BFE-RMA Research Students’ Conference
12th – 14th January 2021
Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge
Deadline for proposals: 1st October 2020
The Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge is delighted to host the 2021 British Forum
for Ethnomusicology and Royal Musical Association Research Students’ Conference. Despite the
unprecedented situation we find ourselves in, the committee will be moving ahead with a hybrid
version of the conference. Paper presentations and lecture recitals will be online, with
composition workshops taking place in-person dependent on governmental and university
guidelines at the time. We are also planning a series of in-person events, where possible,
including: personal professional development panels, a Gamelan workshop and concert.
We are pleased to announce that the keynote lectures will be delivered by:
• Emily MacGregor (King’s College London) winner of the Jerome Roche Prize, on behalf
of the RMA
• Thomas R. Hilder (NTNU, Norway) on behalf of the BFE
For further information on the conference and registration, please see the conference website:
https://www.bferma-rsc2021.org.
For general conference enquires please contact: bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com
The Conference Call for Proposals invites submissions of work in the following categories:
Academic Papers and Lecture Recitals
Postgraduate research students are invited to submit proposals relating to any aspect of musical
research, including musicology, ethnomusicology, music psychology, composition, audiovisual
media, performance, and/or other creative practices, and research that cuts across disciplinary
boundaries. We also welcome poster presentations: please indicate if your presentation is in
poster format and/or if you are happy to present a poster in case your submitted presentation is
not selected.
All presentations and lecture recitals will be online. Papers must be a maximum of 20 minutes’
duration. All lecture recitals will be uploaded as pre-recorded videos (maximum duration of 30
minutes). There will be an online Q&A session for all presentations – details will be announced
closer to the conference date.
Abstract submissions
Submissions should be in doc. or docx. format, and consist of a title and an abstract of no more
than 250 words. Please email abstracts to bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com by 1st October 2020. With
the abstract please supply the following information: name, email address, institutional affiliation,
programme of study and year, and presentation title.
Themed Panel Session Proposals
All panel sessions will take place online with a Q&A session for all presentations – details will be
announced closer to the conference date. There are two options for themed panel sessions.
- 90-minute sessions with three 20-minute papers and 30mins discussion
- 60-minute sessions with four 5-minute lightning papers and 40mins discussion
Abstract submissions
Submissions should consist of a title and an abstract of no more than 250 words to be sent for
each of the contributions to the session. In addition, please provide a 400-word rationale that
makes clear the purpose of the session, its theme and the ways in which the individual
contributions relate to each other. Please include full contact details of the convenor and indicate
whether an independent chair will be required. We especially welcome proposals that encourage
interdisciplinary dialogue and/or mixed methodological approaches.
Please email abstracts to bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com by 1st October. With the abstract please
supply the following information: name, email address, institutional affiliation, programme of
study and year, and presentation title.
Call for Compositions
Compositions are invited for piano trio (piano, violin and cello). These should be of no more
than 6 minutes in duration and may be movements or excerpts of longer pieces. It is hoped that
selected compositions will be performed in person and live-streamed to delegates participating in
the conference online.
Submission Guidelines
Scores should be submitted in PDF format accompanied by a brief text of no more than 250
words outlining poetic and technical aspects of the piece. These materials should be submitted to
bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com by the 1st October 2020. Please provide the following information
when submitting your proposal: name, email address, institutional affiliation, programme of
study, year of composition and title. Composers whose works are selected will be responsible for
producing performing materials at their own expense, and these will need to be available by 16th
November 2020.
Conference Committee
Michelle Assay
Nuria Bonet
Richard Causton
Matt Dicken
Katharine Ellis
Ellen Falconer
Dunya Habash
Patrick Huang
Matthew Machin-Autenrieth (chair)
Francesca Vella
[original CFP follows]
12th – 14th January 2021 Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge
Deadline for proposals: 1st October 2020
The Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge is delighted to host the 2021 British Forum for Ethnomusicology and Royal Musical Association Research Students’ Conference. We look forward to welcoming UK and international postgraduates to present their research and creative practice in an inclusive, friendly and supportive atmosphere. The conference will also include training and careers workshops, informal performance opportunities, concerts and a variety of social and networking events.
We are pleased to announce that the keynote lectures will be delivered by:
- Emily McGregor (King’s College London) winner of the Jerome Roche Prize, on behalf of the RMA
- [TBC] winner of the BFE Early Career Prize
For further information on the conference, travel information and accommodation options, as well as registration, please see the conference website: https://www.bferma-rsc2021.org.
For general conference enquires please contact: bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com
The Conference Call for Proposals invites submissions of work in the following categories:
Academic Papers and Lecture Recitals
Postgraduate research students are invited to submit proposals relating to any aspect of musical research, including musicology, ethnomusicology, music psychology, composition, audiovisual media, performance, and/or other creative practices, and research that cuts across disciplinary boundaries. We also welcome poster presentations: please indicate if your presentation is in poster format and/or if you are happy to present a poster in case your submitted presentation is not selected.
Papers must be a maximum of 20 minutes’ duration and will be followed by 10 minutes of questions and discussion. Lecture recitals must be a maximum of 45 minutes with 35 minutes for the presentation, followed by 10 minutes for discussion.
Abstract submissions
Submissions should be in doc. or docx. format, and consist of a title and an abstract of no more than 250 words. Please email abstracts to bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com by 1st October 2020. With the abstract please supply the following information: name, email address, institutional affiliation, presentation title, audiovisual requirements, and any other special requests.
Themed Panel Session Proposals
For this conference, there are two options for themed panel sessions.
- 90-minute sessions with three 20-minute papers and 30 minutes of discussion
- 60-minute sessions with four 5-minute lightning papers and 40 minutes of discussion
Abstract submissions
Submissions should consist of a title and an abstract of no more than 250 words to be sent for each of the contributions to the session. In addition, please provide a 400-word rationale that makes clear the purpose of the session, its theme and the ways in which the individual contributions relate to each other. Please include full contact details of the convenor and indicate whether an independent chair will be required and what equipment is needed. We especially welcome proposals that encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and/or mixed methodological approaches.
Please email abstracts to bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com by 1st October. With the abstract please supply the following information: name, email address, institutional affiliation, presentation titles, audiovisual requirements, and any other special requests.
Call for Compositions
As part of the conference, the Faculty of Music will be offering composition workshops, which are likely to be directed by a piano trio. However, given the current pandemic crisis, it has proven difficult to confirm who will be leading the workshops. Details will be confirmed when the final call for proposals is released in the summer.
Compositions should be no more than 6 minutes in duration (shorter pieces are welcome, as are movements or excerpts of longer pieces). Selected compositions will be performed in the workshop, followed by time for discussion.
Submission Guidelines
Scores should be submitted in PDF format accompanied by a separate abstract of no more than 250 words that briefly describes the aims and methods of the piece. These materials should be submitted to bferma.rsc2021@gmail.com by the 1st October 2020. Please provide the following information when submitting your proposal: name, email address, institutional affiliation and composition title.
The Conference Committee’s decisions will be communicated to proposers by 1st November 2020.
Conference Committee
Michelle Assay
Richard Causton
Matt Dicken
Katharine Ellis
Ellen Falconer
Lois Fitch
Dunya Habash
Patrick Huang
Matthew Machin-Autenrieth (chair)
Francesca Vella
