organised by
Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini
Palazzetto Bru Zane – Centre de musique romantique française
IAM-Institute for Applied Musicology
Lovere (BG), Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini
Via Paglia 26/28
14-16 October 2027
CALL FOR PAPERS
The Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini, the Palazzetto Bru Zane and the Institute for Applied Musicology are pleased to invite submissions of proposals for the Conference «Forging Musicians: Conservatories, Pedagogy, and Musical Life in the Nineteenth Century» to be held in Lovere (BG), Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini, from 14 to 16 October 2027.
The nineteenth century marked a turning point in the history of musical education. During this period, conservatories emerged as some of the most influential institutions in the formation of professional musicians, shaping artistic standards, pedagogical models, and national musical cultures. Originally rooted in charitable, ecclesiastical, or local educational traditions, conservatories evolved into modern centers of higher musical training, playing a crucial role in the professionalisation of composers, performers, conductors, teachers, and music scholars.
Beyond their educational mission, conservatories became important cultural institutions that fostered artistic innovation, facilitated the circulation of ideas and repertories, and contributed to the construction of national and transnational musical identities. They served as laboratories for new pedagogical approaches, centers of artistic production, and hubs connecting local musical life with broader European and global networks.
This international conference aims to explore the origins, development, educational practices, artistic activities, and cultural significance of conservatories during the long nineteenth century. The conference welcomes contributions from musicologists, historians, scholars of education, cultural historians, sociologists of music, archivists, and researchers working in related fields.
The areas of investigation can include (and extend) the following topics:
• Origins, development of Conservatories and inter-school competitions
• The Discrepancies between Pedagogical Programmes and Educational Practices
• Directors, Professors, and Educational Reformers
• Students and the Formation of Musical Careers
• Relationships with musical institutions (opera houses, theatres, churches, concert societies, etc.)
• National Traditions and International Exchanges
• Influence on repertoires and musical taste
• Conservatories and the construction of professional identities
• The social and cultural functions of musical training
• Conservatories within broader intellectual and cultural movements
• Music education and the modernisation of society
Scholarly Committee
• Roberto Illiano (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
• Étienne Jardin (Palazzetto Bru Zane)
• Massimiliano Locanto (Università degli Studi di Salerno)
• Fulvia Morabito (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
• Massimiliano Sala (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
Keynote Speakers
• Rémy Campos (Conservatoire de Paris / Haute école de musique de Genève)
• Michael Fend (King’s College London)
The official languages of the conference are English, French and Italian. Papers selected at the conference will be published in a miscellaneous volume.
Papers are limited to twenty minutes in length, allowing time for questions and discussion. Please submit an abstract of no more than 500 words and one page of biography.
All proposals should be submitted by email no later than ***Sunday, 11 April 2027*** to <conferences@luigiboccherini.org>. With your proposal please include your name, contact details (postal address, e-mail and telephone number) and (if applicable) your affiliation.
Further information about the programme and registration will be announced in due course after that deadline.
For any additional information, please contact:
Dr. Massimiliano Sala
conferences@luigiboccherini.org
www.luigiboccherini.org
