Von: HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste
Datum: Tue, 18 Feb 2025
Betreff: Hurra, hurra, der März in HELLERAU ist (fast) da…

Click for more info:
https://degemnewsplus.blogspot.com/2025/03/fwd-hurra-hurra-der-marz-in-hellerau.html

Von: Lepa, Steffen via ak discourse
Datum: Mon, 10 Feb 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] WG: ANIMUSIC 2025 – Priority Call for Papers is open

we would be happy to receive proposals from this community, which shall pertain to the themes of the ANIMUSIC Congress 2025 in Madeira (sound, musical instruments, music, art related to sound/music, museums…).

The Priority Call for Papers is now open. You shall find most of the information at the Congress website here (www.animusic.eu).

We would be delighted to have you with us this year, in person!
Any further questions, we try to help the best way we can, at:

animusic.congress2025@gmail.com

With all the best wishes,
Dr Patricia Bastos
ANIMUSIC President

www.animusic.eu

Von: Lepa, Steffen via ak discourse
Datum: Mon, 10 Feb 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] Call for Chapters – Global Processes in Audio Content Creation

Call for Chapters

Book Title: Global Processes in Audio Content Creation

Editors: Dr. Emma Heywood, Dr. Richard Berry, Prof. Tanja Bosch and Prof. Kim Fox

Publisher:Peter Lang

Overview

This edited volume seeks to explore the evolving landscape of global audio production and use, with a particular focus on moving beyond Western-centric narratives. The book will bring together contributions from academics, practitioners, and organizations to highlight diverse perspectives on the theory and practice of radio, podcasting, and other audio media. It aims to foster a dialogue between practice and theory, engaging voices from the Global North and South and showcasing underrepresented practices, technologies, and cultures.

–

Call for Contributions

We invite submissions from scholars, practitioners, and organizations to contribute original chapters that reflect on the production, use, and impact of audio media globally. Contributions may explore the intersections of practice and theory, offer case studies, or provide evidence-based insights into audio production in diverse contexts.

Chapters may be theoretical (5,000–6,000 words) or shorter reflections by practitioners or organizations (1,000–3,000 words). Submissions from underrepresented regions, particularly the majority world, are highly encouraged.

–

Themes and Topics

We welcome proposals on (but not limited to) the following themes:

1.

The Universality of Listening:

*

How is audio experienced, produced, and consumed globally?

*

Cross-cutting themes including culture, technology, gender,
language, and community.

2.

Global Perspectives on Production and Technology:

*

Audio production in resource-limited settings (e.g.,
solar-powered devices, limited internet access).

*

Innovations and adaptations in audio technologies across regions.

*

Ethical questions and applications of AI in audio production: Is
AI a Western obsession or globally relevant?

3.

The Producer:

*

Diverse roles and practices of audio producers, from community
radio broadcasters to DIY creators and AI-generated content.

*

Challenges and opportunities faced by local and community
organizations.

4.

The Place:

*

The influence of geographic and cultural contexts on audio
production and consumption.

*

Case studies from the Global South, conflict zones, and areas
with limited connectivity.

5.

The User:

*

Audiences and their evolving engagement with audio content.

*

Radio as a tool for advocacy, education, and democracy—or
propaganda and control.

*

Generational perspectives: Is youth radio dead, and if so, who
killed it?

6.

The Purpose:

*

Exploring the role of audio across organizational types: public
service broadcasters, commercial media, community radio, and
alternative platforms.

*

State vs. public service broadcasting: tensions and challenges.

7.

Audio and Podcasts in Global Markets:

*

Podcasting as a cultural phenomenon and its industrial practices.

*

How audio formats are converging with other media.

–

Submission Process

Please submit an abstract of 300–500 words along with a brief bio (150
words) detailing your background and expertise. Abstracts should clearly state the chapter’s objectives, methodology, and contribution to the field.

–

Deadlines

*

Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday 14th April 2025

*

Notification of Acceptance: Monday 12th May 2025

*

Deadline for submission of first draft: Monday 6th October 2025

*

Full Chapter Submission Deadline: Monday 8th January 2026

Contact Information

Please send your submissions and any inquiries to theglobalaudiobook@gmail.com .

–

About the Editors

The book is edited by Dr. Emma Heywood, a senior lecturer and researcher at the University of Sheffield with expertise in radio journalism in conflict and humanitarian settings; Dr. Richard Berry, a scholar specialising in radio and podcasting as audio media; Prof Tanja Bosch, National Research Foundation Chair in the Digital Humanities at the University of Cape Town; and Prof Kim Fox who is an award-winning professor of practice in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication in the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at The American University in Cairo.

We look forward to your contributions to this exciting exploration of global audio practices!

…

Von: International Sound Awards
Datum: Thu, 06 Feb 2025
Betreff: ISA 2025 – Submission Start | Fees for Individuals | New Website

Click for more info:

https://degemnewsplus.blogspot.com/2025/03/fwd-isa-2025-submission-start-fees-for.html

Von: Annesley Black
Datum: Sat, 8 Feb 2025
Betreff: UPCOMING- STUTTGART (or Online-stream), MONTRÉAL, GRAZ

DIGITAL BLOOD

Von: Institute of Sonology
Datum: Wed, 5 Feb 2025
Betreff: Sonology Discussion Concert three, 12 Feb, 19h, Conservatoriumzaal

Click for more info:
https://degemnewsplus.blogspot.com/2025/02/den-haag-sonology-discussion-concert.html

Von: Lepa, Steffen via ak discourse
Datum: Wed, 5 Feb 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] [CfC] Society for Music Production Research 2nd Annual Conference

Call for Contributions

Society for Music Production Research 2nd Annual Conference

September 11-13, 2025 • University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada

Take Two: Expanding the Field of Music Production Research

Building on the success of the inaugural SMPR conference, we now turn our focus to Canada’s west coast, a region where the extraordinary natural environment inspires us to push boundaries and explore new ideas. It’s time for take two!

Using Victoria’s ecological diversity and soaring landscape as a metaphor, we have chosen three themes to map out research directions for Music Production Research (MPR): equity, diversity and inclusion; social responsibility; and innovation. We want to explore these themes both from within the MPR community, and also by turning our collective creativity outwards. At this conference, we aim to test the limits of conventional thought by fostering discussions about how music production and research can, broadly speaking, make a positive social impact.

