About Symposium ● Content ● Contributing to Symposium ● History of Symposium ● Content from the Past ● Symposium and its Presentation Today
What is College Music Symposium?
College Music Symposium is the premier journal of The College Music Society. The journal was published in printed form for 50 years (1961-2010 )and included scholarly and historical articles, reviews of publications and recordings, reports of musical events, and discussion of curricula and teaching methods of interest to the music and higher education community.
Symposium today is a refereed, web-based journal through which The College Music Society presents the work of its members to the public and professional musicians. Symposium honors the achievements of the past while using new technologies to meet the continuing needs of the public and professionals in the music field.
That’s nice, but what is an academic journal?
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarly work relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new professional work -- research, composition, and performance -- and the critique of existing work.
Fair enough, but what is The College Music Society?
The College Music Society is consortium of college, conservatory, university, and independent musicians and scholars interested in all disciplines of music. The Society promotes music teaching and learning, musical creativity and expression, research and dialogue, and diversity and interdisciplinary interaction. Visit the Society's website at http://www.music.org.
What is the mission of Symposium?
Through College Music Symposium, The College Music Society gathers, considers, and disseminates ideas on the philosophy and practice of music, creating forums in which individuals working in the various areas of music can interact and communicate. Recognizing the richness of musical diversity and the challenge of balancing the traditions of the past with the possibilities of the future, the members of The College Music Society are united by a dedication to the science of learning and the art of teaching and are engaged in a dialogue that will shape music in the years ahead. Through College Music Symposium, The College Music Society shares the fruits of music research, develops and enhances music instruction, celebrates the importance of teaching, and fosters the continuing education and renewal of the public and college, conservatory, and university music faculty as well as independent musicians and scholars.
What does Symposium contain?
College Music Symposium includes ten major coomponents, each with its own Editor and Editorial Board.
- Scholarship and Research – refereed scholarly articles
- CMS Forums – opinions, editorials, commentary, and essays
- Reviews – reviews of books, textbooks, periodicals, and instructional materials
- Instructional Technologies and Methodologies – review and discussion of technologies and methods useful for teaching in the classroom and studio
- CMS Reports – in-depth reports concerning important topics, events, or issues
- Music Business-Industry – presentation of reports and discussion of topics relevant to music business-industry education
- Audio Performance Archive – work of the finest composers and performers in the field of music
- CMS Conference Archive – abstracts of international, national, and regional conferences
- Events in Music – information concerning events in and outside academe, including international music conferences
- Video Lectures, Performances, and Lecture-Recitals – a video archive of refereed music lectures, performances, and lecture-recitals
How is Symposium organized?
Symposium is organized by volume and by component.
- Symposium’s volumes correspond to the calendar year. Volume 1 includes all articles published in 1961, Volume 2 includes all articles published in 1962, and so forth. Click here for a list of volumes and years.
- Symposium is also organized by component as noted above, from Scholarship and Research to Video Lecture-Recitals.
What is the width of Symposium’s concerns and coverage? What does the online Symposium include?
Symposium is interested in all musics from around the world, wherever music is created and performed. Symposium welcomes and presents professional work of CMS members that considers all aspects of music creation and composition, music performance, music teaching and learning, and research about music. Symposium presents the music itself, and examines how music is created, performed, and taught.
Which music disciplines are included in Symposium?
Symposium presents the work of all musicians working in all areas of music. Whether a musician is a creator-composer, presenter-performer, teacher, or researcher, or working in some other major field of endeavor such as law or cognitive psychology, anyone with a vital interest in music will find in Symposium a home for their work.
Is Symposium interested in transdisciplinary or interdisciplinary issues?
Symposium is the perfect home for transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary work and is the very core of both Symposium and The College Music Society. Symposium does not promote any particular music discipline, opinion, or point of view; does not limit the scope of its inquiry to any particular area of the world; and does not favor one method of inquiry or presentation over another. Symposium is the perfect vehicle for presentation of work of broad inquiry and experimental method.
Can I contribute to Symposium?
All members of The College Music Society are welcome to submit their professional work for consideration. After joining CMS, members of the Society may use the online submission forms any time they wish to submit work for consideration to one of Symposium’s components. Information concerning membership in The College Music Society will be found here. Information concerning contributing to Symposium will be found here.
May I correspond with Symposium’s Editors?
Yes. All of Symposium’s Editors welcome your inquiries. Visit any of the links to Symposium's components noted above to communicate with the Editors.
If I submit work for consideration, what can I expect?
You can expect the following:
- prompt acknowledgement of receipt of your submission
- careful review of your work by the appropriate Editor and Editorial Board
- timely communication from the Editor if the Editor or the Editorial Board have questions
- determination of whether the work is accepted, usually within six weeks
- prompt publication if the work is accepted, usually within four weeks
Although publishing space is not limited as it was in the days of the printed journal, not everything submitted is of sufficient quality to meet Symposium’s high, peer-reviewed standards. CMS members are encouraged to submit their best work to Symposium for consideration.
When was College Music Symposium founded?
Symposium debuted soon after the founding of The College Music Society in 1958. The first edition of the journal, in print form, was released in the fall of 1961.
Has Symposium’s history been written?
No, although aspects of Symposium will be found in Henry Woodward’s six articles concerning the history of The College Music Society and, more recently, in The History of The College Music Society written by Mary Anne Rees. A written history of any periodical is quite rare. Symposium’s rich history awaits the work of an imaginative historian.
Does Symposium publish an Annual Report?
Yes. Symposium’s work is included in the annual report of The College Music Society. The report of Symposium for 2013 will be found here.
Is Symposium archived?
Yes. All content from 1961 forward is available to the public online for immediate access. Symposium’s Search and Advanced Search features will enable you to locate content quickly and easily.
Can I obtain articles from past printed issues of Symposium?
Yes. Copies of articles from past printed issues are available from JSTOR. Click this link to obtain past articles as they appeared in the printed version of the journal from 1961 to 2010.
May I use articles from Symposium in my book or other publication, or in my classroom reading compliations?
Yes. Content from Symposium can be easily licensed through the Copyright Clearance Center. Click this link to obtain permission for use of Symposium’s content.
Symposium and its Presentation Today
How often is Symposium published?
During is print-only era, Symposium was published in the fall of each year. Today, articles and other materials are released immediately as they become available from the Editors. Visit Symposium regularly and enjoy the latest releases.
Can I advertise in Symposium?
Yes. Those that wish to share information concerning events, publications, organizations, and other items of interest to musicians and the public are welcome to advertise on the Symposium website. Information concerning advertising will be found by clicking here.
Can I sponsor the Symposium website?
Yes. Sponsors are welcome. Information concerning sponsoring Symposium will be found by clicking here.