arrangements. Thank you also to Rosa Abrahams, program committee chair, and the rest of the program committee for organizing a wonderful program (Kimberly Goddard Loeffert, Stefan Greenfield-Casas, Edward Latham, and Fred Maus). The Dorothy Payne Award for best student paper went to Ruixue Hu (Eastman School of Music): “Theorizing Phrase Structure in Guqin Music.” A special thank you goes to Alexander Rehding for delivering the professional development workshop and keynote address.
Danny Jenkins, MTSE President
Music Theory Southeast (MTSE) held its 2024 Annual Meeting at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, jointly with the South Central Society for Music Theory. Jennifer Snodgrass served as local arrangements chair. The program included 32 presentations, including seven lightning talks and a keynote presentation, “She who Digs: Timbre, Voice, and Lateral Placement in Björk’s Fossora,” by Victoria Malawey. The Irna Priore Prize for Student Research was awarded to Audrey Slote for her paper, “Democratized Form: Collage and Cohesion in the Music… Read More
Music Theory Southeast (MTSE) held its 2024 Annual Meeting at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, jointly with the South Central Society for Music Theory. Jennifer Snodgrass served as local arrangements chair. The program included 32 presentations, including seven lightning talks and a keynote presentation, “She who Digs: Timbre, Voice, and Lateral Placement in Björk’s Fossora,” by Victoria Malawey. The Irna Priore Prize for Student Research was awarded to Audrey Slote for her paper, “Democratized Form: Collage and Cohesion in the Music of Bon Iver.” The following individuals were elected to the executive board: J. Daniel Jenkins, President; Dickie Lee, Treasurer; and Will Ayers, Member-at-Large. Many thanks to outgoing board members Laura Emmery, President; Rachel Lumsden, Treasurer; and Gilad Rabinovitch, Member-at-Large. The 2025 MTSE conference will be March 7–8 at Furman University in Greenville, SC. For updates, please visit the MTSE website.
Music Theory Southeast (MTSE) held its 2024 Annual Meeting at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, jointly with the South Central Society for Music Theory. Jennifer Snodgrass served as local arrangements chair. The program included 32 presentations, including seven lightning talks and a keynote presentation, “She who Digs: Timbre, Voice, and Lateral Placement in Björk’s Fossora,” by Victoria Malawey. The Irna Priore Prize for Student Research was awarded to Audrey Slote for her paper, “Democratized Form: Collage and Cohesion in the Music of Bon Iver.” The following individuals were elected to the executive board: J. Daniel Jenkins, President; Dickie Lee, Treasurer; and Will Ayers, Member-at-Large. Many thanks to outgoing board members Laura Emmery, President; Rachel Lumsden, Treasurer; and Gilad Rabinovitch, Member-at-Large. The 2025 MTSE conference will be March 7–8 at Furman University in Greenville, SC. For updates, please visit the MTSE website.
Christopher White, NECMT President
This year's 36th annual meeting of the Northeast Conference of Music Theorists was a resounding success. The conference was held at Boston University on Friday and Saturday, April 19–20, 2024. I extend my gratitude to Jason Yust, David Kopp, and Deborah Burton for their exceptional efforts in organizing local arrangements. Their dedication ensured a smooth and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The conference featured 18 papers, spanning a wide array of topics. Presentations included in-depth analyses of the peculiarities in Joseph Haydn's development… Read More
This year's 36th annual meeting of the Northeast Conference of Music Theorists was a resounding success. The conference was held at Boston University on Friday and Saturday, April 19–20, 2024. I extend my gratitude to Jason Yust, David Kopp, and Deborah Burton for their exceptional efforts in organizing local arrangements. Their dedication ensured a smooth and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The conference featured 18 papers, spanning a wide array of topics. Presentations included in-depth analyses of the peculiarities in Joseph Haydn's development sections, a historical examination of Zhu Zaiyu’s theories of Twelve-Tone Equal Temperament, and a study on Alexander Ellis’ invention of the Harmonical. The conference concluded with a joint keynote session, featuring Emily Dolan (Brown University), Nicole Cosme-Clifford (Yale University), and Richard Beaudoin (Dartmouth College). Their presentations each outlined different strategies and techniques to treat sound signals as primary objects of analysis. Many thanks to the program committee, consisting of Will Mason (Wheaton College, chair), Jena Root (Brown University), and Michèle Duguay (Harvard University).
