CFP: 4th International Conference on TImbre (Montreal, July 2-4, 2026)

[Bob Hasegawa]

Dear CEC colleagues,

We have the pleasure to announce that the 4th edition of the International Conference on Timbre (https://timbreconference.org/timbre2026-cfp/) will be held in Montreal from July 2 to 4, 2026, hosted by University of Montreal in collaboration with the research partnership ACTOR (Analysis, Creation and Teaching of Orchestration), and with the support of Montreal-based music research centres CIRMMT (Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology) and RCMS (Regroupement inter-universitaire de recherche et création - musiques et sociétés). 

Timbre is the fundamental material that composers, improvisers, performers and sound designers shape into music and sound art. Timbre poses multifaceted research questions across the scientific spectrum, from hearing, psychology, and neuroscience to acoustics and artificial intelligence. Timbre can also be approached from the perspective of the humanities, including history, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, and sound studies. 

Bringing together musicians and researchers from these and related fields, the International Conference on Timbre aims to provide a truly interdisciplinary forum for exchanging novel perspectives and forging collaborations across different disciplines to advance our understanding of timbre from artistic, empirical, theoretical, and computational perspectives.

Timbre 2026 seeks original, high-quality contributions in all areas related to timbre, including research presentations (delivered as oral presentations [20 minutes], lightning talks [5 minutes], or posters), artistic reports including musical excerpts or performances (20 minutes), and panel sessions, tutorials, or workshops (60 to 120 minutes). Presentations can be in either English or French.

Important Dates
All deadlines are Anywhere on Earth (AoE) UTC -12.

• Submission deadline: December 15, 2025
• Notification of acceptance: January 31, 2026
• Updated abstracts: April 30, 2026

Full details and submission form online here: https://timbreconference.org/timbre2026-cfp/

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Robert Hasegawa

Associate Professor of Music Theory

Schulich School of Music of McGill University