The New Symposium
INTERNATIONAL FORUM AND RESIDENCY PROGRAM
[for musicians, researchers, pedagogues, producers, and artists from other disciplines]
[2026]
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As a researcher in the program, you will:
— join a residency program for music practitioners, theorists, and researchers
— present your independent research in weekly online sessions, receiving feedback from peers
— engage in dialogue with fellow participants and learn from the diverse perspectives of colleagues pursuing a wide range of research topics and practices
— develop your work through practice, experimentation, dialogue, and analysis with fellow participants during the in-person gathering at Bled Contemporary Music Week
— attend the festival’s symposia, lectures, and concerts while building an international network of colleagues
— have the option to publish your work in Verso Doxa, the online research publication issued annually by .abeceda Institute
Possible dispositions for researchers include themes such as:
— grounding research in direct musical experience and practice
— gaining an overview of the field
— developing theoretical and research approaches
— connecting with performers, composers, and other practitioners
— deepening practice-rooted inquiry
— cultivating language and discourse
— pursuing long-term research
— refining analytical, philosophical, and writing methods for presenting one’s work
Examples of opportunities for researchers:
— exploring different methodological models through exposure to the work of fellow participants and invited faculty
— testing emerging research ideas through short presentations or informal research exchanges
— conducting informal conversations or structured interviews with participating composers and performers about their artistic processes
— sharing essays, reflections, or analytical sketches with other participants for discussion and feedback