Call for Papers: Screen Music Pedagogies – Study Day
Wednesday, 3rd September 2025
School of Music, University of Leeds, UK
What is distinctive and discipline-specific about teaching and learning in screen music? And how might pedagogic practices relating to screen music inform — and be informed by — teaching and learning in other areas of the curriculum (both within Music, Film and Media Studies, and other disciplines)?
Despite the popularity of screen music as an area of study in higher education (from both analytical and practical perspectives), it remains a relatively neglected topic of pedagogic research, notwithstanding important work from, among others, Elsie Walker (2012, 2024) and the late Philip Tagg (2013). For this study day, we seek to open out the study of screen-music teaching and learning across diverse curricular, institutional, and disciplinary perspectives, and to chart areas of continuity and change in screen-music pedagogies across a variety of historical and geographical contexts.
We invite proposals relating to all aspects of teaching and learning as they relate to the histories, theories, and practices of music and screen media (comprising film, TV, streaming, videogames, advertising, social media, music videos, etc.). While our primary focus is higher education, we also welcome proposals that explore screen-music pedagogies in other educational contexts.
We would be delighted to hear from academics, composers, and industry professionals spanning a broad range of disciplinary perspectives, whose work engages with screen-music pedagogies in any form. We welcome proposals from postgraduate and early career researchers and would be pleased to receive submissions from those working outside of traditional academic institutions.
Possible topics may include, but are not limited to:
aspects of curriculum and programme design relating to screen music
(authentic) approaches to screen-music assessment
global and decolonised approaches to screen-music teaching and learning
the relationship between practice and research in screen-music curricula
inter- and multi-disciplinarity in screen-music teaching
studio- and industry-based teaching practices
the relationship between music, sound, and dialogue in curriculum design
employability and skills-based approaches to screen-music teaching and learning
inclusivity and accessibility in screen-music pedagogies
practical considerations in teaching screen music (e.g. copyright; captioning)
resources for screen-music teaching (e.g. access to, and availability of audiovisual files; creation, identification, and dissemination of materials)
informal approaches to learning in screen music (e.g. YouTube tutorials)
digital pedagogic practices in screen-music teaching and learning
transitions between screen-music teaching at different curriculum levels (e.g. between secondary and higher education)
Proposals can take the form of either individual 20-minute research papers or 5-minute ‘snap’ sessions sharing an example of pedagogic practice. We strongly encourage participation from those engaged with teaching and supporting learning in screen music at all levels.
To propose a 20-minute research paper, please submit a 250-word abstract explaining the premise of the presentation and key points for discussion. To propose a 5-minute ‘snap’ session, please submit either a short (100-word) outline of the pedagogic example, or a brief audio or video precis (c. 2 mins) in .mp3 or .mp4 format. Your proposal and a 100-word biography should be sent to t.huelin@leeds.ac.uk by Friday, 28th March 2025.
Though we encourage in-person participation in Leeds, there will also be scope to present in a virtual format; if you would prefer to participate virtually, please state this on your submission. Following the study day, selected presenters will be invited to contribute to a forthcoming edited volume.
Conference committee:
Dr Toby Huelin, Dr Dave Ireland, Dr Ariana Phillips-Hutton, Dr Ian Sapiro