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NCOUNTERS: Putting All Together: Reconstructing Collaboration in Music
University of Alberta, Graduate Music Students’ Association
University of Alberta Department of Music
March 23-24, 2012

“Putting it Back Together: Reconstructing Collaboration in Music.”

Collaboration in music is an essential aspect to the art that is not often discussed. Throughout the course of the academic year the students at the University of Alberta have discussed the collaboration of sound, technology, words, and people in the music making process.  Ncounters: Putting it Back Together: Reconstructing Collaboration in Music provides an opportunity to explore these and more approaches to collaboration in music. Together we will reconstruction the collaboration in music. Presented by the University of Alberta Graduate Music Students’ Association, this conference involves a collaborative series of lectures, performances, sound experiments and demonstrations. (Ethno)musicologists, music theorists, composers, performers, sociologists, anthropologists and philosophers are invited to respond.

Many graduate students are exploring novel ways for presenting research on the subject of music.  In response to these innovations and in the interest of stimulating dialogue across disciplines, Ncounters is designed to extend the conference space both through programming and through the expansion of modes and settings for presentation.  In addition to the traditional conference hall setting, research and creative work can be presented by avatar, video, as a stage show, a talking circle, or through busking.  Ncounters is a place to experiment, to share, and most importantly, to explore the possible means for communicating research to fellow graduate students.

Call for Submissions

Papers and Presentations
We invite all graduate students from a variety of disciplines to participate in a forum for theoretical, conceptual, or performative experiments we call Ncounters.  In an effort to be inclusive and environmentally conscious we encourage presenters to share their work in person, by real-time Internet broadcast (e.g. Skype), or by pre-recorded video with a real-time audio link for audience feedback.
We welcome work on any theme, from any disciplinary or transdisciplinary perspective. Suggested topics include (but are not limited to):

• acoustics
• acoustic ecology
• aesthetics
• composition/improvisation
• (ethno)musicology
• history/historicism
• music technology
• pedagogy
• philosophy
• popular music
• theory

Compositions
We are accepting submissions for any type of work no longer than ten minutes in length, including:

• composed concert works (performers must be provided by the composer, or a recording can also be presented)
• electroacoustic compositions (stereo only)
• improvised music
• works that make use of interactive technologies
• installations (please note that space is limited)

You may choose to have your composition streamed via Skype if you cannot be present.

Performances
We are accepting performances of any kind that showcase aspects of historical or contemporary technique, pedagogy, or performance practice. Lecture recitals are welcome.

All presentations will be allotted a maximum 20 minutes.  Each will be followed by a 10-minute Q&A period. Performances/Compositions will be given an optional 5-minute period to introduce the work.

Submissions must be sent to uofa.gmsa@gmail.com by Monday February 13th, 2012 at 11:59pm
in one of the following formats:

• An abstract of about 100-250 words suitable for publication on the conference website
• A short video clip
• mp3

Submission should include all technical requirements