Paper Submissions:

We encourage proposals from both researchers and practitioners that respond to our themes of equity, diversity and inclusion; social responsibility, and innovation, as well as, those that cover the length and breadth of music production, its research and practice. Possible topics for proposals may include but are not limited to:

•     Practice-Oriented Research
•     Industry Insights
•     Sonic Analysis and Interpretation of Recorded Music
•     Music Production Techniques
•     Music Production Education
•     Perceptual and Psychological Impact of Music Production
•     Music Industry Dynamics
•     Case Studies of Music Production
•     Cultural Perspectives and Impact of Music Production
•     Historical Perspectives of Music Production

Conference Panels and Workshop:

To address our main themes, we have curated three panels and one workshop. These events will spotlight leading voices from the academic, industry and nonprofit sectors, and illuminate the following areas:

•     Building Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Music Production¹
•     Advancing Environmental Sustainability through Music Production²
•     Sustaining cultural heritage through Libraries, Archives and Museums in Music Production³
•     Innovating with AI in Music Production⁴

Moderated and presented by academic leaders and emerging stars from within the field of music production research: Allison Sokil (MacEwan University)¹, Nyssim Lefford (Luleå University of Technology)², Timothy Anne Burnside (Smithsonian Institute)³ , and Philippe Pasquier (Simon Fraser University)⁴; these events will look towards the future, challenge expectations regarding contemporary music production, and we hope, inspire new research directions and collaborations.

Speculative Solutions Challenge:

By this point it should be obvious that we seek to shake things up, and we recognize that bold exploration demands a kind of inventiveness that does not always rest comfortably in a traditional peer-review process. We want to make this conference a safe place to speculate – yes, really, speculate – about how music production can help build a more equitable, socially responsible and innovative world.

To make room for breaking new ground, in addition to standard, peer-reviewed paper submissions, we are offering a Speculative Solutions challenge based on the conference’s main themes. This is an opportunity to go a bit wild (like the Victoria landscape), present a vision for the future, and get feedback on the ideas from interested and knowledgeable colleagues. Speculations might involve new business models, (music production) technology solutions, organised actions, etc. Regardless, contextualise the proposed solution in a critical framework. In keeping with the spirit of speculation, submissions will be evaluated by domain experts who appreciate the goals of the challenge.

We want to make it easy to speculate. Submissions should take the form of an extended abstract, no more than 300 words, that explains the following:

• The problem being addressed by the proposed solution, and how it relates to one of the conference themes: DEI, Social Responsibility or Innovation (please choose one main theme, even if a solution potentially addresses needs across categories)
• The proposed solution
• What would be necessary for its realisation
• The expected impact

The abstract may be accompanied by images or diagrams.

Three submissions from each category (DEI, Sustainability or Innovation) will be chosen for presentation at the SMPR conference in Victoria. Presentation at the conference will consist of a poster session (a poster should be created for the conference) and an opportunity to make a 10-minute oral presentation about the idea. The poster may be accompanied by audio or video. However, presenters should be prepared to play this media off their own laptops as a/v equipment may not be available for the poster sessions.  All submitted speculations will be evaluated by topic area experts who are participants in the conference’s panels or workshop. These experts will choose the top three for their respective themes.

Please submit proposals via this link by midnight (UTC) February 21, 2025.

Submission types:

• Individual Papers – 20-minute presentations with 5-minute Q&A. Submit an abstract of up to 300 words. Include the Title, Author(s), contact information, and 3-5 keywords. Abstracts should summarize the context and argument of the paper and a brief conclusion.
• Speculative Solutions – 30-minute poster display period, 10-minute oral presentation alongside a panel of co-speculators followed by Q&A and discussion. Submit an abstract of up to 300 words covering the information described above. Include Title, Author(s), contact information, 3-5 keywords, and any special requirements for the poster session or presentation.

About SMPR:

The Society for Music Production Research is dedicated to building knowledge and dialogue among practitioners and scholars related to all aspects of music production. SMPR promotes research, publication, and networking among scholars and practitioners in the domains of creation, technologies, historical and industry contexts, aesthetics, and reception. The field is broad and includes all aspects of music production.

SMPR encourages multidisciplinary and intersectional engagement between its members, the music production industry, researchers, and related organizations and seeks to reinforce how research in music production impacts educators and students, while providing and encouraging a supportive space where members can contribute genuinely and sincerely by actively working to negate practices that perpetuate systems of oppression and exclusivity.

About the University of Victoria:

The University of Victoria Campus is located on the traditional lands of the Lǝḱ^wǝŋǝn peoples, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day. We are privileged to do our work in a way that is inspired by their history, customs, and culture.

Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, the University of Victoria is one of Canada’s top-tier research-intensive universities. As an internationally renowned hub for teaching and research, we tackle essential issues that matter to people, places, and the planet. Our location within the Pacific Rim fosters a passion for exploration, and this extraordinary environment inspires us to defy boundaries, discover, and innovate in exciting ways. We live, learn, work, and explore at the edge of what’s next.

The UVic School of Music is dedicated to experiential learning and training for musicians and music scholars, turning passion into profession. The School is home to 45 performers, composers, educators, theorists, musicologists, and professional staff, as well as 190 undergraduate majors and 40 graduate students. We offer Bachelor of Music degrees in composition, music education, performance, musicology and sound studies, and musical arts along with a combined degree in Music and Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Music. The School offers graduate degrees in composition, performance, musicology and sound studies, and music technology. We are strongly committed to inclusive excellence and equity and to increasing the diversity of approaches and perspectives in teaching, research, and creative output. In 2021 the school hosted AUDIO+: A Research Forum to Transform our Traditions.

Conference Venue: Sŋéqə ʔéʔləŋ (Sngequ House), built to Passive House and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) V4 Gold certifications.

Please note:

All conference presenters must be SMPR members by the time they register for the conference. For membership information visit: SMPR Membership.

Please spread this CfC widely throughout your own personal networks:

https://bit.ly/SMPR2025CfC

Conference committee:

• Kirk McNally, Associate Professor of Music Technology, University of Victoria, kmcnally@uvic.ca
• Lori Burns, Professor of Music, University of Ottawa, laburns@uottawa.ca
• Nyssim Lefford, Associate Professor, Luleå University of Technology, nyssim.lefford@ltu.se
• Alex Stevenson, Course Director for Postgraduate Courses in Music and Sound,a.s.stevenson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
• Paul Thompson, Reader in Popular Music, p.a.thompson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

 

 

Von: Lepa, Steffen
Datum: Mon, 3 Feb 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] WG: CFP Music 2025 and Music IP conference – UK – 11-12-13 June

 

16^th International Music Business Research Days

‘Music 2025 and Music IP’

 June 11^th-13^th 2025

University of Hertfordshire’s School of Creative Arts and Law School

 

CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS

 

This latest incarnation of the IMBRD conference, the 16^th International Music Business Research Days 2025, will be jointly hosted and organised by the School of Creative Arts and Hertfordshire Law School, at the University of Hertfordshire. The conference will be held between 11^th and 13^th June 2025.

