About the Symposium

Symposium dates: October 16-17, 2020

Charles Ives published his Piano Sonata No. 2, “Concord, Mass., 1840–60” in 1920. This celebrated composition, one of Ives’s most formidable achievements, features a dynamic fusion of American Transcendentalism, European classical music, and musical borrowing that helped bring Ives into the public eye through its New York premiere by John Kirkpatrick in 1939. To commemorate its publication, we are pleased to welcome abstracts for paper presentations or lecture-recitals on any aspect of the Concord Sonata, for example, but not limited to:

  1. The sonata’s connections to Transcendentalism
  2. The Concord Sonata in context (e.g., musicological, historical, etc.)
  3. Analytical perspectives and approaches to the sonata
  4. Performance considerations
  5. Reception history

Proposals should be no more than 250 words, and are due by May 1, 2020. Notification of successful abstracts will be sent by June 1, 2020.

Please send questions to Dr. David Thurmaier, Associate Professor of Music Theory at: thurmaierd@umkc.edu

Mailing Address:
Charles Ives Symposium
UMKC Conservatory
5227 Holmes St.
Kansas City, MO 64110