10th Conference of the Royal Musical Association Music & Philosophy Study Group,
Dublin City University, Thursday and Friday, 9–10 July 2026
Keynote speakers to be announced
The RMA Music and Philosophy Study Group warmly invites session and paper proposals for this two-day international conference, to be held in Dublin on 9–10 July 2026. The event will offer an opportunity for those with an interest in music and philosophy to share and discuss their work, in the hope of furthering dialogue in this area.
We are soliciting session and paper proposals under the following headings:
- Themed sessions, will be organised by individual session convenors, who have issued calls for papers on specific topics;
- Associates Sessions, hosted by organisations with related interests;
- Free Sessions, open to papers on all topics relating to music and philosophy.
Proposals may be on any topic relating to music and philosophy broadly conceived. We take “music” to include the study of all forms and genres of music and musicmaking from all historical and geographical settings intended for all kinds of venues, audiences, and modes of creation, performance, and consumption; we take “music studies” to encompass inquiry that falls under the heading of “sound studies”. We take “philosophy” to include the study and practice of all traditions of philosophical thought around the world and from all historical periods, including what may be referred to as analytic, continental, feminist, Black, Indigenous, and classical/ancient philosophies, critical theory, and philosophies from outside the North Atlantic.
Subject to the MPSG receiving additional funding, a limited number of bursaries will be available for presenters who do not have access to institutional funding. Priority will be given to early career applicants and members of underrepresented groups. Expression of interest will be possible alongside abstract submission via the website.
Call for Themed Sessions
We seek enthusiastic individuals to propose Themed Sessions on topics that are focused yet inclusive. All topics and formats (including but not limited to workshops, roundtables, and experimental formats) will be considered but should be designed to encourage submissions from both music studies and philosophy, whilst assuming a broad and inclusive definition of each. The maximum overall time available for the session will be 2 hours.
If you would like to host such a session, please submit a draft call for papers/contributions (up to 2100 characters incl. spaces) that will also function as a session abstract. The draft call for papers should focus on the topic of, and rationale for, the session.
Submit by 8 September 2025
We hope to communicate decisions on the selection of Themed Sessions within a week, with a further deadline of 31 October 2025 for submission of paper abstracts (where applicable) to session organisers. Organisers will be asked to submit paper choices to the programme committee by 17 November 2025. The intention is that the programme committee will, in most circumstances, simply approve the organisers’ choices, however the committee reserve the right to request changes if there are problems of topical balance or scholarly quality. Final decisions on panel acceptance will be communicated in December 2025.
Call for Associates Sessions
Related organisations, including scholarly societies, study groups, and institutional departments, are warmly invited to host a session at the conference. The topic and organisation of such sessions is left to the host; sessions may feature invited speakers. All formats (including but not limited to workshops, roundtables, and experimental formats) will be considered; the maximum overall time available for the session will be 2 hours.
If you would like to be involved in this way, please submit your session abstract (of up to 2100 characters incl. spaces), proposed paper titles, abstracts, and speaker names where applicable.
Submit by 31 October 2025
Decisions will be communicated in December 2025; individual paper abstracts and speaker biographies for accepted panels will be solicited from organisers in early 2026.
Call for Free Papers and Lecture-Recitals
We invite submissions for papers on any topic relating to music and philosophy (as defined above). Regardless of disciplinary affiliation, the committee seeks conceptually rigorous and clearly articulated research that presents a novel argument and advances understanding of its topic. Collaboration between people from different disciplines (including music studies, philosophy, performance, composition, psychology, history, literary studies, art history, anthropology, and others) would be especially welcomed.
Proposals are invited for:
- individual papers (20 minutes) – up to 2100 characters incl. spaces
- collaborative papers (up to 30 minutes) – up to 3100 characters incl. spaces
- lecture recitals (30 minutes) – up to 2100 characters incl. spaces *
* Lecture recitals should demonstrate a balance of scholarly rigour with musical performance, making clear connections between music and philosophical themes and/or concepts.
Submit by 31 October 2025
Decisions will be communicated in December 2025. All paper submissions will be considered by blind review by the programme committee:
- Dr Clare Lesser (Independent)
- Professor Derek Matravers (Open University)
- Dominik Mitterer (Durham University)
- Dr Friedlind Riedel (Salzburg University)
- Dr Férdia Stone-Davis (University of Cambridge)
- Professor Naomi Waltham-Smith (University of Oxford)
- Dr Samuel Wilson (Guildhall School of Music & Drama)
If you have queries about the CFP and submitting a proposal, please contact the Chair of the RMA Music & Philosophy Study Group Dr Férdia Stone-Davis, fjs23@cam.ac.uk. In case of questions or issues regarding the submission form, please contact Dr Friedlind Riedel, friedlind.riedel@plus.ac.at
Timeline Overview
| Date | Type of Session | Deadlines |
| 8 September 2025 | Themed Sessions | DEADLINE to submit call for papers |
| 11 August 2025 | Themed Sessions Associate Sessions | Call for themed sessions: OPENS Call for papers: OPENS |
| Free Sessions | Call for papers: OPENS | |
| 31 October 2025 | Themed Sessions Associate Sessions | DEADLINE to submit abstracts to session organisers DEADLINE to submit abstracts |
| Free Sessions | DEADLINE to submit abstracts | |
| 17 November 2025 | Themed Sessions | DEADLINE for session organisers to communicate paper choices to MPSG committee |