 

Music business research is an interdisciplinary field located at the intersection of artistic, musical, cultural, social, legal, economic and technological understandings of the creation, distribution, remuneration and use of music. This interdisciplinary nature of the field entails a variety of conceptual and methodological approaches and an openness to scholars from different academic fields.

 

The over-arching conference theme is ‘Music 2025 and Music IP’. We aim to celebrate the manifesto first set out at IMBRD in Vienna in 2014 which led to the Music 2025 research project published in 2019 and subsequent campaigns in the UK and beyond. Campaigns such as #brokenrecord and the UK Government parliamentary investigations into the economics of streaming and calls for the reform of remuneration and improvement in music metadata practices throughout the whole digital music supply chain.

 

The conference organisers invite scholars (from the postdoctoral level on) who have a research focus on music business/industry related topics to submit a paper proposal for the conference day on Thursday June 12^th, 2025. Scholarly submissions on this year’s conference theme are equally welcome as are other aspects of music business research.

For students at all levels of the MA or PhD programmes, a doctoral colloquium – the Young Scholars‘ Workshop (YSW) – will be held as part of the 16^th IMBRD on Wednesday June 11^th, 2025.

 

Indicative themes include but are not limited to

• Past, current and future developments in the music industry (recorded/live/publishing/retailing/wholesaling, etc.)
• Economic and historic analyses of music markets, charts or audiences
• Music and AI
• Music and Metadata
• Music IP Rights Investments – the increased value of Music IPR
• Music Rights , Contracts and Remuneration –#broken record campaign
• Music and trademarks – including counterfeit merchandise
• Issues in marketing and/or branding music, musicians or music institutions
• Music management new models
• Musical and musician diversity in the music business
• Algorithmic playlisting in streaming
• Emerging market insights including Africa, Latin America and Asia

 

Friday June 13^th, 2025, is the Music industry conference day for which we have planned a variety of different presentations from UK and International music trade bodies to critically examine and debate the current state of music business including improving remuneration, providing more transparency in contractual arrangements, greater awareness of metadata and improving music creators’ lives.

 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Please submit your abstract by March 17^th, 2025, to president@imbra.info

 

Abstracts should be between 300-500 words (any references are included in the word count) and should include:

• Objectives of the research and research question
• Brief description of the disciplinary/theoretical context/background

• Research questions and/or hypotheses
• Data and methods
• Main or expected conclusions/contribution
• Main references

Abstracts will be subject to a peer review process by an international jury, and authors will

be notified of acceptance by April 17^th , 2025.

 

REGISTRATION FEE

Registration will be open from until June 11^th , 2025. The fee includes conference attendance, welcome reception (June 10^th), coffee and lunch breaks and the conference dinner (June 13^th).

The Registration/Conference fee is £200 for attendees and £150 for IMBRA & GMM Members. The student rate is £75.

 

IJMBR SPECIAL ISSUE

The best papers from the conference will be considered for publication in a special issue of the International Journal of Music Business Research (IJMBR). Complete eligible submissions for this special issue should be sent to the IJMBR Editor on or before June 30^th , 2025.

 

Final submissions should not exceed 7,000 words (including abstracts, figures, tables, references and appendices) and should follow the author guidelines of the International Journal of Music Business Research (IJMBR).

 

An initial selection of papers will be chosen by the editors after the conference, followed by a double-blind peer review process.

 

IMBRA CONFERENCE ORGANISATION

The conference is organised by the Schools of Creative Arts and Law School University of Hertfordshire and the Conference Organiser is Dennis Collopy, Senior Research Fellow, School of Creative Arts, University of Hertfordshire.

 

IMBRA IMPORTANT DATES & CONTACT

• March 17^th Abstract submission deadline
• April 17^th Notification of acceptance
• June 11^th until June 13^th Conference
• June 30^th Delivery of full paper for consideration for publication
• If you have any questions, please contact: president@imbra.info
• Further information will be provided soon as regards travel, hotels and local accommodation.

 

International Music Business Research Association

www.imbra.info

 

Kind regards,

Guy

 

(For assistive technology users: this is the end of the email)

Dr Guy Morrow he/him

Deputy Head of School (Education & Students)

Senior Lecturer in Arts & Cultural Management

School of Culture and Communication  |  Faculty of Arts

Walter Boas building, level 3 Room 316

The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 Australia

T: +61 413 197 880 E: guy.morrow@unimelb.edu.au

unimelb.edu.au

 

New book – out now! 

Music Artist Managers: Remuneration and Retention in the Popular Music Business

 

President

International Music Business Research Association

 

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the University of Melbourne, Parkville campus is located, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations, and pay my respects to the Elders both past and present.

 

This email and any attachments may contain personal information or information that is otherwise confidential or the subject of copyright. Any use, disclosure or copying of any part of it is prohibited. The University does not warrant that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or defects. Please check any attachments for viruses and defects before opening them. If this email is received in error please delete it and notify us by return email.

Von: Jan Jacob Hofmann
Datum: Fri, 31 Jan 2025
Betreff: +++ Sonic Architecture News +++ Konzert in der Walkmühle Wiesbaden

Was kann aus Klängen „gebaut“ werden, wenn Klang als fluides Material mit Oberfläche, Ausdehnung, Dichte und Position im Raum betrachtet wird? Welche Welten tuen sich dann auf?
Konzert räumlicher elektronischer Musik in Ambisonic 3.Ordnung von Jan Jacob Hofmann.

Ort: Walkmühle Wiesbaden veranstaltet von artist Wiesbaden.

Wir laden Sie dazu ein, dieses Konzert im Liegen zu erleben. Gerne Iso- oder Yogamatten und Kissen mitbringen. Decken sind vor Ort vorhanden, genauso wie Hocker und Stühle für alle, die sich im Sitzen wohler fühlen. Die Stücke werden auf 8 Lautsprechern wiedergegeben.

Datum: 15. Februar 2025
Beginn: 20:00 Uhr
Ort: Walkmühle 3 (vormals Bornhofenweg 9)
65195 Wiesbaden

Links:
artist Wiesbaden: https://www.artist-wiesbaden.de/
sonic architecture: http://www.sonicarchitecture.de

sound | movement | object | space
sonic architecture | site: http://www.sonicarchitecture.de
spatial electronic composition | higher order ambisonic music

Von: Artemi-Maria Gioti
Datum: Fri, 31 Jan 2025
Betreff: Mozarteum University – PhD programme in the Arts

*Please distribute. Apologies for cross posting*

Mozarteum University Salzburg – PhD programme in the Arts

Deadline: 28 March 2025

The Mozarteum University Salzburg invites applications for its PhD programme in the Arts, a doctoral programme in artistic research. Artists from any field of practice are encouraged to apply, including but not limited to music, the visual arts, theatre, dance, film, digital media and design.

