Current Newsletter - April 2025
Newsletter
Dutch-Flemish Society for Music Theory
April 2025
Dutch-Flemish Society for Music Theory
April 2025
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Study day 1 March 2025
At the beginning of March, the association held its biannual study day at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen. It was a well-filled program with interesting and diverse contributions from both teachers and students. There was also a nice turnout at the General Members' Meeting. Regarding finances, the board announced that it is not yet necessary to raise the membership fee. It was also announced that there is room for a new board member from March 2026. If you are interested in this position, please email our secretary ([email protected]), or let one of the other board members know.
After the lectures, the attendants enjoyed some drinks together in the conservatory, after which a small group had dinner in the city centre. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this successful day!
Martin J. Lürsen prize
The Martin J. Lürsen prize will once again be awarded during the VvM conference in 2026. The prize, worth €500,- , is awarded every two years to a (Bachelor or Master) student graduating from a Dutch or Flemish conservatoire (in the field of music theory) or university (in the field of musicology) for their thesis on a music-theoretical subject. Only students who graduated in the academic years 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 are eligible for this edition. The closing date for submission of the thesis is 1 October 2025.
We would like to urge all our members working as teachers at higher education institutes to make their graduating students aware of this award, and encourage them to submit their thesis.
The board is also looking for candidates for the Lürsen prize reading committee. If you are interested in taking part in this, or know people who would be suitable, please let our secretary, Ralf Pisters, know. Membership of the society is not a requirement for participation in this committee.
Promotion Barbara Bleij
On Wednesday 12 February, our appreciated colleague Barbara Bleij was awarded her doctorate from the University of Amsterdam for her thesis An Annotated Theory of Tonal Jazz Harmony.
Barbara defended her thesis in a well-attended ceremony which took place in the Oude Lutherse Kerk. In honour of her doctorate, a symposium was also held at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam on 14 February, which counted with the participation of Keith Waters and Tony Whyton, among others. On behalf of the association's board, we would like to warmly congratulate Barbara on her impressive achievement.
Online evenings
The association's board remains committed to organising online evenings where we get together to learn more about various topics related to music theory and its pedagogy. These meetings usually take place on Mondays, 8pm, but day and time can be changed as per the wish of the speaker. For the next online evenings, we are still looking for members who would like to present a topic they are researching or members who would like to share a pedagogical aspect of their teaching practice. Those interested can send an email to our secretary.
Coming events
Music Theorist in Residence: 27-31 October 2025
We are delighted to welcome British musicologist and academic Michael Spitzer as our upcoming Music Theorist in Residence. Michael Spitzer is Professor of Music at the University of Liverpool. He works at the intersection of music with other disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology, biology and religion. His publications include works on Adorno and Beethoven, and one of his most recent books is titled A History of Emotion in Western Music: A Thousand Years from Chant to Pop. More information on Michael Spitzer can be found at the following link: Professor Michael Spitzer | Our people | University of Liverpool.
Spitzer will be a guest in Leuven on 27 and 28 October and in Amsterdam on 30 and 31 October. Further information on the program will follow via the email list.
VvM symposium and conference: 5-8 March 2026
Our next music theory conference will take place from 7 to 8 March 2026 at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, with the theme "Music Theory and Education through the Ages". An international call for papers will be published in the coming period. In honour of the 200th anniversary of the Royal Conservatoire, a symposium will be held prior to the conference, on 5 and 6 March, where VvM members and colleagues from the Royal Conservatoire are invited to give lectures and/or workshops. Please mark these dates in your agenda!
European Music Analysis Conference (EuroMAC): 7-10 September 2026
From 7 to 10 September 2026, the 11th edition of the European Music Analysis Conference will be held in Barcelona. The conference is organised by the Spanish associations Sociedad de Análisis y Teoría Musical (SATMUS) and Associació de Teoria i Anàlisi Musicals (ATAM), and the Portuguese association Sociedade Portuguesa de Investigação em Música (SPIM). The call for papers will be announced at the end of November 2025. When further information is available, it will be shared via the email list and/or upcoming newsletters.