At our business meeting, Miriam Piilonen (UMass Amherst) was elected for a second term as NECMT's Secretary. Our treasurer, Sarah Iker (MIT), and myself both have one more year in our terms, and our website manager, Geoffrey Edwards (Longy School of Music), will remain in that position as well. The Executive Board were invaluable in planning this meeting, and I am grateful for their work, dedication, patience, and professionalism.
The conference also included a dinner and reception at Boston University's historic venue, The Castle, where attendees chatted, enjoyed one another's company, and reflected on the stimulating discussions of the day.
Thank you to all who participated and contributed to making this year’s conference an enriching and memorable experience. We look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence and innovation in music theory scholarship.
This year's 36th annual meeting of the Northeast Conference of Music Theorists was a resounding success. The conference was held at Boston University on Friday and Saturday, April 19–20, 2024. I extend my gratitude to Jason Yust, David Kopp, and Deborah Burton for their exceptional efforts in organizing local arrangements. Their dedication ensured a smooth and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
The conference featured 18 papers, spanning a wide array of topics. Presentations included in-depth analyses of the peculiarities in Joseph Haydn's development sections, a historical examination of Zhu Zaiyu’s theories of Twelve-Tone Equal Temperament, and a study on Alexander Ellis’ invention of the Harmonical. The conference concluded with a joint keynote session, featuring Emily Dolan (Brown University), Nicole Cosme-Clifford (Yale University), and Richard Beaudoin (Dartmouth College). Their presentations each outlined different strategies and techniques to treat sound signals as primary objects of analysis. Many thanks to the program committee, consisting of Will Mason (Wheaton College, chair), Jena Root (Brown University), and Michèle Duguay (Harvard University).
At our business meeting, Miriam Piilonen (UMass Amherst) was elected for a second term as NECMT's Secretary. Our treasurer, Sarah Iker (MIT), and myself both have one more year in our terms, and our website manager, Geoffrey Edwards (Longy School of Music), will remain in that position as well. The Executive Board were invaluable in planning this meeting, and I am grateful for their work, dedication, patience, and professionalism.
The conference also included a dinner and reception at Boston University's historic venue, The Castle, where attendees chatted, enjoyed one another's company, and reflected on the stimulating discussions of the day.
Thank you to all who participated and contributed to making this year’s conference an enriching and memorable experience. We look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence and innovation in music theory scholarship.
Reiner Krämer, President
The Rocky Mountain Society for Music Theory (RMSMT) held its 2024 meeting in beautiful Boise, ID, March 15–16, at Boise State University. The conference was held jointly with the annual meeting of the American Musicological Society’s Rocky Mountain Chapter (AMS-RMC).
The conference organizing committee consisted of Eric Alexander (Boise State University), Rachel Becker (Boise State University), Andrew Gades (College of Idaho), and Reiner Krämer (University of Northern Colorado).
The RMSMT program committee was chaired by Reiner Krämer (University… Read More
The Rocky Mountain Society for Music Theory (RMSMT) held its 2024 meeting in beautiful Boise, ID, March 15–16, at Boise State University. The conference was held jointly with the annual meeting of the American Musicological Society’s Rocky Mountain Chapter (AMS-RMC).
The conference organizing committee consisted of Eric Alexander (Boise State University), Rachel Becker (Boise State University), Andrew Gades (College of Idaho), and Reiner Krämer (University of Northern Colorado).