The doctoral programme focuses on the potential of artistic processes to articulate themselves as research, highlighting their capacity for creative and critical reflection. In this context, artistic practice serves as both the subject of investigation and the primary method through which research is conducted.

The PhD in the Arts provides a structured framework for the development of individual projects, encompassing a wide spectrum of formats including one-to-one tuition, seminars, workshops, lectures, excursions and a student-led “open space”. The programme is set within a collaborative research environment that fosters artistic and scholarly exchange and collaboration. It is supported by extensive infrastructure including specialised spaces, equipment, instruments and library resources.

The programme is designed for a minimum of 3 years and conducted in English. All courses take place in monthly gatherings. Residence in Austria is not required, but participants are requested to take part in activities in Salzburg. The Mozarteum University Salzburg cannot provide internal funding or scholarships. Candidates will be supported in all application processes for external funding.

The programme works with the concept of transversality as an operative principle that opposes both a vertical and a horizontal understanding of art. Examples of transversal practices that the programme welcomes include but are not limited to:
– Practices that engage post-anthropocentric modes of creativity (e.g., reflections on human and other-than-human interaction, environmental awareness, historical and new materialisms, speculative realism, post-human discourses, etc.).
– Practices that develop divergent and creative approaches to history and cultural heritage (e.g., archival practices, reflections of temporal linearity and anachronism, experimental modes of music performance, montages of found footage etc.).
– Practices that challenge hierarchical social and political structures (e.g., centered on feminist, queer, Marxist, decolonial and postcolonial discourses, etc.), as well as traditional divisions of labor in the art market (composer/performer/improviser, artist/spectator, art/society, etc.).
– Practices that engage with the imaginary and spiritual not as marginal nonrealities, but as means to change epistemologies and to reinvent ontologies.

Applications outside this thematic focus are also welcome.

Application process:
Applicants are admitted to the doctoral programme through a 2-step selection process (proposal and presentation). In addition, knowledge of English (oral and written) must be proven. The online application in Muvac is open from February 01 to March 28, 2025. Please upload all documents. For details on the registration process please see the Mozarteum University Salzburg website.

The results of the online application process will be communicated to applicants at the beginning of May 2025. The on-site interviews will take place from June 10 to 12 2025. For further information please contact: studieninfo@moz.ac.at.

Necessary documents for the online application:
– Master’s certificate (or graduation certificate from an equivalent course of study). If a master’s certificate is not available, an enrollment certificate or official confirmation of the anticipated degree should be uploaded.
– Complete transcript of records for the master’s degree including all subjects taken and grades awarded.
– In case of further previous studies please add all graduation certificates and transcripts of records (list of completed subjects and grades).
– Applicants with foreign documents must provide an official translation in German or English alongside the relevant original.
– Proof of English skills (optional for the application process, but necessary for admission).

The application (compiled into a single PDF file no larger than 5 MB) has to be uploaded online and should include the following:
– a résumé (curriculum vitae)
– a portfolio containing relevant activities (exhibitions, concerts, compositions, publications, conferences, etc.), including links to audio and video files and large images where relevant,
– a written proposal outlining the artistic research project to be developed during the course of the study programme (contextualization of the proposed research, research questions, methods and a provisional timetable for the proposed project, optional: proposals for potential supervisors). The PhD project proposal should consist of 5-10 A4 pages.

Von: Lepa, Steffen via ak discourse
Datum: Fri, 31 Jan 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] CFP: 77. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Musikforschung (Weimar)

77. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Musikforschung
    Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar

6.–9. Oktober 2025

In Gesellschaften, zwischen Weltregionen und Religionen tun sich tiefe Risse auf – auf lokaler Ebene spiegeln sich die globalen politischen Verwerfungen u.a. in den vergangenen Landtagswahlen in Ostdeutschland, auf globaler in der Präsidentschaftswahl der USA. Mit neuen Konflikten zwischen Ost und West, Süd und Nord, Stadt und Land, alt und jung, demokratisch und autoritär, Judentum, Islam und Christentum usw. scheint nicht zuletzt das Konfrontationsdenken des Kalten Krieges wieder aufzuerstehen. Derartige manichäische Weltsichten waren und sind auch dem musikalischen Bereich nicht fremd: Analog dazu ist die Musikgeschichte durchzogen von Polarisierungen wie U vs. E, neu vs. alt, West vs. Ost, Wagner vs. Brahms, nordischer Tiefsinn vs. südliche Leichtigkeit, weltlich vs. geistlich etc.

Im Rahmen des Oberthemas einer musikalisch geteilten Welt soll untersucht werden, wie Musik sowohl Trennlinien als auch Brücken in verschiedenen Gesellschaften und Epochen klingend erfahrbar und verhandelbar macht. Angesichts der aktuellen globalen Herausforderungen ist es unerlässlich, eine gemeinsame, ebenso tolerante wie demokratische Basis wiederzufinden, in der Politik wie in der Musik. Nur so lässt sich das kulturelle und gesellschaftliche Fundament für kommende Generationen sichern.

Weimar – und insbesondere die Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT mit der zentralen Adresse »Platz der Demokratie« – bietet sich gut 20 Jahre nach der Ausrichtung des internationalen Kongresses der GfM (2004) mit der hier in ihrer ganzen Breite vorhandenen Musikwissenschaft (historische und systematische Musikwissenschaft, Geschichte des Jazz und der Populären Musik, Geschichte der jüdischen Musik, Transcultural Music Studies) in besonderem Maße an.

Die Hauptsymposien der Tagung behandeln das Themenfeld »Musik in einer geteilten Welt« aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven.

Alle Interessierten – ganz besonders auch aus dem wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchs – sind herzlich eingeladen, sich mit Beiträgen zum breiten Spektrum der aktuellen Musikforschung an der Tagung zu beteiligen. Mögliche Formate sind:

• Freies Referat (20 Min. + 10 Min. Diskussion)
  •    Posterpräsentation, Freies Panel oder Roundtable (90 oder 180 Min.)
  •    Fachgruppensymposium (90 oder 180 Min. und länger)
  •    Präsentation von Forschungsprojekten (30 Min. + 15 Min. Diskussion)
  •    experimentelle Formate wie Lecture Performances.

Bitte reichen Sie Ihre Vorschläge in deutscher oder englischer Sprache bis spätestens 28. Februar 2025 über ConfToolein. Rückfragen bitte an gfm25(at)hfm-weimar.de.

