Musicology Australia

50 Years of the Musicological Society of Australia

In 2026, the Musicological Society of Australia turns 50. Since its foundation, the MSA has provided an intellectual home for the study of music in Australia, and for Australian researchers working in Australia on a wide and varied range of internationally significant topics. In celebration of this major milestone, Musicology Australia will publish a special anniversary issue of the journal, for which we invite proposals for articles on the history, development, and practice of music research cultures in Australia. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

• The history of the MSA itself
• Institutional histories and shifting patterns or themes of music research in Australia
• The impact of political and policy changes on music research (including funding models, precarious employment) in Australia in any time period
• The shifting nature of musicological and ethnomusicological methods in Australia, including its relationship with performance practices
• Reflections on current and emerging research practices in First Nations music in Australia
• The position and influence of scholarship conducted outside of traditional institutional structures and affiliations
• The shifting nature of music research infrastructure (e.g., collections, databases, libraries) and technology in Australia
• Music research in Australia and international contexts and future directions in the field.

We also welcome free paper contributions on any aspect of music or music-making in Australia in any time period.