Author: Michael Vitalino

Call for Papers

The program committee for the 2024 meeting of the Music Theory Society of New York State (MTSNYS) invites proposals for papers and presentations on any topic related to music theory and analysis. The 2024 Conference of the Music Theory Society of New York State will take place April 6–7, 2024, at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY.

Proposals are due by Sunday, October 15 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Please follow the link below for full details. 

Click here for the full Call for Papers

Statement in support of Phil Ewell

Dear Colleagues,

The Board of Directors of the Music Theory Society of New York State and the editors of the Society’s journal, Theory and Practice, stand in support of Dr. Philip Ewell, a longtime member of the Society who served as its Vice President from 2016–2020. We support and honor Dr. Ewell’s significant contributions to the study of racism and white supremacy in the academic field of music theory, and we applaud his courage in bringing these matters to national attention.

In solidarity with the SMT Executive Board and other regional music theory societies, we condemn the statements of anti-Black racism in several essays published in Volume 12 of the Journal of Schenkerian Studies, as well as the journal’s violation of well-established, equitable editorial procedures: the lack of a conventional peer-review process, the publication of an anonymous submission, and the failure to invite Dr. Ewell to respond to a symposium discussing his work.

In response to Phil Ewell’s July interview, quoted in the advocacy portion of the open letter to SMT, the President of the Music Theory Society of New York State, as authorized by the Board of Directors, acknowledges the following three points: (a) that American music theory is historically rooted in white supremacy, the racist idea that whites are superior to nonwhites; (b) that these white supremacist roots have resulted in racist policies that have benefitted whites and whiteness while disadvantaging nonwhites and nonwhiteness; and (c) that these racist policies have resulted in injustices suffered by BIPOC at all stages of their careers. The President, with the authorization of the Board of Directors, apologizes to all BIPOC who have suffered such injustices without equivocation.  We pledge to undertake ongoing discussions about meaningful actions that MTSNYS can take to mitigate these injustices and to foster a climate of inclusivity and respect.

Sincerely,

MTSNYS Board of Directors
Editors of Theory and Practice

2020 Conference Information

The forty-ninth meeting of the Society will take place at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY on April 4 and 5, 2020.  Project Spectrum will deliver the keynote address, and Rachel Lumsden (Florida State University). Chandler Carter (Hofstra University) will handle local arrangements.

General Information

Graduate Student Conference Grants

MTSNYS Graduate Student Conference Grants help graduate students attend annual MTSNYS conferences. Up to eight grants of up to $200 each are awarded yearly, along with a waiver of conference registration. Any student currently enrolled in a graduate program is eligible to apply. Applicants need not be members of MTSNYS. Students awarded a MTSNYS Conference Grant will be ineligible to receive one the following year. Awardees will be selected by lottery. All decisions made by MTSNYS regarding conference grants are final.

To apply, send name, mailing address, email, phone, name of institution and degree program, and proof of enrollment (scan of student ID or other documentation) to the MTSNYS Treasurer, Chris Bartlette. Deadline for application receipt is 1 March 2020.

Call for Submissions (Theory and Practice, Vol. 44)

The Editorial Board of Theory and Practice is pleased to announce that submissions to the journal may now include media examples, hosted on a designated website. Submissions are invited for Vol. 44, to be published in early 2020. While articles in any subfield of music theory are welcome, topics relating to cross-modal interactions are especially encouraged. Topics may include (but are not limited to):

● Music and sound in film and television
● Music videos
● Music and video games (or other digital interactive media)
● Music and visual arts
● Music and transmedia
● Sound installations
● Performance art
● Theories of music and multimedia
● Multimedia approaches to analysis

Submission by July 1, 2019 is encouraged to ensure a timely peer-review process toward publication in Vol. 44. Submission guidelines can be found here.