Die Entscheidungen über die Annahme der Vorschläge durch die Programmkommission werden voraussichtlich im April 2025 mitgeteilt.

Call for Papers deutsch Pdf.

Call for Papers englisch Pdf.

 

Von: neuemusik@kulturserver-nrw.de
Datum: Fri, 31 Jan 2025
Betreff: [Neuemusik]Gazette Neue Musik in NRW – Ausgabe Februar 2025

Von: weekly ausland newsletter
Datum: Fri, 31 Jan 2025
Betreff: [ausland depesche] Minute/Year | Madelaine Gamondés & Un fantasma feliz | fluid form club | and more

die kommenden Veranstaltugen im Ausland:
coming soon in Ausland:

accessibility info here: https://www.ausland.berlin/accessibility

…

Sunday, 09 February, 2025 – 20:00

Megumi Eda + Kazuhisa Uchihashi // Pitch Shifting Grgur Savic + Sanja Star
Doors 20:00 | Concerts 20:30 | Tickets (only at door) € 10,–

The first encounter with Megumi Eda and Kazuhisa Uchihashi will be exposed by Pitch Shifting. Supportet by Applaus 2023 category best live music programs.

https://ausland.berlin/de/event/megumi-eda-kazuhisa-uchihashi-pitch-shifting

—

Saturday, 22 February, 2025 – 12:00

Workshop: Listening – Artistically Integrated Audio Description and Aesthetics of Access 2

In this workshop, choreographers, performers and access dramaturges Carolin Jüngst and Naomi Sanfo invite you to think together about accessibility in theatre and, in particular, to research the topic of artistically integrated audio description.

https://ausland.berlin/de/event/listening-artistically-integrated-audio-description-and-aesthetics-of-access-2

—

Von Lepa, Steffen via ak discourse
Datum: Tue, 28 Jan 2025
Betreff [ak-discourse] WG: PhD Studentships for 2025 at Kingston University London

PhD Studentships for 2025 at Kingston University London

The Department of Performing Arts at Kingston University London is delighted to invite expressions of interest from strong Music researchers to join our PhD Programme from October 2025.

Several fully-funded and part-funded studentships are available on a competitive basis to undertake doctoral study (including practice-based) in a range of areas.

We encourage applications from Global Majority students: as well as ringfencing a number of studentships, we are also offering a programme of support and mentoring during the application process.

At least one of the fully-funded PhD studentships will be awarded to a Kingston Alumni who has completed an undergraduate and/or masters level degree course at Kingston University or its predecessor institutions.

Deadline for applications: 5 March 2025

Research in Music at Kingston University is both theoretical and practice-based and often the two are integrated. Engaging with a range of methodologies and theoretical perspectives, music staff have particular strength in:

• Music technology
• Musicology
• Music education
• Music composition

Music technology research include studio-based creative practices, immersive audio environments, interactive performances, and music AI. Musicology topics range from historical and philosophical aspects to popular musicology and music in other media (moving image, dance). Music education research is inclusive of a broad range of teaching and learning settings and related music in health and wellbeing contexts. Music compositions encompass instrumental works, interactive pieces and multimedia collaborations.

Specific areas of expertise include:

• studio-based creative practice-research
• pop musicology and ludomusicology
• sound spatialisation techniques and systems
• site-specific installation art
• music memory and perception
• electroacoustic music analysis
• preservation issues of electronic music
• electronic music performance practices
• music and generative AI

Further information on the studentships and guidelines for application can be found here:

https://www.kingston.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/funding/phd-studentships-2025/

For information of the research environment of Kingston School of Art, please follow this link:https://www.kingston.ac.uk/faculties/kingston-school-of-art/research-and-innovation/research-degrees/

Questions about the PhD programme can be directed to Dr Daniela Perazzo, Postgraduate Research Coordinator: https://www.kingston.ac.uk/staff/profile/dr-daniela-perazzo-179/. Prospective applicants are encouraged to discuss their research proposal in advance of submitting an application.

Von: Moshona, Cleopatra Christina via ak discourse
Datum: Tue, 28 Jan 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] Urban Sound Symposium 2025, Zürich – Register now!

Liebe Kolleg*innen und Interessierte,

im Namen des Organisationskomitees des Urban Sound Symposiums (USS), möchten ich Sie auf das USS 2025 aufmerksam machen, welches dieses Jahr vom 28-30. April in Zürich (Dübendorf) stattfindet und von Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology organisiert wird.

Das Urban Sound Symposium befasst sich mit den Herausforderungen, die durch Lärm in städtischen Umgebungen entstehen. Die Hauptthemen sind Planung und Gestaltung von urbanen Umgebungen, Lärmschutz, Analyse städtischer Geräuschkulissen und lärmpolitische Fragen. Das Symposium richtet sich an ein interdisziplinäres Publikum aus Akustiker*innen, Architekt*innen und Stadtplaner*innen.

Auch dieses Jahr bieten wir ein spannendes Programm mit einem Line-up von angesehenen Sprecher*innen aus Industrie, Forschung und öffentlicher Verwaltung an.

https://urban-sound-symposium.org/program/

Bis zum 31.01.2025 können noch Abstracts für Poster eingereicht werden. Bitte beachten Sie, dass die Early-Bird Deadline bis zum 28.02.2025 verlängert wurde.

https://urban-sound-symposium.org/registration/

Wir würden uns freuen Sie in Zürich begrüßen zu dürfen, um gemeinsam über die Zukunft urbaner Klangräume zu diskutieren.

Beste Grüße,

Cleopatra Moshona, OC-Member

__

Cleopatra Christina Moshona, M.A., M.A.

Research Associate

 

Technische Universität Berlin

Faculty V – Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems

Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Technical Acoustics

Engineering Acoustics – Psychoacoustics Group

Room: HFT-TA 438
Telephone.: +49 (0)30 314-70437

https://www.tu.berlin/akustik

Von: Gerriet K. Sharma
Datum: Mon, 27 Jan 2025
Betreff: Triple Helix – Friedl/Sharma: Piano und 393

Liebe Freunde und Kollegen,

(English Version below)

Reinhold Friedl (https://www.reinhold-friedl.de/about) und ich haben das letzte Jahr an einem Stück für Konzertflügel und Live-Spatialisierung gearbeitet.

Ich freue mich, die Uraufführung
am 13.02.2025
um19h00
im Kurt-Sachs Saal des
Staatlichen Institut für Musikforschung (Philharmonie)
in Berlin

ankündigen zu können.

https://www.simpk.de/ueber-uns/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungs-detailseite/veranstaltung/2025/02/13/triple-helix.html

Über das Stück:

Triple Helix

Gerriet Krishna Sharma & Reinhold Friedl 2024/25

Für Konzertflügel und zwei multidirektionale 393-beamforming Lautsprecher.

