IU Music Theory

08/24/2026

Check out IU Music Theory professor Calder Hannan's new SMT-V video on polycardinalities in math rock and metal!

New addition to the Faculty Bookshelf... featuring math rock, math metal, and music theory! 🎸🧠

In a video for SMT-V (The Society for Music Theory Video Journal), faculty member Calder Hannan and co-author Timothy JS introduce the concept of polycardinalities in math rock and math metal. Rather than simply superimposing rhythms, artists map overlapping dimensions (such as pitch, text, and articulation) to build intricate, "encrypted" sonic landscapes.

Explore their research in the video: https://music.indiana.edu/faculty/bookshelf/polycardinalities-and-emergent-complexity-in-math-rock-and-math-metal-2026.html

07/07/2026

Please join the IU Music Theory Department in congratulating Ph.D. student Anna Peloso on winning the Komar Student Paper Award at Music Theory Midwest. Read more about the award-winning paper here:

Peloso wins 2026 Komar Award for Best Student Paper at Music Theory Midwest Posted on July 7, 2026 by Isaac Smith The IU Department of Music Theory is delighted to congratulate Ph.D. student Anna Peloso on winning the Komar Award for Best Student Paper at Music Theory Midwest. Anna’s paper, titled...

06/24/2026

Please join the IU Music Theory department in congratulating Ph.D. student Kellin Tasber on winning the 2026 Best Student Paper award at Rocky Mountain SMT! Read more about the award-winning paper here: https://blogs.iu.edu/jsommusictheory/2026/06/24/tasber-wins-2026-best-student-paper-award-at-rocky-mountain-smt-conference/

06/09/2026

How do moving bodies bring music theory to life? Professor Amy Tai answers this question with two new releases that explore the powerful connection between dance, sound, and philosophy.

Here is a look at her latest works, both now featured on the Faculty Bookshelf:

📖 ‘Re-imagining Bach in Hans van Manen’s Choreographies’: Explores how contemporary choreography provides a fresh, alternative lens for interpreting classic J.S. Bach compositions.
👉 https://music.indiana.edu/faculty/bookshelf/Re-imagining%20Bach%20in%20Hans%20van%20Manens%20Choreographies-2026.html

📖 ‘Music and Motion’: Bridges dance practice and philosophy, challenging rigid definitions of rhythm by viewing time through the continuous flow of motion (durée).
👉 https://music.indiana.edu/faculty/bookshelf/Music%20and%20Motion%20%20Interweaving%20Artistic%20Practice%20and%20Theory%20in%20Dance%20and%20Beyond%20Rhythm%20and%20Meter%20in%20Dance%20as%20Bergsonian%20dur%C3%A9e-2026.html

11/03/2025

SMT 2025 is happening in Minneapolis this week! Below is a handy list of all the events featuring our students, faculty, and alumni. We hope to see you there, and at the IU reception Saturday night! https://blogs.iu.edu/jsommusictheory/2025/10/27/1810/

03/31/2025

There's been a slight location change for FIXED DO vs. MOVEABLE DO - tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1. Join us in the Bill Garrett Fieldhouse – GYM 293!

03/07/2025

Mark your calendars! On Tue, April 1, at 4:30 pm, Fixed Do will attempt to defend their winning title against archnemesis, Moveable Do. Dust off that soap box, muster up all your feelings, and join the Graduate Theory Association in SPH GYM163 to root for your favorite team! 🧍🏻‍♀️🤾🏼‍♀️

11/20/2024

Andrew Mead was recently awarded the 2024 Trustees Teaching Award. Mead, whose scholarly work focuses on 20th-century composers such as Milton Babbitt, Elliott Carter, and Arnold Schoenberg, is widely regarded in the field of music theory as well as by his colleagues and students -- both graduate and undergraduate. This well-deserved award celebrates Mead’s dedication to fostering a dynamic and enriching learning environment for his students. Congratulations!

blogs.iu.edu/jsommusictheory/2024/11/19/mead-trustees-teaching-award

11/13/2024

Eileen Karmy Bolton is in Bloomington over the next few weeks to speak on music and labor movements in Chile. In addition to attending the AMS Annual Meeting in Chicago this weekend, she will deliver a public lecture, opening remarks at the LAMC performance of Santa María de Iquique – both at the Jacobs School – and there will be a film screening of her documentary, Himno (2023) at the Herman B. Wells Library.

For details:

Eileen Karmy Bolton on campus to Speak on Music, Labor, and Politics Posted on November 13, 2024 by John Matthew Cowan The Department of Music Theory and Latin American Music Center are excited to host Eileen Karmy Bolton, a socio-musicologist from Universidad de Playa Ancha, Chile. Best known for h...

11/04/2024

Who's going to Jacksonville this weekend? Raise your hands! Visit the blog for a handy list of talks and sessions by IU faculty, students, and alumni. Safe travels everyone!

https://blogs.iu.edu/jsommusictheory/2024/11/04/smt-2024/