26 Mar Scientific Conference “Global Reach of Serbian Art Music in the First Quarter of the 21st Century”: Call for Papers

Dear colleagues,

The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, and the Institute of Musicology of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts have the honor and pleasure of inviting you to take part in the scientific conference “Global Achievements of Serbian Art Music in the First Quarter of the 21st Century,” which will be held on November 26–27, 2026, in Novi Sad.

The scientific conference “Global Reach of Serbian Art Music in the First Quarter of the 21st Century” is dedicated to the various forms of representation of Serbian art music within international frameworks from the year 2000 to the present. The focus is on an analytical examination of the ways in which the works of Serbian composers are featured in contemporary musical life, primarily within institutionalized contexts. The objective of the symposium is not the axiological ranking of individual authors or compositions, but rather a methodologically grounded consideration of the conditions, models, and forms of their international visibility. Particular attention will be paid to identifying the institutional, programmatic, and discursive frameworks through which this visibility is achieved, as well as analyzing the diverse modes of reception of Serbian art music within a contemporary global context.

The conference stems from the eponymous three-year scientific project, implemented since early 2026 under the auspices of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) – Department of Arts, Novi Sad Branch. As such, it represents an inaugural event that will bring together domestic and international experts and researchers in the field of musical arts.

Particular emphasis will be placed on themes that problematize the synchronic and diachronic dimensions of international affirmation. This includes the localization and categorization of historical and contemporary reference points within art music – such as representative concert venues, prestigious awards, significant commissions, relevant critical literature, publications, encyclopedias, leading ensembles, conductors, and creative collaborators. Given the absence of systematic, methodologically grounded research that would integrate these phenomena into a coherent axiological matrix, this scientific symposium serves as a foundational starting point for all future research aimed at mapping the artistic achievements of Serbian composers at the beginning of the 21st century. Furthermore, it seeks to examine these achievements through genealogical links with historical predecessors, mentors, and seminal works, aiming to reveal the existence of artistic continuity, despite socio-cultural and identity-based discontinuities.

THEMATIC AREAS FOR PAPER PROPOSALS:

• The presence of Serbian composers in international artistic discourse, and their positioning within global concert institutions, festivals, juries, and educational establishments as mechanisms of canonization;
• Representation of Serbian composers in international databases, archives, monographs, and encyclopedias;
• Works of Serbian composers published internationally;
• Cultural policy and institutional frameworks: influences exerted through processes of programmatic selection and curation;
• Reception of the works of Serbian composers in foreign music criticism, scholarly periodicals, program bulletins, and related publications;
• Collaboration of Serbian composers with eminent performers, ensembles, and conductors;
• The digital presence of Serbian composers: media promotion, social networks, specialized portals, and online artistic identification;
• Contribution of Serbian composers to contemporary musical paradigms and trends;
• Global reach of Serbian art music through awards as a source of symbolic legitimacy;
• Genealogical links and continuities: historical models, mentors, and contemporary Serbian composers;
• Semiotic interpretation of Serbian art music in performative practices;
• Pedagogical contributions of Serbian composers: impact on international curricula and the formation of new generations of musicians;
• Comparative analysis: Serbian art music in relation to other Eastern European or post-Yugoslav musical traditions;
• Gender and identity perspectives in the internationalization of Serbian art music;
• Ecological and social themes in contemporary works by Serbian composers and their global resonance;
• Other thematically relevant areas.

PRESENTATION FORMATS AND SESSION TIMING:

• Oral presentations
• 20-minute papers followed by 10-minute discussions.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PAPER TITLES AND ABSTRACTS:

Abstracts of up to 1,000 characters and 5 keywords should be submitted by May 15, 2026, to the organizer’s email address: sum21vek@gmail.com.

The proposal should include: full name of the author, institutional affiliation, email address and a short biography (up to 100 words).

Proposals should be sent in Serbian or English.

DEADLINE FOR THE NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE:

June 15, 2026

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF THE FINAL PAPER FOR PUBLICATION:

March 31, 2027

Official language of the conference: Serbian and English

There is no registration fee for participating in the conference.

Detailed information will be sent throughout 2026. For any additional inquiries, please contact the conference organizer at: sum21vek@gmail.com.

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Scientific Committee

Aleksandra Vrebalov, Corresponding Member of the Department of Arts, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA); Full Professor, Department of Composition, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad

Academician Jelena Jovanović, PhD, Full Member and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Arts, SASA; Principal Research Fellow and Director of the Institute of Musicology SASA

Laura Emery, PhD, Associate Professor, Emory University, Atlanta, USA

Mirjana Veselinović-Hofman, PhD, Professor Emerita, Faculty of Music, University of the Arts in Belgrade

Melita Milin, PhD, Principal Research Fellow (Retired), Institute of Musicology SASA

Sonja Marinković, PhD, Professor Emerita, Faculty of Music, University of the Arts in Belgrade

Katarina Tomašević, PhD, Principal Research Fellow (Retired), Institute of Musicology SASA

Jelena Novak, PhD, Assistant Professor, CESEM (Centre for the Study of the Sociology and Aesthetics of Music), NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal

Tatjana Marković, PhD, Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria

Ivana Medić, PhD, Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Musicology SASA

Biljana Milanović, PhD, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Musicology SASA

Nataša Crnjanski, PhD, Full Professor, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad

Nemanja Sovtić, PhD, Associate Professor, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad

Ivana Miladinović Prica, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade

Aleksandra Paladin, PhD, RTS Music Production / Assistant Professor, Faculty of Contemporary Arts in Belgrade

Marija Maglov, PhD, Research Associate, Institute of Musicology SASA

Monika Novaković, PhD, Research Associate, Institute of Musicology SASA

Organising Committee

Aleksandra Vrebalov, Corresponding Member of the Department of Arts, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA); Full Professor, Department of Composition, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad

Academician Jelena Jovanović, PhD, Full Member and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Arts, SASA; Principal Research Fellow and Director of the Institute of Musicology SASA

Nataša Crnjanski, PhD, Full Professor, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad

Nemanja Sovtić, PhD, Associate Professor, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad

Bojana Radovanović Šuput, PhD, Research Associate, Institute of Musicology SASA

Marija Golubović, PhD, Research Associate, Institute of Musicology SASA

Miloš Marinković, PhD, Research Associate, Institute of Musicology SASA

Ivana Nožica, MA, Teaching Assistant, Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad