Welcome to the Society for Music Analysis
The Society for Music Analysis (SMA) is a UK-based international organisation dedicated to music theory and analysis. We are affiliated with the journal Music Analysis and support and organise a regular programme of events, including the annual Theory and Analysis Graduate Students (TAGS) Conference, the Music Analysis Summer School (a residential course taught by international experts), and other Music Analysis Conferences (‘MACs’) and symposia. We are members of the European Theory & Analysis of Music (EuroT&AM) Network.
The SMA welcomes interests in all musical repertoires and cultures and promotes music theory and analysis in the broadest sense, including formal and critical theory, aesthetics, semiotics, music psychology, cognitive science, music technology and many other subdisciplines and interdisciplines.
If you have a passion for finding out how music works, and what it means, then the SMA is for you. We look forward to welcoming you to the next SMA event. See the Join page to become an SMA member.
SMA News
- SMA Statement on the threat of closure to Cardiff University’s School of Music
Read and share the Society for Music Analysis’ open letter to the Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University, Professor Wendy Larner, written in response to the threat of closure to the university’s School of Music (4 February 2025). - SMA Zoom Colloquium Season 2025 Announced
The Society for Music Analysis is delighted to announce the 2025 return of its Zoom Colloquium series, with an international lineup of speakers poised to deliver three exciting talks over the next three months. This season’s colloquia will be convened by SMA trustees, Dr James Donaldson and Dr Rajan Lal. All colloquia are held on Zoom at 6.00-8.00pm GMT/BST. Zoom links and abstracts can be found on […] - Call for SMA Award Nominations 2025
The Society for Music Analysis gives several annual awards to scholars in recognition of their exceptional achievement and contribution to the field of music theory and analysis: Pascall Medal Anthony Pople Mid-Career Researcher Award Adele Katz Early Career Researcher Award PhD Thesis Award TAGS Award Undergraduate Award Find full details about this year’s awards on the Call for Award Nominations page. A list of previous award winners […] - Call for Papers: Manchester Music Analysis Conference 2025
The SMA is pleased to confirm dates for the Manchester Music Analysis Conference (McrMAC 2025), which will take place from Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 July 2025 at the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, University of Manchester. The programme committee welcomes submissions in any aspect of music analysis and theory, relating to music of any genre, geographical region, and historical period. We are delighted to announce […] - Theory and Analysis Graduate Student Conference 2025
RHTAGS25 Royal Holloway, University of London, 30 April – 1 May 2025 The event will provide a supportive and friendly environment in which postgraduates (and undergraduates) can gain experience in presenting their work and meet fellow researchers. The conference offers opportunities for career development and networking in a relaxed atmosphere (including an evening music theory ‘pub quiz’ social), as well as options to meet with and receive […]