Triple Helix erforscht die dynamischen Beziehungen und Interaktionen zwischen Instrument und Raum, traditionellen Konzepten von Musik und Augmented Reality (AR) sowie die Synthese verschiedener Vorstellungen von Virtualität.

Reinhold Friedl ist bekannt für seine außergewöhnlichen Klavierdarbietungen, insbesondere für seine innovativen erweiterten Techniken am Konzertflügel, die einzigartige und höchst variable Klanglandschaften erzeugen.

In dieser Performance werden die Klavierklänge in Echtzeit verarbeitet und räumlich inszeniert.

Gerriet K. Sharma nutzt zwei Prototypen von 393-Lautsprechern mit Beamforming-Technologie, die es ermöglichen, skulpturale Klangtexturen zu erzeugen.

Mit diesen Lautsprecher können die Klavierklänge ihren raum-klanglichen Auswirkungen instantan gegenübergestellt und dabei komplexe räumliche und klangliche Interferenzen erzeugt werden.

In Echtzeit werden die Klavierklänge mit den 393 Beamforming-Lautsprechern sowohl spektralisiert als auch räumlich inszeniert, während Mikrofone die inneren Resonanzen des Klaviers erfassen und wieder rückkoppeln.

Dieses komplexe Zusammenspiel führt zu einer „Triple Helix“: Drei verschiedene klangliche Räume existieren gleichzeitig.

Sie sind jeweils klar unterscheidbar, aber räumlich und zeitlich miteinander verbunden.

Gemeinsam bilden sie eine einheitliche, erweiterte Spektromorphologie – live und ortsspezifisch.

—

[ENGLISH]

Dear friends and colleagues,

Reinhold Friedl (https://www.reinhold-friedl.de/about) and I have spent the past year working on a piece for piano and live spatialization.

I am delighted to announce the world premiere on

February 13, 2025,

at 7:00 PM

in the Kurt-Sachs Hall

at the State Institute for Music Research (Philharmonie)

in Berlin.
https://www.simpk.de/ueber-uns/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungs-detailseite/veranstaltung/2025/02/13/triple-helix.html

About the piece:

Triple Helix

Gerriet Krishna Sharma & Reinhold Friedl 2024/25

For grand piano and two multidirectional 393-beamforming loudspeakers.

Triple Helix explores the dynamic relationships and interactions between instrument and space, traditional concepts of music and augmented reality (AR) experiences, and synthesizes various notions of virtuality.

Reinhold Friedl is renowned for his virtuosic piano performances, particularly his innovative extended techniques on the grand piano, which produce unique and highly variable soundscapes.

In this performance, the piano’s sounds will be processed and spatialized in real time.

Gerriet K. Sharma employs two prototype 393 3D audio beamforming loudspeakers, capable of creating sculptural sound formations.

These speakers allow to juxtapose the piano’s sounds with their spatio-sonic derivatives, generating complex spatial and sonic interferences.

In real time, the piano’s sounds are both spectralized and spatialized using the 393-beamforming loudspeakers, while microphones capture and feedback the inner resonances of the piano.

This intricate interplay gives rise to a „triple helix“: three distinct sonic spaces coexist, each distinguishable yet interconnected in space and time.

Together, they form a unified, augmented spectromorphology—live and site-specific.

.
Gerriet Krishna Sharma
www.gksh.net
www.spaes.org
www.ikoweave.com
instagram: gksh_lab
facebook: GerrietKSharma
phone: +491752449300
.

Von: Lepa, Steffen via ak discourse
Datum: Fri, 17 Jan 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] Job: Research Scientist – Generative AI Technologies at Spotify

Research Scientist – Generative AI Technologies

We are seeking a Research Scientist to help shape the future of listening on Spotify. Our team pioneers and advances state-of-the-art generative technologies that enable recommendation and personalization features, customized playback features, and much more. We build products for end-users, for artists, for labels and publishers, for advertisers – projects that cut across all of Spotify. We enhance current offerings and invent entirely new listening experiences that center and celebrate human artists and creatives.

What You’ll Do

Conduct cutting-edge research in audio generation (diffusion, flow matching, or autoregressive models), as well as related domains like ML-based audio processing, audio information retrieval, machine learning, and signal processing.
Run large-scale experiments with access to Spotify’s extensive infrastructure and an audience of more than 600 million monthly active users.
Create practical applications that harness generative technologies, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in listening experiences.
Collaborate as part of an autonomous, cross-functional team—working closely with scientists, engineers, product managers, designers, user researchers, and analysts—to craft innovative solutions to complex challenges.
Have a direct impact on Spotify’s products, tools, and services, working on projects that influence the entire organization.
Engage with the broader research community by publishing your findings, delivering talks, and attending top conferences.

Who You Are

You have a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field. Previous industry experience is helpful.
You have experience in one or more of the following fields: generative modeling, machine learning, music information retrieval, speech processing, audio processing, signal processing, probabilistic modeling, computer vision, or related areas.
You have publications in communities such as ICASSP, ISMIR, Interspeech, ICLR, AAAI, IJCAI, NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, ECCV, ICCV, or related.
You have strong coding skills in the following languages/libraries: Python, NumPy, PyTorch / Tensorflow.
You are a creative problem solver who is passionate about building outstanding products that add real value to millions of people.
You are enthusiastic about learning more about turning research ideas into products operating at scale.
You can explain complex topics in simple terms, and you enjoy building strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.

Where You’ll Be

We offer you the flexibility to work where you work best! For this role, you can be within the Europe region as long as we have a work location.
This team operates within the Central Europe time zone for collaboration.

—

Sebastian Ewert

Director of Research (Music Mission / MIQ Research PA)

Berlin, Germany | @sewert

—

Von: HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste
Datum: Thu, 16 Jan 2025
Betreff: Same same but different: HELLERAU startet ins neue Jahr

Click for more info:
https://degemnewsplus.blogspot.com/2025/02/fwd-same-same-but-different-hellerau.html

Von: Lepa, Steffen
Datum: Tue, 14 Jan 2025
Betreff: [ak-discourse] PhD Studentships at the Centre for Digital Music (Queen Mary University of London) – Autumn 2025 start

https://www.c4dm.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/news/2024-11-12.PhD-call-2025/

The Centre for Digital Music at Queen Mary University of London is inviting applications for PhD study for Autumn 2025 start across various funding schemes. Below are suggested PhD topics offered by academics; interested applicants can apply for a PhD under one of those topics, or can propose their own topic. In all cases, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact academics at C4DM to informally discuss prospective research topics.

Opportunities include internally and externally funded positions for PhD projects to start in Autumn 2025. It is also possible to apply as a self-funded student or with funding from another source. Applicants can apply for a 3-year PhD degree in Computer Science or Electronic Engineering, or for a 4-year PhD in AI and Music. Studentship opportunities include:

• One industry funded PhD position in collaboration with Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH (applicants from all nationalities, Autumn 2025 start). The topic description can be found below and application guidelines can be found here.
• S&E Doctoral Research Studentships for Underrepresented Groups (UK home applicants, Autumn 2025 start, 6 positions funded across the Faculty of Science & Engineering)
• CSC PhD Studentships in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science (Autumn 2025 start, Chinese applicants, up to 8 nominations allocated for the Centre for Digital Music)
• International PhD Funding Schemes (Autumn 2025 start, numerous international funding agencies)

Each funding scheme has a dedicated application process and requirements. S&E Doctoral Research Studentships and CSC applications close on 29 January 2025 at 5pm UK time. Detailed information and application links can be found on the respective funding scheme pages, following the above links.

AI Models of Music Understanding

Supervisor: Simon Dixon

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

Music information retrieval (MIR) applies computing and engineering technologies to musical data to satisfy users‘ information needs. This topic involves the application of artificial intelligence technologies to the processing of music, either in audio or symbolic (score, MIDI) form. The application could be e.g. for software to enhance the listening experience, for music education, for musical practice or for the scientific study of music. Examples of topics of particular interest are automatic transcription of multi-instrumental music, providing feedback to music learners, incorporation of musical knowledge into data-driven deep learning approaches, and tracing the transmission of musical styles, ideas or influences across time or locations.

It is intentional that this topic description is very general, but it is expected that applicants choose your own specific project within this broad area of research, according to your interests and experience. The research proposal should define the scope of the project, the relationship to the state of the art, the data and methods that you plan to use, and the expected outputs and means of evaluation.

AI-Powered Audio Loop Generation for Assistive Music Production (in collaboration with Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH)

Supervisor: George Fazekas

Eligible funding schemes: Industry funded PhD topic in collaboration with Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH (applicants from all nationalities are eligible)

This research explores the use of controllable deep learning models for generating high-quality audio loops tailored to musicians‘ needs. By focusing on audio tokenisation and representation learning techniques, the project aims to create reusable loops, such as drum patterns, basslines and synth textures, that seamlessly integrate into music production workflows. Unlike tools that generate full compositions, this approach priorities modular, user-customisable components, enabling artists to adapt loops for specific creative goals. The work also emphasises real-time usability, with plans to integrate the model into digital audio workstations (DAWs). By advancing tokenisation methods and intuitive controls, the research seeks to enhance AI’s role in modern music production. There is scope to explore different tokenisation techniques and different modelling approaches including, transformers, diffusion and consistency models, as well as retrieval augmented generation. Key challenges include ensuring high audio quality across diverse loop types, balancing customisable controls with user-friendly simplicity, and optimising the model for low-latency, efficient performance in real-time DAW environments. The research should also include elements concerning the evaluation of audio and musical qualities of the generated output and the usability/controllability of the model.

Audio-visual sensing for machine intelligence

Supervisor: Lin Wang

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

The project aims to develop novel audio-visual signal processing and machine learning algorithms that help improve machine intelligence and autonomy in an unknown environment, and to understand human behaviours interacting with robots. The project will investigate the application of AI algorithms for audio-visual scene analysis in real-life environments. One example is to employ multimodal sensors e.g. microphones and cameras, for analysing various sources and events present in the acoustic environment. Tasks to be considered include audio-visual source separation, localization/tracking, audio-visual event detection/recognition, audio-visual scene understanding.

Automated machine learning for music understanding

Supervisor: Emmanouil Benetos

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

The field of music information retrieval (MIR) has been growing for more than 20 years, with recent advances in deep learning having revolutionised the way machines can make sense of music data. At the same time, research in the field is still constrained by laborious tasks involving data preparation, feature extraction, model selection, architecture optimisation, hyperparameter optimisation, and transfer learning, to name but a few. Some of the model and experimental design choices made by MIR researchers also reflect their own biases.

Inspired by recent developments in machine learning and automation, this PhD project will investigate and develop automated machine learning methods which can be applied at any stage in the MIR pipeline as to build music understanding models ready for deployment across a wide range of tasks. This project will also compare the automated decisions made on every step in the MIR pipeline, as compared with manual model design choices made by researchers. The successful candidate will investigate, propose and develop novel deep learning methods for automating music understanding, resulting in models that can accelerate MIR research and contribute to the democratisation of AI.

Dynamical Systems Analysis and Hebbian Learning for Advanced Time-Series Processing

Supervisor: Iran R. Roman

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, International PhD Funding Scheme

This research aims to advance neural networks for time-series processing by applying dynamical systems theory and Hebbian learning, with a focus on emulating biological mechanisms that recognize and retain temporal patterns. We intend to develop efficient, adaptable architectures that minimize data dependency, utilizing low-dimensional circuits derived from dynamic analyses of large-scale neural activities. By converting complex neural states into simpler mathematical forms, we enhance both the efficiency and adaptability of processing time-series data.

The PhD project will develop state-of-the-art neural network models for applications such as musical rhythm, speech processing, and time-series forecasting. Using dynamical systems theory, we will dissect these models to understand the underlying dynamics that facilitate synchronization and pattern generation, identifying essential lower-dimensional circuits. Comparative analysis with biological data from humans and primates will be used to inform the design of biologically inspired models.

Additionally, the PhD student will implement Hebbian learning to create networks capable of few-shot and continual learning, thereby reducing the dependency on extensive datasets. This strategy will lead to robust, data-efficient models that offer deeper insights into both artificial and biological time-series processing mechanisms.

Exploiting Domain-Knowledge in Music Representation Learning

Supervisor: George Fazekas

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

The field of music representation learning aims to transform complex musical data into latent representations that are useful for tasks such as music classification, mood detection, music recommendation or generation. Despite recent advances in deep learning, many models rely purely on data-driven approaches and overlook domain-specific musical structures such as rhythm, melody and harmony.

This PhD project will investigate the integration of domain knowledge into music representation learning to enhance model interpretability and performance. Embedding music theoretical knowledge, structural hierarchies or genre-specific knowledge, the research should improve learning efficiency and provide richer representations that are more explainable and interpretable. The research has the option to explore various techniques, including incorporating symbolic representations, develop new methodologies for better utilisation of inductive biases, or leveraging musical ontologies to bridge the gap between data-driven models and the structured knowledge inherent in music theory.

