Women and Musical Histories, 1789–1914

This event brings together an international community of performers and scholars to explore the musical lives and historical legacies of nineteenth-century women.

Recognising the diversity, complexity and nuance of female engagement with musical historiographies, papers and lecture-recitals address themes including:

• Lives, works and legacies of women curating and communicating musical histories through composition, performance, patronage and pedagogy; and the intersection of such musical practices with wider historical discourses.
• The labour and agency of women documenting, interpreting and transmitting musical practices, historical narratives and cultural memory, through diaries, letters, criticism, collecting and scholarship.
• Current challenges for traditional historiography; diversification of historical narratives; overlooked or underrepresented archival sources; implications for contemporary musical practice, pedagogy and public engagement.

The conference will also include:

• Keynote address by Professor Sophie Fuller
• Round-table exploring the diverse nature of women’s historical practice, and challenges for contemporary historiographies
• An accompanying exhibition from the Academy’s Museum and Collections
• Opening and closing performances by Academy postgraduate students
• Evening concert devoted to women of the Royal Academy of Music

The main conference programme (3–4 September) is preceded by an Early Career Researcher development day (2 September), showcasing presentations by emerging researchers alongside career development and networking sessions. Registration covers all three conference days.

Conference Schedule

Conference schedule forthcoming. Please contact Victoria Hodgkinson at WMH1conference@ram.ac.uk for further queries.

Registration and Payments

The conference registration fees cover all three days of the conference (ECR day on 2 September, and main programme on 3–4 September). There is no single-day registration option.

• Standard registration: £120*
• Student registration: £60*
• University of London staff and students: £40
• RAM staff and students: £10

*An ‘early bird’ rate of £100/£50 will apply to payments received before 30 June

Registration will include lunches on 3–4 September, a drinks reception on 3 September, and refreshments on all three days. Please note that registration does not include lunch on 2 September. There are several good lunch options on and around Marylebone High Street and Baker Street, within a 10-minute walk of the Academy. View lunch venues on Google Maps.

Once you have filled in the registration form you will receive a payment request email.

Travel, Venues and Access

All conference spaces are in the main Academy building. We are proud to be able to offer appropriate access to all spaces used in the conference in the main building.

Please see Visiting the Academy for information on Access, our location and public transport links.

The Academy is informed by the ‘social model’ in its understanding of disability. If you have any access requirements, please contact Victoria Hodgkinson at WMH1conference@ram.ac.uk to discuss.

International and Domestic Travel

We cannot provide travel advice for international attendees. Please refer directly to UK Government’s Visas and Immigration page for more information.

See Transport for London's Getting to London pages for travel information.

Accommodation

The International Students House has discounted accommodation available for the duration of the conference. Please email accom@ish.org.uk or Penny Evans at p.evans@ish.org.uk to check availability and reserve a room, quoting the promocode RAMIC2026.

• Single room with shared bathroom - £45 per night
• Single ensuite (private bathroom) - £63 per night
• Premier twin ensuite room (2 single bed) - £81 per night

There are multiple alternative accommodation options within a 10-minute walk of the Academy. View hotel options on Google Maps.

Conference Committee

• Briony Cox-Williams
• Emily Kilpatrick
• Adriana Festeu
• Cydonie Banting
• Katherine Fry
• Jennifer Sheppard
• Victoria Hodgkinson (Conference Coordinator)
• Maho Harada (Early Career Intern)
• Isaac Shieh (Early Career Intern)

Call for Papers (now closed)

We welcome proposals for papers (20 minutes) and lecture-recitals (30 minutes) that address the broad theme of women in/and musical history across the period 1789–1914, including (but not limited to) the following areas:  

• Lives, works and legacies of women in curating and communicating musical histories through composition, performance and pedagogy; the intersection of such musical practices with wider historical discourses
• The labour and agency of women in documenting, interpreting and transmitting musical practices, historical narratives and cultural memory, through diaries, letters, criticism and scholarship
• Current challenges for traditional historiography; diversification of historical narratives; overlooked or underrepresented archival sources; implications for contemporary musical practice, pedagogyand public engagement

Performance spaces will contain a grand piano, music stands and an A/V system with screen and PA. We may be able to provide limited additional equipment on request, such as a mixing desk, stereo speakers and microphones.  

We also have a range of historical keyboard instruments available. For more details, please get in contact with us at WMHConference@ram.ac.uk

The conference will be convened in person, but some online provision will be available for presenters unable to travel to London. The conference language is English and all presentations should be in English. 

You will be asked to submit an abstract (300 words) and biography (100 words), and to confirm the format of your presentation, technical requirements, and whether you are able to attend in personor online.  

All proposals must be submitted by 31 January 2026.

Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 16 March 2026.

Any queries can be addressed to Victoria Hodgkinson at WMH1conference@ram.ac.uk

If you have any access requirements we may need to know about, please do not hesitate to contact us at WMH1conference@ram.ac.uk.

Related Events

The Academy will also be hosting the Women and (Musical) Histories: Early Career Researcher Day on Friday 19 June 2026.

Support

This conference is supported by the University of London Convocation Trust and the Music & Letters Trust.