The RMSMT program committee was chaired by Reiner Krämer (University of Northern Colorado), and included Eric Alexander (Boise State University), Timothy Chenette (Utah State University), HeeSeung Lee (University of Northern Colorado), Mitch Ohriner (University of Denver), Thomas Posen (College of Idaho), Nicholas Shea (Arizona State University), Patricia Surman (Metropolitan State University of Denver), and Don Traut (University of Arizona).
The ever engaging Fred Everett Maus gave the keynote address titled “Thinking Again about Masculinity and Music Theory.”
Jacob Schoenle (University of Georgia) was the winner of this year’s Best Student Paper Award titled “Spirituality, Interspace and the Wordless Chorus.”
The RMSMT President for 2024–2025 will be Michael W. Chikinda (University of Utah). The new President-Elect (elected 2024) will be Jennifer Shafer England (Montana State University).
The Rocky Mountain Society for Music Theory (RMSMT) held its 2024 meeting in beautiful Boise, ID, March 15–16, at Boise State University. The conference was held jointly with the annual meeting of the American Musicological Society’s Rocky Mountain Chapter (AMS-RMC).
The conference organizing committee consisted of Eric Alexander (Boise State University), Rachel Becker (Boise State University), Andrew Gades (College of Idaho), and Reiner Krämer (University of Northern Colorado).
The RMSMT program committee was chaired by Reiner Krämer (University of Northern Colorado), and included Eric Alexander (Boise State University), Timothy Chenette (Utah State University), HeeSeung Lee (University of Northern Colorado), Mitch Ohriner (University of Denver), Thomas Posen (College of Idaho), Nicholas Shea (Arizona State University), Patricia Surman (Metropolitan State University of Denver), and Don Traut (University of Arizona).
The ever engaging Fred Everett Maus gave the keynote address titled “Thinking Again about Masculinity and Music Theory.”
Jacob Schoenle (University of Georgia) was the winner of this year’s Best Student Paper Award titled “Spirituality, Interspace and the Wordless Chorus.”
The RMSMT President for 2024–2025 will be Michael W. Chikinda (University of Utah). The new President-Elect (elected 2024) will be Jennifer Shafer England (Montana State University).
Claire Eng, President
The Annual Meeting of the South-Central Society for Music Theory was held on March 15–16, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, on the campus of Lipscomb University. We met jointly with Music Theory Southeast, which meant that we had a larger and more vibrant conference with concurrent sessions throughout.
Christopher Brody (University of Louisville) led a student workshop on "Analyzing Vocal Music of the Baroque: Concepts and Categories,” and Victoria Malawey (Macalester College) gave a keynote lecture entitled "She Who Digs: Timbre, Voice, and Lateral… Read More
The Annual Meeting of the South-Central Society for Music Theory was held on March 15–16, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, on the campus of Lipscomb University. We met jointly with Music Theory Southeast, which meant that we had a larger and more vibrant conference with concurrent sessions throughout.
Christopher Brody (University of Louisville) led a student workshop on "Analyzing Vocal Music of the Baroque: Concepts and Categories,” and Victoria Malawey (Macalester College) gave a keynote lecture entitled "She Who Digs: Timbre, Voice, and Lateral Placement in Björk’s Fossora.” Stefanie Bilidas, a graduate student at the University of Texas, won the Best Student Paper Award for their paper "Tap Dance Choreographers as Composer-Analysts: Formal Interactions between Tap Dance and Post-Millennial Pop Music.” Honorable mention was given to Hanisha Kulothparan for her paper “The Evolution of the Hero’s Introduction: Topic and Intercultural Trope in Kollywood Film Music.”
In the Business Meeting (held on March 16, 2024), Clare Eng (Belmont University) was elected the new president to serve 2024–2026, with the possibility of re-election for a second term. We thanked Outgoing President Jeremy Orosz (University of Memphis) for his four years of service. The location and tentative dates of our next meeting were announced: Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, provisionally on March 14–15, 2025). Please join us in New Orleans next spring! The program committee for the 2025 meeting will include Stefanie Dickinson (University of Central Arkansas), chair; John Laratara (University of Mississippi); Connor Davis (Jackson State University); Jennifer Salamone (University of Tennessee); and Stefanie Bilidas (University of Texas at Austin), student paper award winner.
