Call For Papers | MPSG26 - Music & Philosophy

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 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 paper proposals under the following headings:

Themed sessions, are 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.

Themed Sessions

Click on these images below to find out more about our themed sessions and how to submit a paper proposal.

In recent decades, the field of music and philosophy has undergone significant expansion worldwide, and China has become an increasingly dynamic participant in these conversations …more

What happens to commercial music when economies collapse? To speak of music ‘in the ruins of neoliberalism’ (Brown 2019) is to register a contemporary world in which the economic and cultural project …more

What is ‘musical thought’? Can music be considered a form of thinking? How to think in, with or through music? In times of …more

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 Proposal For an
Associates Session

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 proposal