MuSA 2012 - Call for Papers

Third International Symposium on
Music/Sonic Art: Practices and Theories
MuSA 2012 - Karlsruhe (IMWI)
7-8 July, 2012

Hochschule für Musik, Karlsruhe - Institut für Musikwissenschaft und Musikinformatik (IMWI)
Am Schloss Gottesaue 7,
76131 Karlsruhe


CALL FOR PAPERS:
We are pleased to announce the Third International Symposium on Music and Sonic Art: Practices and Theories (MuSA), an interdisciplinary two-day event to be held in Karlsruhe, Germany. The dates of the Symposium are 7-8 July 2012.

Proposals for sessions and individual papers for the Third International Symposium on Music and Sonic Art: Practices and Theories are invited from academics, independent researchers, practitioners and post-graduate students. Presentation formats include both academic research papers (including research in progress) and reports on practice-based work or educational programmes. The symposium also encourages workshops and presentations in which performance forms an integral part. All papers will be ‘blind’ peer-reviewed. The symposium language will be English.

THEME and TOPICS:
The principal aim of MuSA 2012 is to advance interdisciplinary investigations between music, sonic arts and other disciplines such as dance, theatre, digital media, visual arts and architecture. As in MuSA 2010 and MuSA 2011 we believe that an interdisciplinary approach to musicology (defined broadly) is of benefit to the research community. Music embraces many theoretical positions as well as cultural, social practices and contemporary musicology reflects this diversity. There will be three distinct (though related) themes to MuSA 2012:

First, we welcome presentations in ‘traditional’ subject areas such as historical/critical musicology, performance studies, aesthetics, analysis and ethnomusicology. What, for example, are the qualitative differences for performers in a rehearsal and the final concert? Can a composition or a performance be regarded as ‘research’ properly speaking, or is a form of textual commentary necessary? What metaphors (if any) do performers use to explain their processes? What strategies are appropriate to an analysis of ‘open’ forms? How can the concept of the ‘formless’ be applied to music/sonic art?

Second, as the symposium’s title suggests, we hope to encourage the submission of papers investigating relationships (and possible tensions) between music and sonic/sound art. For example, to what extent can the practices and theories of music inform sonic art (and vice versa) or is it more beneficial for sonic art to draw on the aesthetics of gallery-based fine art practice? How does the role of technology manifest itself in both music and/or sonic art? Can a sound installation located within a gallery space form part of a musicological discourse? The role of the performer, expression, embodiment, the nature of the instrument, the status of the score… these are vitally important shared concerns and would benefit from interdisciplinary discussions.

Third, presentations are also invited from scholars who are researching the connections between music/sonic art and disciplines such as architecture, painting, theatre and literature. Are the blank canvases of Rauschenberg comparable to Cage’s ‘4:33’? Do the constraints employed by literary groups such as OuLiPo relate to algorithmic composition? Finally, are proportions evident in architecture - Baroque, Classical, Modern - consciously applied in contemporaneous music?

These are, therefore, the three themes of the symposium. However, a paper dealing with any subject area that is within the broad remit of the symposium will be welcomed.


ABSTRACT FORMAT:
Please submit an abstract of approximately 300 words as an e-mail attachment to Prof. Dr. Mine Doğantan-Dack (m.dack@mdx.ac.uk). As contributions will be ‘blind’ peer-reviewed, please do not include information that might facilitate identification from this abstract. In addition, please include separately the name(s) of the author(s), institutional affiliation (if any) and short biography (approximately 150 words). Deadline for receipt of abstracts is 15 April. Notification of acceptance will be sent by 30 April.


REGISTRATION:
The symposium fees are: €100 for delegates, €80 for presenters and €50 for students and others who qualify for concessions. Details for payment can be found on the symposium web site: http://web.me.com/johngeorgedack/MuSA_2012

If additional information is required please do not hesitate to contact Prof. Dr. Doğantan-Dack or any member of the symposium committee:

Prof. Dr. Mine Doğantan-Dack (Music Department, Middlesex University) – m.dack@mdx.ac.uk

Prof. Dr. Thomas A. Troge (Institut für Musikwissenschaft und Musikinformatik, Karlsruhe) - troge@hfm.eu

Dr. John Dack (Lansdown Centre for Electronic Art, Middlesex University) – j.dack@mdx.ac.uk

Christoph Seibert (Institut für Musikwissenschaft und Musikinformatik, Karlsruhe) –
seibert@hfm.eu

Prof Dr Mine Dogantan Dack
(BA, BM, MM, MA, MA, MPhil, PhD)
Research Fellow, Music
School of Arts Education
Department of Performing Arts
Middlesex University
Trent Park
Bramley Road
London N14 4YZ
Tel: +44 (0)20 8411 5716
m.dack@mdx.ac.uk
www.mdxpa.net
CMPCP Associate
www.cmpcp.ac.uk
Visiting Professor, IIAS
www.marmaratrio.com