Looking further ahead, our 2026 meeting location and dates have not yet been decided, but in 2027, we are planning to meet jointly with Music Theory Southeast in Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia State University).
We appreciate the service of the many talented individuals who brought our 2024 conference to fruition. Jenny Snodgrass (Lipscomb University) served as local arrangements chair, and Olivia Lucas (Louisiana State University) chaired the program committee; both rose to the challenge of the added logistical concerns of a joint meeting. Thanks are also due to the program committee: William Ayers (University of Central Florida); Jacob Eichhorn (Eastman School of Music), 2023 Irna Priore Prize for Student Research Winner; Laura Emmery (Emory University), MTSE President; Pamela Mason-Nguyen (University of California, Santa Barbara), 2023 SCSMT Student Paper Award Winner; and Xieyi “Abby” Zhang (Georgia State University). Lastly, we must thank the continuing members of our Executive Board: Wesley Bradford (UL-Lafayette), Secretary; Douglas Rust (University of Southern Mississippi), Treasurer; and Trevor de Clercq (Middle Tennessee State University), Webmaster. All of their efforts have strengthened the Society.
For questions about the South Central Society for Music Theory, please email us at scsmt@yahoo.com.
The Annual Meeting of the South-Central Society for Music Theory was held on March 15–16, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, on the campus of Lipscomb University. We met jointly with Music Theory Southeast, which meant that we had a larger and more vibrant conference with concurrent sessions throughout.
Christopher Brody (University of Louisville) led a student workshop on "Analyzing Vocal Music of the Baroque: Concepts and Categories,” and Victoria Malawey (Macalester College) gave a keynote lecture entitled "She Who Digs: Timbre, Voice, and Lateral Placement in Björk’s Fossora.” Stefanie Bilidas, a graduate student at the University of Texas, won the Best Student Paper Award for their paper "Tap Dance Choreographers as Composer-Analysts: Formal Interactions between Tap Dance and Post-Millennial Pop Music.” Honorable mention was given to Hanisha Kulothparan for her paper “The Evolution of the Hero’s Introduction: Topic and Intercultural Trope in Kollywood Film Music.”
In the Business Meeting (held on March 16, 2024), Clare Eng (Belmont University) was elected the new president to serve 2024–2026, with the possibility of re-election for a second term. We thanked Outgoing President Jeremy Orosz (University of Memphis) for his four years of service. The location and tentative dates of our next meeting were announced: Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, provisionally on March 14–15, 2025). Please join us in New Orleans next spring! The program committee for the 2025 meeting will include Stefanie Dickinson (University of Central Arkansas), chair; John Laratara (University of Mississippi); Connor Davis (Jackson State University); Jennifer Salamone (University of Tennessee); and Stefanie Bilidas (University of Texas at Austin), student paper award winner.
Looking further ahead, our 2026 meeting location and dates have not yet been decided, but in 2027, we are planning to meet jointly with Music Theory Southeast in Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia State University).
We appreciate the service of the many talented individuals who brought our 2024 conference to fruition. Jenny Snodgrass (Lipscomb University) served as local arrangements chair, and Olivia Lucas (Louisiana State University) chaired the program committee; both rose to the challenge of the added logistical concerns of a joint meeting. Thanks are also due to the program committee: William Ayers (University of Central Florida); Jacob Eichhorn (Eastman School of Music), 2023 Irna Priore Prize for Student Research Winner; Laura Emmery (Emory University), MTSE President; Pamela Mason-Nguyen (University of California, Santa Barbara), 2023 SCSMT Student Paper Award Winner; and Xieyi “Abby” Zhang (Georgia State University). Lastly, we must thank the continuing members of our Executive Board: Wesley Bradford (UL-Lafayette), Secretary; Douglas Rust (University of Southern Mississippi), Treasurer; and Trevor de Clercq (Middle Tennessee State University), Webmaster. All of their efforts have strengthened the Society.
