Call for Papers: Weekend Symposium for Collaborative Partnership Studies at the Vancouver International Song Institute from June 10-12

This June, the Vancouver International Song Institute at the University of British Columbia School of Music will once again be hosting numerous programs for collaborative pianists, singers, musicologists, and creative artists of all levels, including the SONGFIRE Theatre Apprenticeship Program, Interdisciplinary Song Scholarship and Performance, French Mélodie Immersion, and the Arts of Conscience contemplative retreat.

Professionals and graduate students in the field of collaborative piano field should definitely consider attending the Weekend Symposium for Collaborative Partnership Studies to be held from June 10-12.  I'll be one of the artists giving a workshop, which will be a follow-up to my 2009 presentation looking at the Collaborative Piano Blog and its effort to bring more awareness of the collaborative arts. For those who weren't able to make it out to previous VISI symposium weekends, these are extremely intensive days of looking at the horizons of the collaborative piano world, its practitioners, its promises, what's at stake, and the incredible amount of work that still needs to be done. This is a weekend where you will get to discuss important issues with many of the top professionals in the field with a candor rarely found elsewhere.

VISI is also looking for papers to be presented at the symposium. From the VISI website:

From Friday through Sunday afternoon, join the VISI community in discussion of the dynamics of creative collaboration - the interaction of scholars with performers, teachers with students, composers and poets with performers, and above all, the magic realm of singer and pianist duos. Following our pilot symposium in 2009 for Collaborative Pianists, a strong lobby from the VISI voice participants has led to this expanded gathering, of interest to all contributors in the Art Song realm. Creative collaboration requires exquisitely balanced skills upon which great performances reply. Hear anecdotes and ideas from experts in diverse fields, share your own experiences, concerns, and insights, and enjoy the surprising directions of a great weekend of conversation and music. Presenters will include Margo Garrett, Christopher Foley (creator of the Collaborative Piano Blog), and many others. Doctoral candidates and Professors are invited to submit proposal abstracts for consideration on the VISI infosite at info@songinstitute.ca. Papers may occupy a wide range of topics but should have relevance to the central questions of interactive dynamics and protocols, interpretation of Schubert Lieder, current and historical performance practice, business protocols. Presentations should be accessible to professional, students, and the general VISI public and should be no more than 20 minutes in duration. A maximum of 18 papers will be selected for inclusion due to the time constraints of the schedule.

Whether you're a known leader in the field or a relative newcomer, this is a prime platform to share your research, knowledge, and expertise. I'm not sure what the deadline is on the call for applications, so I'll update once I get further information. I had a great time at VISI two years ago, and I look forward to seeing so many of you again this June.

Update: Rena Sharon informs me that the application deadline will be Sunday, March 20, with notifications being sent out by April 10.