[Commlist] Call for Contributions: Society for Music Production Research

A reminder about the call for contributions for the Society for Music 
Production Research 3rd Annual Conference taking place on September 
9-11, 2026 at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

*Producing Music, Producing Knowledge: Practice, Technology, and Culture 
in Music Production *

*Overview*

The 2026 Society for Music Production Research (SMPR) Conference, 
/Producing Music, Producing Knowledge /, brings together the 
international music production research community to explore the 
creative, technical, and cultural practices that define how music is 
produced, experienced, and understood. SMPR is an international society 
dedicated to building knowledge and dialogue among practitioners and 
scholars of music production. Its work spans creation, technology, 
pedagogy, aesthetics, and reception—bridging research and practice 
across diverse musical and cultural contexts. Hosted at the University 
of Huddersfield, home to one of the world’s largest communities of music 
production and popular music researchers, the conference provides a 
forum for critical, creative, and professional exchange.

*Conference Themes *The conference invites contributions that explore 
how music production both produces music and produces knowledge, through 
technology, creative practice, pedagogy, and cultural understanding. We 
welcome submissions that investigate how knowledge is made, shared, and 
embodied within music production processes, technologies, and 
communities. We particularly welcome submissions on the following core 
themes:

*Production Technology *Evolving approaches to recording, mixing, live 
sound, and mastering • Creative and critical uses of digital audio 
workstations and production environments • Immersive and spatial sound 
practices • Production aesthetics and sonic experimentation • 
Interfaces, instruments, and human–machine interaction in studio and 
live contexts • Analytical, interpretive, and reflective approaches to 
technology and innovation in production.

*Creative Practice *Practice-based and practice-led research • Creative 
processes and production aesthetics • Producer roles, identity, and 
authorship • Collaborative workflows and decision-making • Music 
production education, knowledge exchange, and curriculum design • 
Industry contexts and professional pathways • Reflective practice, 
documentation, and studio ethnography.

*Culture, History & Ways of Knowing *Histories and ontologies of 
recording and production • Genre and aesthetic studies • Producer 
legacies and influential practices • Cultural contexts, representation, 
and mediation • Critical listening and analytical methods • Audience 
perception and reception • Archives, preservation, and heritage • Global 
perspectives and epistemologies of music production.

*Scope of Submissions *Submissions are welcome across the full range of 
music production research, including theoretical, empirical, and 
practice-based approaches. We particularly encourage contributions from 
practitioners and industry professionals, as well as research that 
documents and reflects critically on creative processes, technologies, 
and cultural contexts.

*Presentation Formats*

**

*Paper Presentations *20-minute presentations followed by 5 minutes for 
questions and discussion. Papers will be grouped into themed sessions 
aligned with the conference’s core thematic areas.

*Poster Sessions *Dedicated poster sessions offer an alternative format 
for presenting and discussing research. This setting fosters extended 
conversations, informal exchanges, and detailed feedback.

*Please submit proposals via this link by 11:59 p.m. (UTC) on March 2, 
2026. *

**

*Conference Structure *The conference will include parallel presentation 
sessions, poster sessions, keynote addresses, and networking 
opportunities, including a drinks reception and a social event. The 
committee will also curate a series of panel discussions and workshops 
featuring invited participants. Full programme details will be published 
in July 2026.

*Important Dates ● Submission deadline: 2nd March 2026 ● Notification of 
acceptance: 20th April 2026 ● Conference dates: 9–11 September 2026*

**

*Publication Opportunities *While the conference does not publish formal 
proceedings, presenters are encouraged to develop their work for 
submission to the /Journal of Music Production Research (JMPR )/. 
Presentations and posters offer an excellent opportunity for feedback 
before journal submission.

*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 Huddersfield: *The University of Huddersfield 
is a leading UK institution for popular music, music production, spatial 
audio, and sonic arts research, combining world-class facilities with 
internationally recognised teaching and scholarship. Home to the Centre 
for Research in Music and its Technologies (CRMT) and the Centre for 
Research in New Music (CeReNeM) and closely associated with the 
world-renowned Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the university 
supports ambitious work across all forms of popular music, music 
production and sonic arts. Located in West Yorkshire, with fast rail 
connections to Leeds and Manchester, Huddersfield offers a creative, 
collaborative, and well-connected environment for artists, producers, 
and researchers shaping the future of sound and contemporary music 
practice. Please spread this CFC widely throughout your own personal 
networks using the following direct link https://bit.ly/4ponm1F 
<https://bit.ly/4ponm1F>

*Conference committee: *● Austin Moore, Conference Chair, University of 
Huddersfield, (A.P.Moore /at/ hud.ac.uk) <mailto:(A.P.Moore /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● Adam 
Martin, Programme Chair, University of Huddersfield, (A.Martin2 /at/ hud.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(A.Martin2 /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● Andrew Bourbon, Track Chair, University 
of Huddersfield, (A.J.Bourbon /at/ hud.ac.uk) <mailto:(A.J.Bourbon /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● 
Gabi Kielich, Track Chair, University of Huddersfield, 
(G.E.Kielich2 /at/ hud.ac.uk) <mailto:(G.E.Kielich2 /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● Ivan Mouraviev, 
Track Chair, University of Huddersfield, (I.Mouraviev /at/ hud.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(I.Mouraviev /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● Sangheon Lee, Posters and Demo Chair, 
University of Huddersfield, (S.Lee3 /at/ hud.ac.uk) <mailto:(S.Lee3 /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● 
Mark Wendl, Technical Coordinator, University of Huddersfield 
(M.Wendl /at/ hud.ac.uk) <mailto:(M.Wendl /at/ hud.ac.uk)> ● Kirk McNally, Advisory 
Chair, University of Victoria, (kmcnally /at/ uvic.ca) <mailto:(kmcnally /at/ uvic.ca)>

---------------
The COMMLIST
---------------
This mailing list is a free service offered by Nico Carpentier. Please use it responsibly and wisely.
--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit http://commlist.org/
--
Before sending a posting request, please always read the guidelines at http://commlist.org/
--
To contact the mailing list manager:
Email: (nico.carpentier /at/ commlist.org)
URL: http://nicocarpentier.net
---------------