For questions about the South Central Society for Music Theory, please email us at scsmt@yahoo.com.
Jennifer Beavers, TSMT President
The Texas Society for Music Theory held its 46th annual meeting at the University of Texas at Arlington, February 23–24, 2024. I would like to thank Outgoing President David Forrest for his excellent leadership! A big thank you also goes to Amy Hatch, who served as the local arrangements chair and wonderfully coordinated both in-person and virtual sessions.
The conference hosted 18 papers, 5 posters, 4 lightning talks, and 2 keynote addresses. The Society would like to recognize Devin Guerrero for his outstanding paper, “Pitch, Motive, and Non-Alignment in the… Read More
The Texas Society for Music Theory held its 46th annual meeting at the University of Texas at Arlington, February 23–24, 2024. I would like to thank Outgoing President David Forrest for his excellent leadership! A big thank you also goes to Amy Hatch, who served as the local arrangements chair and wonderfully coordinated both in-person and virtual sessions.
The conference hosted 18 papers, 5 posters, 4 lightning talks, and 2 keynote addresses. The Society would like to recognize Devin Guerrero for his outstanding paper, “Pitch, Motive, and Non-Alignment in the Idiomatic Phrasing of Melodic Rap Verses,” which was awarded the Colvin Outstanding Student Paper Award. This year, we introduced an Undergraduate Lightning Talk session, which featured four 10-minute presentations, followed by Q & A from the audience. Congratulations to (Mon) Leong Cheok Kai, Talitha Murphy, Eric Yang, and Anna Wilmoth and Marc Santa for sharing their research. A sincere thank you is extended to our program committee who had the tough job of choosing among many excellent papers: Andrew Chung (University of North Texas); Ryan Galik (Michigan State University), previous Colvin award winner; Jonathan Guez (University of Houston); and Hannah Percival (Houston Community College).
Continuing our tradition of prioritizing pedagogy, we were delighted to have a team lead us through a thought-provoking keynote address, entitled “Making a Mess of Aural Skills,” co-presented by Tim Chenette (Utah State University), Stacey Davis (University of Texas at San Antonio), and Stanley Kleppinger (University of Nebraska). Megan Lavengood concluded our conference with an enlightening keynote entitled “Strategies for Inclusive Teaching through Timbre.”
Our next meeting will be held at Baylor University with dates yet to be determined.
For more information about TSMT and our conference, please visit the TSMT website.
A picture from our business meeting is attached.
The Texas Society for Music Theory held its 46th annual meeting at the University of Texas at Arlington, February 23–24, 2024. I would like to thank Outgoing President David Forrest for his excellent leadership! A big thank you also goes to Amy Hatch, who served as the local arrangements chair and wonderfully coordinated both in-person and virtual sessions.
The conference hosted 18 papers, 5 posters, 4 lightning talks, and 2 keynote addresses. The Society would like to recognize Devin Guerrero for his outstanding paper, “Pitch, Motive, and Non-Alignment in the Idiomatic Phrasing of Melodic Rap Verses,” which was awarded the Colvin Outstanding Student Paper Award. This year, we introduced an Undergraduate Lightning Talk session, which featured four 10-minute presentations, followed by Q & A from the audience. Congratulations to (Mon) Leong Cheok Kai, Talitha Murphy, Eric Yang, and Anna Wilmoth and Marc Santa for sharing their research. A sincere thank you is extended to our program committee who had the tough job of choosing among many excellent papers: Andrew Chung (University of North Texas); Ryan Galik (Michigan State University), previous Colvin award winner; Jonathan Guez (University of Houston); and Hannah Percival (Houston Community College).
Continuing our tradition of prioritizing pedagogy, we were delighted to have a team lead us through a thought-provoking keynote address, entitled “Making a Mess of Aural Skills,” co-presented by Tim Chenette (Utah State University), Stacey Davis (University of Texas at San Antonio), and Stanley Kleppinger (University of Nebraska). Megan Lavengood concluded our conference with an enlightening keynote entitled “Strategies for Inclusive Teaching through Timbre.”