At the beginning of March, the association held its biannual study day at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen. It was a well-filled program with interesting and diverse contributions from both teachers and students. There was also a nice turnout at the General Members' Meeting. Regarding finances, the board announced that it is not yet necessary to raise the membership fee. It was also announced that there is room for a new board member from March 2026. If you are interested in this position, please email our secretary ([email protected]), or let one of the other board members know.
After the lectures, the attendants enjoyed some drinks together in the conservatory, after which a small group had dinner in the city centre. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this successful day!
Martin J. Lürsen prize
The Martin J. Lürsen prize will once again be awarded during the VvM conference in 2026. The prize, worth €500,- , is awarded every two years to a (Bachelor or Master) student graduating from a Dutch or Flemish conservatoire (in the field of music theory) or university (in the field of musicology) for their thesis on a music-theoretical subject. Only students who graduated in the academic years 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 are eligible for this edition. The closing date for submission of the thesis is 1 October 2025.
We would like to urge all our members working as teachers at higher education institutes to make their graduating students aware of this award, and encourage them to submit their thesis.
The board is also looking for candidates for the Lürsen prize reading committee. If you are interested in taking part in this, or know people who would be suitable, please let our secretary, Ralf Pisters, know. Membership of the society is not a requirement for participation in this committee.
Promotion Barbara Bleij
On Wednesday 12 February, our appreciated colleague Barbara Bleij was awarded her doctorate from the University of Amsterdam for her thesis An Annotated Theory of Tonal Jazz Harmony.
Barbara defended her thesis in a well-attended ceremony which took place in the Oude Lutherse Kerk. In honour of her doctorate, a symposium was also held at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam on 14 February, which counted with the participation of Keith Waters and Tony Whyton, among others. On behalf of the association's board, we would like to warmly congratulate Barbara on her impressive achievement.
Online evenings
The association's board remains committed to organising online evenings where we get together to learn more about various topics related to music theory and its pedagogy. These meetings usually take place on Mondays, 8pm, but day and time can be changed as per the wish of the speaker. For the next online evenings, we are still looking for members who would like to present a topic they are researching or members who would like to share a pedagogical aspect of their teaching practice. Those interested can send an email to our secretary.
Coming events
Music Theorist in Residence: 27-31 October 2025
We are delighted to welcome British musicologist and academic Michael Spitzer as our upcoming Music Theorist in Residence. Michael Spitzer is Professor of Music at the University of Liverpool. He works at the intersection of music with other disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology, biology and religion. His publications include works on Adorno and Beethoven, and one of his most recent books is titled A History of Emotion in Western Music: A Thousand Years from Chant to Pop. More information on Michael Spitzer can be found at the following link: Professor Michael Spitzer | Our people | University of Liverpool.
Spitzer will be a guest in Leuven on 27 and 28 October and in Amsterdam on 30 and 31 October. Further information on the program will follow via the email list.
VvM symposium and conference: 5-8 March 2026
Our next music theory conference will take place from 7 to 8 March 2026 at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, with the theme "Music Theory and Education through the Ages". An international call for papers will be published in the coming period. In honour of the 200th anniversary of the Royal Conservatoire, a symposium will be held prior to the conference, on 5 and 6 March, where VvM members and colleagues from the Royal Conservatoire are invited to give lectures and/or workshops. Please mark these dates in your agenda!
European Music Analysis Conference (EuroMAC): 7-10 September 2026
From 7 to 10 September 2026, the 11th edition of the European Music Analysis Conference will be held in Barcelona. The conference is organised by the Spanish associations Sociedad de Análisis y Teoría Musical (SATMUS) and Associació de Teoria i Anàlisi Musicals (ATAM), and the Portuguese association Sociedade Portuguesa de Investigação em Música (SPIM). The call for papers will be announced at the end of November 2025. When further information is available, it will be shared via the email list and/or upcoming newsletters.