There is now a long history of queer approaches within music studies and its sub-disciplines. A recent proliferation in publications addressing LGBTQ issues within historical musicology, ethnomusicology and popular music studies suggests the blossoming of a so-called queer musicology. Yet, scholars still often face challenges in raising queer issues in academic discussions, conference programmes and degree syllabi in different institutional and national contexts. Such challenges are compounded by neoliberal policies in the academy, reduced funding possibilities and rising conservatism regarding gender and sexuality in many parts of the world.

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This symposium aims to support current and nurture future research on LGBTQ issues within music studies. On the one hand, it hopes to foster more active exchange between the sub-disciplines of music studies in terms of theoretical and methodological approaches. On the other hand, it strives to bring musicology into greater dialogue with current pressing debates in queer studies, in particular with issues of affect theory, intersectionality and transnationalism. Through diverse formats – including a keynote lecture, roundtable discussions, reading workshops and presentations – this two-day event will gather music scholars interested in queer studies as well as LGBTQ identifying musicologists of all sub-disciplines from student up to professorial level. It will be held at Edge Hill University alongside Sound City. We will be allocated a number of free Sound City passes for the event.