Our next meeting will be held at Baylor University with dates yet to be determined.
For more information about TSMT and our conference, please visit the TSMT website.
A picture from our business meeting is attached.
Amy Bauer, President
The West Coast Conference of Music Theory and Analysis (WCCMTA) held its 32nd Annual Meeting May 17–18, 2024, at the University of California, Irvine, in concert with the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the AMS (May 18). We had a diverse slate of 19 papers on topics related to television and video game music, pedagogy, rhythm and meter, music and trauma, jazz improvisation and theory, form in vernacular and non-Western music, music notation, and theoretical issues surrounding music performance. Joti Rockwell (Pomona College) gave a wonderful keynote on… Read More
The West Coast Conference of Music Theory and Analysis (WCCMTA) held its 32nd Annual Meeting May 17–18, 2024, at the University of California, Irvine, in concert with the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the AMS (May 18). We had a diverse slate of 19 papers on topics related to television and video game music, pedagogy, rhythm and meter, music and trauma, jazz improvisation and theory, form in vernacular and non-Western music, music notation, and theoretical issues surrounding music performance. Joti Rockwell (Pomona College) gave a wonderful keynote on musical motion, pedagogy through theoretical embodiment, and the slide guitar, a preview of his forthcoming JMT article. Participants mingled at two receptions and a concluding dinner. WCCMTA will be holding elections this summer to fill two positions on its Executive Board, which currently includes Amy Bauer, President and 2024 Local Arrangements Chair; Andrew Aziz, Vice President; and Russell Knight, Treasurer and Secretary.
The West Coast Conference of Music Theory and Analysis (WCCMTA) held its 32nd Annual Meeting May 17–18, 2024, at the University of California, Irvine, in concert with the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the AMS (May 18). We had a diverse slate of 19 papers on topics related to television and video game music, pedagogy, rhythm and meter, music and trauma, jazz improvisation and theory, form in vernacular and non-Western music, music notation, and theoretical issues surrounding music performance. Joti Rockwell (Pomona College) gave a wonderful keynote on musical motion, pedagogy through theoretical embodiment, and the slide guitar, a preview of his forthcoming JMT article. Participants mingled at two receptions and a concluding dinner. WCCMTA will be holding elections this summer to fill two positions on its Executive Board, which currently includes Amy Bauer, President and 2024 Local Arrangements Chair; Andrew Aziz, Vice President; and Russell Knight, Treasurer and Secretary.
Graduate Student Organizations
Music Theory Society at Florida State University
Brittney Pflanz
The Music Theory Society at Florida State University successfully conducted its forty-first Music Theory Forum on March 1–2, 2024. Professor Leigh VanHandel (The University of British Columbia) and Professor Horace Maxile, Jr. (Baylor University) gave their keynote addresses entitled “Fundamentals From the Top Down,” and “Black Composers, Analysis and the Benefit(s) of that Work Within the Tradition,” respectively. Many thanks to all the officers for the 2023–2024 academic year who helped to make this event possible: Gillian Radcliffe, President; Hayden Harper, Vice… Read More
The Music Theory Society at Florida State University successfully conducted its forty-first Music Theory Forum on March 1–2, 2024. Professor Leigh VanHandel (The University of British Columbia) and Professor Horace Maxile, Jr. (Baylor University) gave their keynote addresses entitled “Fundamentals From the Top Down,” and “Black Composers, Analysis and the Benefit(s) of that Work Within the Tradition,” respectively. Many thanks to all the officers for the 2023–2024 academic year who helped to make this event possible: Gillian Radcliffe, President; Hayden Harper, Vice President; Sanha Lee, Treasurer; Alex Hill, Secretary; and Claire Terrell and Zachary Lloyd, Forum Co-Chairs. Our officers for the upcoming 2024–2025 academic year are: Hayden Harper, President; Gillian Radcliffe, Vice President; Jasmine Becerra, Treasurer; Zachary Simonds, Secretary; and Cameron Gwynn and Brittney Pflanz, Forum Co-Chairs.
The forty-second annual Music Theory Forum will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025. This conference will be fully online and led over Zoom. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Vivian Luong (The University of Oklahoma). MTS Forum submission instructions and other conference details can found on the MTS Forum website. Additional questions about MTS Forum should be directed to the Forum Co-Chairs, Cameron Gwynn and Brittney Pflanz, at fsumts.forum@gmail.com.
The Music Theory Society at Florida State University successfully conducted its forty-first Music Theory Forum on March 1–2, 2024. Professor Leigh VanHandel (The University of British Columbia) and Professor Horace Maxile, Jr. (Baylor University) gave their keynote addresses entitled “Fundamentals From the Top Down,” and “Black Composers, Analysis and the Benefit(s) of that Work Within the Tradition,” respectively. Many thanks to all the officers for the 2023–2024 academic year who helped to make this event possible: Gillian Radcliffe, President; Hayden Harper, Vice President; Sanha Lee, Treasurer; Alex Hill, Secretary; and Claire Terrell and Zachary Lloyd, Forum Co-Chairs. Our officers for the upcoming 2024–2025 academic year are: Hayden Harper, President; Gillian Radcliffe, Vice President; Jasmine Becerra, Treasurer; Zachary Simonds, Secretary; and Cameron Gwynn and Brittney Pflanz, Forum Co-Chairs.
The forty-second annual Music Theory Forum will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025. This conference will be fully online and led over Zoom. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Vivian Luong (The University of Oklahoma). MTS Forum submission instructions and other conference details can found on the MTS Forum website. Additional questions about MTS Forum should be directed to the Forum Co-Chairs, Cameron Gwynn and Brittney Pflanz, at fsumts.forum@gmail.com.
Other News Items
Sixth International Schenker Symposium
Allen Cadwallader, Wayne Petty, Oliver Schwab-Felisch, and Eric Wen
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance and the International Forum for Schenkerian Research are pleased to announce the Sixth International Schenker Symposium, which will be held on the University of Michigan campus, Ann Arbor, Michigan, March 7–8, 2025.
The conference organizers invite scholars interested in Schenker’s work to submit proposals focusing on the traditional areas of theory, analysis, history, and reception-criticism, as well as viewpoints that reexamine the place and relevance of Schenker’s legacy in an… Read More
Sixth International Schenker Symposium
Authored by Allen Cadwallader, Wayne Petty, Oliver Schwab-Felisch, and Eric Wen
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance and the International Forum for Schenkerian Research are pleased to announce the Sixth International Schenker Symposium, which will be held on the University of Michigan campus, Ann Arbor, Michigan, March 7–8, 2025.
The conference organizers invite scholars interested in Schenker’s work to submit proposals focusing on the traditional areas of theory, analysis, history, and reception-criticism, as well as viewpoints that reexamine the place and relevance of Schenker’s legacy in an expansive cultural landscape. The presentations should be 30 minutes in length, and will be followed by 10–15 minutes of questions and discussion.
Please send proposals, approximately 500 words in double-spaced word files (not as the text of an email), to Allen Cadwallader by September 1, 2024.
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance and the International Forum for Schenkerian Research are pleased to announce the Sixth International Schenker Symposium, which will be held on the University of Michigan campus, Ann Arbor, Michigan, March 7–8, 2025.
The conference organizers invite scholars interested in Schenker’s work to submit proposals focusing on the traditional areas of theory, analysis, history, and reception-criticism, as well as viewpoints that reexamine the place and relevance of Schenker’s legacy in an expansive cultural landscape. The presentations should be 30 minutes in length, and will be followed by 10–15 minutes of questions and discussion.
Please send proposals, approximately 500 words in double-spaced word files (not as the text of an email), to Allen Cadwallader by September 1, 2024.
