Welcome to The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch

The Institute of Registered Music Teachers New Zealand Annual Conference

Posted: December 22nd, 2017 | Filed under: Calls for Papers | No Comments »

21st – 25th January 2019
Otago University, St Margaret’s College, Dunedin, New Zealand

Southern Themes and Variations

The Institute of Registered Music Teachers New Zealand Annual Conference January 2019 invites participants to consider the challenges, present and future, of teaching music in the twenty-first century. At a time when music may be marginalised through cultural shifts and changes in educational priorities, how can the music teacher both adapt to and remain relevant within this new environment? What can teachers at different levels (primary through tertiary) and in different contexts (private tuition vs. itinerant vs. institutions) learn from one another? How are decisions made at higher educational levels affecting teaching practices on a day-to-day basis? With these questions as springboards, we particularly welcome submissions that address, directly and indirectly, the following themes:

  • Private teaching practices in the 21st century
  • The exploration of current pedagogical practise
  • The integration and use of technology in music teaching practices
  • The future of instrumental tuition in schools
  • The challenges of teaching music in the primary and secondary school classroom
  • The relationship between music education and government policy
  • The relationship between music education and socio-economic and cultural demographics

Conference rooms will be equipped with AV equipment, with the potential for pianos if needed.

Submission Requirements

Individual Papers (20 minute papers with 10 minutes discussion time)

A successful proposal typically articulates the main aspects of the argument or research findings clearly, positions the author’s contribution with respect to earlier work, and suggests the paper’s significance for the Music Teaching Profession community.
Maximum length: 250 words

Group Sessions (1.5 hours)

An organizer representing several individuals may propose a group session. For this proposal, organizers should prepare a rationale, explaining the importance of the topic and the proposed constituent papers, together with the names of the organizer, participants, respondent (if applicable), and a suggested chairperson. The organizer should also include a proposal for each paper, which conforms to the guidelines for individual proposals above. Group Session proposals will be considered as a unit and accepted or rejected as a whole. A single paper may be substituted with a performance if deemed appropriate. The proposed session’s consistency and coherence is an important part of the evaluation process.
Maximum length: 150 words for the rationale, and each constituent proposal

Panel Discussions (1 – 1.5 hours)

Panel discussions are intended to accommodate proposals that are amenable to a more informal exchange of ideas in a public forum than in paper sessions. Such panels should comprise participants’ brief position statements, followed by general discussion among panellists and audience. Panel discussions will be scheduled for the same duration of time as full or half sessions of papers. For this proposal, organizers should outline the rationale and issues behind the proposal, describe the activities envisioned, and explain why each panellist has been chosen.
Panel discussions will be considered only as a whole.
Maximum length: 500 words

Please add a cover page to all submissions that includes the following information: paper title, type of proposal, and all authors’ contact, institutional, and affiliation details (if applicable); please leave any identifying details of subsequent pages of the submission to ensure a blind review. Complete submissions should be emailed as a PDF to [email protected]

Questions about any aspects of the conference can be directed to Andrew Buchanan-Smart (IRMT) at [email protected] or the conference registrar Claire Osborne, [email protected]

Submissions due 5pm NZT Friday 30 March 2018
The programme committee will send letters of acceptance by 19 May 2018.

Dunedin is New Zealand’s southernmost city and has a rich history and cultural life. It is a particularly beautiful part of New Zealand to visit in January, with long and warm summer days. For more information on the city, please visit https://www.dunedinnz.com.



Leave a Reply