Overview

The 10th International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology (SysMus17) took place at Queen Mary University of London from 13–15 September 2017. Organised by students at Queen Mary’s Music Cognition Lab, the conference marked the tenth anniversary of SysMus, an international, student-run conference series that provides graduate students with opportunities to present and discuss their research, develop academic skills and connect with peers from different fields.
The conference focused on three central themes: music cognition and neuroscience, computational musicology, and musicians’ health and well-being. Keynote presentations and workshops explored these themes, while further presentations addressed harmony and rhythm, musicians and performance, music and emotion, and the sociology of music. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of systematic musicology, participants came from areas including musicology, psychology, computing and medicine, and the programme encompassed a wide range of cultural and methodological perspectives.

The full conference report by Emma Allingham and Christopher Corcoran offers a detailed account of the presentations and discussions at SysMus17. It also reflects on the conference’s role in enabling students to learn from one another, develop professional relationships and presentation skills, and engage with research beyond their own disciplinary areas. The tenth-anniversary conference was additionally marked by live-streamed presentations, opportunities for virtual participation, and a Green Initiative aimed at reducing its environmental impact.