organised by
Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini
Italian Institute for Applied Musicology
Virtual Conference
19-21 June 2026
The Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini and the Italian Institute for Applied Musicology are pleased to invite submissions of proposals for the Conference «Philosophical Hermeneutics and Musical Interpretation» to be held online from 19 to 21 June 2026.
Philosophical hermeneutics, inspired by thinkers such as Hans-Georg Gadamer, Paul Ricœur, Jean Grondin, and Gianni Vattimo, provides a solid epistemological framework for approaching the symbolic richness of the musical message. Unlike the rule-based systems characteristic of the mathematical sciences, artistic truth emerges through dialogical engagement and draws upon the humanist tradition, particularly language.
Interpreting music, whether historical or contemporary, is an eventful, existential act that invites multiple, often conflicting, meanings. Hermeneutics can be understood as a way of living with a listening attitude. It is poised to play a major role in music education institutions in the near future.
This dialogical openness, while enriching, also raises critical questions:
- How do we navigate the tension between interpretative, creative freedom (often called ‘intuition’) and the risk of relativism?
- What methodological tools can balance the performer’s imaginative flexibility with rigour to ensure meaningful and responsible musical interpretation?
- How can music semiotics contribute to a renewed music hermeneutics, despite their radically different origins?
We invite contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Theoretical foundations of philosophical hermeneutics in music studies
- Dialogical approaches to interpreting historical and contemporary musical works
- Music hermeneutics and performance
- Hermeneutic challenges in cross-cultural or interdisciplinary musical analysis
- Ethical aspects of musical analysis
- Music hermeneutics and pedagogy
- Music hermeneutics and music semiotics
- Methodological frameworks balancing openness and critical rigour in musical interpretation
- Case studies illustrating hermeneutic principles in analytical practice
- Music as a discourse asking for interpretation
- The role of existential meaning and human experience in musical understanding
- Critiques and defenses of relativism in musical hermeneutics
We look forward to receiving your insightful contributions and to fostering a vibrant dialogue on the hermeneutic dimensions of musical interpretation. Thank you for considering this exciting opportunity to engage with the philosophical and methodological challenges of interpreting music through the lens of hermeneutics.
Programme Committee:
- Joan Grimalt (Escola superior de música de Catalunya)
- Roberto Illiano (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
- Fulvia Morabito (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
- Massimiliano Sala (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
- Massimiliano Locanto (Università di Salerno)
Keynote Speakers:
- Joan Grimalt (Escola superior de música de Catalunya)
- Michael L. Klein (Temple University, Boyer College of Music and Dance)
The official languages of the conference are English, French, Italian and Spanish. 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 22 March 2026*** 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.
The committee will make its final decision on the abstracts by the end of April 2026 and contributors will be informed immediately thereafter. Further information about the programme and registration will be announced after that date.
For any additional information, please contact:
Dr. Massimiliano Sala
conferences@luigiboccherini.org
www.luigiboccherini.org
