CFP: "Again and Again", Musical Repetition in Aesthetics, Analysis, and Experience

Again and Again: Musical Repetition in Aesthetics, Analysis, and Experience

Thursday 25 – Friday 26 April 2019

City, University of London - Music Department

Repetition is one of music’s most fundamental and definitive features. This multifaceted phenomenon unfolds across many different timescales, genres and techniques, and engenders a multitude of experiences and percepts. From the recapitulation in sonata form, to self-similar cells in the late music of Morton Feldman, to the layering of repetitive loops in Electronic Dance Music, to cyclical quasi-repetition in African drumming: the notion of repetition penetrates all areas and domains of music-making. Moreover, musical repetition does not only operate within particular works, but also amongst musical works. In fields such as music production, industry, education, and performance, the notions of repetition and repeatability have similarly proven to be vital.

‘Again & Again’ aims to stimulate a broad, interdisciplinary conversation about musical repetition in its broadest and its most particular terms. We invite perspectives from across all domains of music studies, including music history, music theory and analysis, ethnomusicology, composition, performance, popular music studies, and sound studies.

Highlights will include a keynote presentation by Professor Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis (Distinguished Professor, Director of the Music Cognition Lab at the University of Arkansas and author of ‘On Repeat: How Music Plays the Mind’) and a performance by Explore Ensemble, who will perform Morton Feldman’s 1987 work ‘Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello’.

Proposals of papers or presentations in lecture-recital formats (20-minute presentation with 10-minute question period for both formats) will be considered for inclusion in the conference schedule. Panel proposals are also welcome, as are concert or installation proposals that connect to the conference theme.

Presentations may address, but are by no means limited to:

-    the experience of musical repetition in cognition and psychology

-    the relationship between repetition as a musical phenomenon and as a philosophical notion

-    analytical tools that might aid the assessment of musical repetition

-    the cultural or socio-political significance of musical repetition

-    repetition in music production and/or technology

Abstracts (300 words maximum) are to be sent via email by 21st of January 2019 to Christine Dysers via christine.dysers@city.ac.uk<%22mailto:>. Please include the title of your paper, as well as a 100-word biography.

For any further information, see here.

‘Again & Again’ is generously supported by the Royal Music Asscociation (RMA), the Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research (SEMPRE) and the City, University of London Music Department.