The Jewish Music Forum issues a Call for Papers for the conference “Psalmody through the Ages: Music and the Book of Psalms,” with keynote address “Singing a Song of Zion: On Psalms as a Currency of Exile, Redemption, and Jewish National Consciousness” by Dr. Yael Sela (The Open University of Israel). It will be held Sunday, March 29, 2020 at The Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16thSt., New York, New York.
The book of Psalms echoes from the ancient Jerusalem Temple to the modern concert hall, and its role as an inspiration for musical works is unquestionable. In this one-day conference, we bring together scholars from across disciplines in order to begin to answer the following question: How are we to understand the relationship between the book of Psalms and the music it inspires?
Topics that scholars might seek to address include, but are not limited to, historical perspectives on Psalms and musical worship, musical imagery in Psalms, cantillation of the Psalms, Psalms and music across the faiths, Psalms as liturgy, Psalms and the secular, composers of Psalm settings, and Psalms and the music of the ancient world. This conference aims to study Psalms and music across religious and secular traditions.
We welcome proposals from any disciplinary perspective, and encourage scholars to suggest topics across a wide scope of time and place. Scholars in all career stages are encouraged to submit proposals. A limited number of travel stipends are available for presenters who are graduate students and independent scholars.
We welcome proposals in the following formats:
- Individual papers: Please submit a title and abstract of no more than 250 words describing your paper. Presentations of individuals papers should twenty minutes in length, followed by ten minutes of Q&A.
- Panels/Roundtables: Scholars are invited to organize multiple papers that revolve around a common theme. The group’s total presentation, including Q&A, should be ninety minutes in length. Please submit one proposal for the group that includes an abstract of up to 250 words for the panel as a whole, and abstracts of up to 250 words for each individual presentation. Proposals should include a description of the way you intend to divide the time between all of the presenters.
- Collaborative presentations: We welcome proposals that bring together artists and researchers in the study of music and Psalms. Please submit an abstract of up to 250 words that describes your intent for the presentation, including its length.
- Alternative formats, such as lecture-recitals, or the presentation of various media, are also encouraged to apply. Please submit an abstract of up to 250 words, including the length of your presentation and any special requirements.
Proposals should be submitted to info@jewishmusicforum.org by Friday, January 10, 2020.