Society for Minimalist Music

Those wishing to formally join the society may do so here. We are asking for those that were initially contacted via email about formalizing their membership to please register. Only those members that do register will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections for the new committee.

This was Leuven 2011. Thanks to all the delegates for contributing to four days filled with intense discussions, great papers and lots of fun. Hoping to see all of you (and many more) again in 2013 at the next conference, to be held ‘somewhere’ in the USA.

Due to some late cancellations, we had to make a few changes to the conference program. The newest (and  – so we hope – definitive) program can be found here. [UPDATE: This is the newest version, with session chairs added.]

All the paper sessions take place at the conference venue: Huis Bethlehem, Schapenstraat 34, 3000 Leuven. Except for the following activities which take place in other locations (all venues are within walking distance from each other):

Optional concert Wednesday 12 Oct. and Conference welcome reception: Schouwburg Leuven, Bondgenotenlaan 21, 3000 Leuven
Lecture-recitals, Thursday 13 Oct.: STUK (Ensemblezaal), Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven
Conference dinner, Thursday 13 Oct.: De Adellijke Belofte, Naamsestraat 60, 3000 Leuven
Conference concert, Friday 14 Oct.: STUK (Soetezaal), Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven
Closing session/concert 15 Oct.: MATRIX, Minderbroedersstraat 48, 3000 Leuven

A map of Leuven with these venues indicated, can be found here.

Registration for the 3rd International Conference on Music and Minimalism is now possible. On the 2011 Conference page, the registration form is available, together with a link that will direct you to the secure online payment facilities of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

A preliminary program has been posted as well, though this might still be subject to (slight) changes.

We hope to welcome you in Leuven in October!

We’ve posted some information on traveling to Leuven and finding accommodation. As the conference is non-residential, delegates are kindly asked to take care of booking their own accommodation. Please refer to the ‘Conference 2011′ page on this site for more details.

The conference will begin on Wednesday 12 October 2011 around noon and will end on Saturday 15 October in the early evening. More details about the program will be posted here as soon as possible, together with information about registration.

Submissions for the 3rd International Conference have been received, and the committee will be evaluating them over the next several weeks.  We’ll be posting information on the papers and lecture-recitals as soon as everything is confirmed.

CALL FOR PAPERS

You are kindly invited to submit proposals for the Third International Conference on Music and Minimalism, which will be held from 12-15 October 2011, at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Keynote speakers will be Louis Andriessen and Kyle Gann.

All scholars in this area are invited to submit papers. The conference welcomes all papers concerning minimalist music, American, European, and worldwide, as well as the many subsequent styles it inspired. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The minimalist ‘core repertoire’ as frequently identified
• European minimalisms: the various and often lesser-known minimalist and post-minimalist contributions from across Europe: Louis Andriessen, Gavin Bryars, Hans Otte, Eliane Radigue, Karel Goeyvaerts, Zoltan Jeney, Steve Martland, …
• Especially encouraged are papers on crucial but less public figures such as Tony Conrad, Phill Niblock, Jon Gibson, Rhys Chatham, Julius Eastman, Terry Jennings, and so on.
• Minimalist music in opera and music theatre
• Minimalism today: how is minimalism, almost half a century after its historical ‘birth’, reflected in the recent musical output? Both continued minimalist concerns from longtime minimalist pioneers, and – particularly – the reception of minimalist aesthetics and composition techniques among younger generations of composers are welcomed here. (See also the remark about lecture-recitals, below)
• The significance of minimalist and post-minimalist music as cultural practice
• Aesthetics/listening/analysis: discussions of the particular ways in which minimalism invites listening attitudes and their impact on music analysis

Contributions are welcomed in the form of individual papers (20 minutes). Abstracts containing a maximum of 500 words should be sent as email attachments, by January 17, 2011, to 3rdminimalism[at]gmail[dot]com

The conference is also eager to present lecture-recitals, including the possibility for composers to present their own minimalism-related work. Those considering to submit a proposal for such a lecture-recital are strongly encouraged to contact Maarten Beirens ( 3rdminimalism[at]gmail[dot]com ) as soon as possible in order to discuss their plans informally, prior to submitting a proposal.

Welcome to the new home of the Society for Minimalist Music.  Archived material from the 2007 Conference is now available on this site, and material from the 2009 Conference will be available soon.

The next conference will be held in the fall of 2011 in Leuven, Belgium, and things are already beginning to take shape.  Details on the upcoming conference will be made available as soon as we have them.  Hope to see you there!