International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology

The Music, Mind and Brain group at Goldsmiths, University of London hosted the annual International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology (SysMus14) from 18-20th September 2014. This conference was organised in association with SEMPRE.The SysMus conferences are annual events, designed and organised by students for students under the supervision of experienced researchers in the field. The conferences aim to allow advanced students in the field of systematic musicology – particularly those studying for PhDs or completing Masters degrees – to meet and discuss their research.

Systematic musicology embraces an extremely diverse mix of epistemologies and methodologies from the sciences and humanities aimed at studying the phenomenon of music in its general rather than specific manifestations. The scientific side is primarily empirical and data-oriented; it comprises empirical psychology and sociology, acoustics, physiology, neurosciences, cognitive sciences, and computing and technology. The humanities side of systematic musicology involves disciplines and paradigms such as philosophical aesthetics, theoretical sociology, semiotics, hermeneutics, music criticism, and cultural and gender studies. The conference aims to bring together students from many areas of study- from music, philosophy, and sociology to psychology, computing, and neuroscience- to facilitate interdisciplinary discussion and collaborations.