David Kraehenbuehl Prize
Rick Cohn, JMT Executive Editor
The David Kraehenbuehl Prize, named for the visionary founding editor of the Journal of Music Theory, was established in 2008 and is given biennially for the best article published in JMT by a scholar in early career who is untenured at time of submission. It carries a cash award of $2,000 and is determined by a selection committee of scholars unaffiliated with Yale University, where the journal is edited, or with any of the eligible authors. The two-year cycle on which the current award is based was 2022–2023, or volumes 66 and 67 of the… Read More
The David Kraehenbuehl Prize, named for the visionary founding editor of the Journal of Music Theory, was established in 2008 and is given biennially for the best article published in JMT by a scholar in early career who is untenured at time of submission. It carries a cash award of $2,000 and is determined by a selection committee of scholars unaffiliated with Yale University, where the journal is edited, or with any of the eligible authors. The two-year cycle on which the current award is based was 2022–2023, or volumes 66 and 67 of the journal.
The selection committee for the award consisted of Cora Palfy (chair), Fernando Benadon, and Stanley Kleppinger. The editorial board of JMT is grateful to the committee members for their dedicated service.
The David Kraehenbuehl Prize for 2022–2023 is awarded to Caleb Mutch, for his article "How the Triad Took (a) Root." The committee provided the following citation:
"It is not often that music theorists interrogate the etymology of common terminology used in research and in the classroom. In his comprehensive article, “How the Triad Took (a) Root,” Caleb Mutch traces the origins of the triadic “root,” clearly articulating its historical foundations in theoretical treatises dating from early nineteenth-century Britain. After surveying the variety of preceding terms and concepts in use, Mutch’s article underscores the impact of John Wall Callcott, who coined the term “root” in his treatise Musical Grammar (1806). Mutch outlines five distinct subconcepts essential to the concept of root, and derives two original requirements (tri-unicity and tri-formality) through which triadic theories can be evaluated. He provides copious examples from texts following Callcott that have impacted the triadic root’s pedagogical significance in thoroughbass, composition, and harmony instruction. Mutch’s appendix additionally summarizes terminological use and location chronologically, highlighting the evolution of terminology within Britain. Mutch’s writing is clear and accessible, creating a fascinating narrative about the evolution of theoretical terminology that sets an impressive standard for future historical work."
The David Kraehenbuehl Prize, named for the visionary founding editor of the Journal of Music Theory, was established in 2008 and is given biennially for the best article published in JMT by a scholar in early career who is untenured at time of submission. It carries a cash award of $2,000 and is determined by a selection committee of scholars unaffiliated with Yale University, where the journal is edited, or with any of the eligible authors. The two-year cycle on which the current award is based was 2022–2023, or volumes 66 and 67 of the journal.
The selection committee for the award consisted of Cora Palfy (chair), Fernando Benadon, and Stanley Kleppinger. The editorial board of JMT is grateful to the committee members for their dedicated service.
The David Kraehenbuehl Prize for 2022–2023 is awarded to Caleb Mutch, for his article "How the Triad Took (a) Root." The committee provided the following citation:
"It is not often that music theorists interrogate the etymology of common terminology used in research and in the classroom. In his comprehensive article, “How the Triad Took (a) Root,” Caleb Mutch traces the origins of the triadic “root,” clearly articulating its historical foundations in theoretical treatises dating from early nineteenth-century Britain. After surveying the variety of preceding terms and concepts in use, Mutch’s article underscores the impact of John Wall Callcott, who coined the term “root” in his treatise Musical Grammar (1806). Mutch outlines five distinct subconcepts essential to the concept of root, and derives two original requirements (tri-unicity and tri-formality) through which triadic theories can be evaluated. He provides copious examples from texts following Callcott that have impacted the triadic root’s pedagogical significance in thoroughbass, composition, and harmony instruction. Mutch’s appendix additionally summarizes terminological use and location chronologically, highlighting the evolution of terminology within Britain. Mutch’s writing is clear and accessible, creating a fascinating narrative about the evolution of theoretical terminology that sets an impressive standard for future historical work."