RMA-SMI-EADH Conference 2026 Call for Papers / Call for Works

In 2026, the Royal Musical Association , the Society for Musicology in Ireland and the European Association for Dance History will join together for a collaborative annual conference, taking place between Saturday 29 August and Tuesday 1 September 2026. The conference will be hosted at SARC (Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music), Queen’s University Belfast.

This conference aims to promote research and practice in music, sound, or dance across all repertories, contexts, methodologies and approaches. For example, the place of music or dance within societal well-being; historical, hermeneutic or ethnographical studies of persons, repertories, performances, formats (e.g., film, iconography, choreography), technologies (including AI), musical instruments, notation systems, or institutions/societies. The perspectives of analysis, perception, psychology, or identity are equally of interest. In short - music, sound and dance in all their manifestations. Proposals that reflect insights from other disciplines are encouraged, as are performance, composition, or scholarly collaborations between musicians and dancers.

Participation is invited in the following formats:

• Individual papers (20 minutes + 10 for Q& A)
• Themed sessions or round tables (90 minutes, including Q&A)
• Lecture-recitals – music or dance (20 minutes + 10 for Q& A)
• Poster presentations (up to 10 minutes)
• Audio Visual Artworks for gallery presentation (maximum 30 minutes)
• Practice-based research workshops (90 minutes)
• Compositions and performances (up to 15 minutes)
• Compositions, choreographies, or new musical instruments as a ‘paper and demonstration’ presentation (20 minutes)
• Composition workshop with Hard Rain (work in progress)
• Composition workshop, electroacoustic (work in progress)
• Composition completed work for public performance

As part of the composition call we are delighted to draw on SARC’s partnership with Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, Northern Ireland’s cutting-edge contemporary music ensemble and artists in residence at Queen’s University Belfast. The ensemble’s instrumentation is Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano. Proposals for full quintet, with or without electronics will be considered as well as for any combination instruments within the ensemble. 

For more details and information on how to apply, please go to: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/sarc/research/rma-smi-eadh-conference-2026/call-for-papers/