There is flexibility in the approach taken, but the candidate should identify and outline a specific method within music analysis, production or generation. Special attention should be devoted to Ethical AI, i.e., it is expected that the proposed approach will not only improve music representation but allow for the reduction data biases or improve attribution of authorship to respect copyright.

Generative sound-based music

Supervisor: Anna Xambó

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

This PhD research explores the potential of generative techniques in sound-based music, where sound itself—rather than traditional musical notes—serves as the core building block of composition. By utilising generative learning procedures, the study will develop systems capable of creating novel soundscapes and site-specific sound art experiences. It is particularly relevant for students with expertise in computing and music, as it combines advanced algorithmic design with artistic sound manipulation. Through the integration of neural networks and sound synthesis methods, this research will examine how machines can generate, transform, and structure sounds into cohesive musical works from a human-centred perspective. This approach contributes to various fields, including acoustic ecology, sound design, interactive music systems, and human-computer interaction.

Interpretable AI for Sound Event Detection and Classification

Supervisor: Lin Wang

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

Deep-learning models have revolutionized state-of-the-art technologies for environmental sound recognition motivated by their applications in healthcare, smart homes, or urban planning. However, most of the systems used for these applications are based on black boxes and, therefore, cannot be inspected, so the rationale behind their decisions is obscure. Despite recent advances, there is still a lack of research in interpretable machine learning in the audio domain. Applicants are invited to develop ideas to reduce this gap by proposing interpretable deep-learning models for automatic sound event detection and classification in real-life environments.

Machine learning models for musical timbre

Supervisor: Charalampos Saitis

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

Music information retrieval tasks related to timbre (e.g., instrument identification, playing technique detection) have historically been under-researched, partly due to lack of available -and annotated- data, including a lack of community consensus around instrument and technique taxonomies. In the context of music similarity, which extends to the topic of timbre similarity, metric learning methods are commonly used to learn distances from human judgements. There is extensive work on using metric learning with hand-crafted features, but such representations can be limiting. Conversely, deep metric learning methods attempt to learn distances directly from data, promising a viable alternative. Despite some limited adoption of deep metric learning for specific music similarity tasks, related efforts to learn timbre similarity, or automatically construct taxonomical structures for timbre, are currently lacking. This project will investigate, propose, and develop machine learning models, including curating a new sizable dataset, that can learn discriminative representations of timbre through supervised, semi-supervised, and self-supervised learning paradigms of similarity and categorisation. Such models will enable a wide range of applications for computational music understanding (e.g., foundation models for music) and generation/creativity (e.g., neural audio synthesis). Candidates should have experience in at least one of the following: music informatics, machine listening, metric learning.

Scalable Acoustic Imaging Using Sparse Microphone Arrays for Embedded Devices

Supervisor: Iran R. Roman

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, International PhD Funding Scheme

This project will fundamentally transform existing acoustic imaging technologies by developing scalable and adaptable machine learning algorithms aimed at delivering precise spatial sound representations, while requiring minimal hardware. The project focuses on harnessing the potential of embedded microphone arrays, using as few as two or four channels, to create efficient algorithms integrated directly into chips or mobile devices. These algorithms will be designed to accurately localize sound sources and decode semantic information from the sounds, such as identifying the type of sound-producing entity.

The project will entail the development of efficient machine learning models that effectively process both simulated and real sound recordings to not only pinpoint the exact location of sound sources but also extract rich semantic content. This capability will enable compact and versatile acoustic cameras. These cameras will be integrated into various devices, such as smartphones, AR glasses, and security doorbells, enhancing functionalities such as video object tracking by localizing sounds outside the visual field, improving automatic speech recognition systems by providing spatial audio cues to differentiate speakers, and augmenting reality applications by synchronizing virtual sound sources with physical environments.

Students will engage in rigorous algorithmic design, leveraging both theoretical and practical aspects of acoustic signal processing, machine learning, and spatial audio techniques. Comparative analyses with existing technologies will help in fine-tuning the algorithms to achieve high accuracy and efficiency. This research aims to pave the way for next-generation multimodal technologies that enhance the sensory capabilities of everyday devices through advanced sound processing.

Sound-based DIY approaches to creative AI

Supervisor: Anna Xambó

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

I am also open to discussing other projects related to creative AI and DIY projects that aim to improve societal aspects of unprivileged communities through the use of sound-based music and acoustic ecology systems.

Understanding Neural Audio Models with Artificial Intelligence and Linear Algebra

Supervisor: Mark Sandler

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

Since ~2016 most research in Digital Music and Digital Audio has adopted Deep Learning techniques. These have brought performance improvements in applications like Music Source Separation, Automatic Music Transcription and so on. This is good, but on the downside, the models get larger, they consume increasingly large amounts of power for training and inference, require more data and become less understandable and explainable. These issues underpin the research in this PhD.

A fundamental building block in DL is Matrix (or Linear) Algebra. Through training, each each layer’s weight matrix is progressively modified to reduce the training error. By examining these matrices during training, DL models can be compactly engineered to learn faster and more efficiently.

Research will start by exploring the learning dynamics of established Music Source Separation models. Using this knowledge, we can intelligently prune the models, using Low Rank approximations of weight matrices. We will explore what happens when Low Rank is imposed as a training constraint. Is the model better trained? Is it easier and cheaper to train? Next, the work shifts either to other Neural Audio applications, or to applying Mechanistic Interpretability, which reveals the hidden, innermost structures that emerge in trained Neural Networks.

Using machine learning to enhance simulation of sound phenomena

Supervisor: Josh Reiss

Eligible funding schemes: S&E Studentships for Underrepresented Groups, CSC PhD Studentships, International PhD Funding Scheme

Physical and signal-based models of sound generating phenomena are widely used in noise and vibration modelling, sound effects, and digital musical instruments. This project will explore machine learning from sample libraries for improving the models and their design process.

Not only can optimisation approaches be used to select parameter values such that the output of the model matches samples, the accuracy of such an approach will give us insight into the limitations of a model. It also provides the opportunity to explore the overall performance of different modelling approaches, and to find out whether a model can be generalised to cover a large number of sounds, with a relatively small number of exposed parameters.

Existing models will be used, with parameter optimisation based on gradient descent. Performance will be compared against recent neural synthesis approaches that often provide high quality synthesis but lack intuitive controls or a physical basis. It will also seek to measure the extent to which entire sample libraries could be replaced by a small number of models with parameters set to match the samples in the library.

The project can be tailored to the skills of the researcher, and has the potential for high impact.

 

Von: Gebrüder Teichmann
Datum: Tue, 14 Jan 2025
Betreff: GT News: Patreon + Highlights 2024

Click for more info:
https://degemnewsplus.blogspot.com/2025/02/fwd-gt-news-patreon-highlights-2024.html