The New Lexicon I.
Philosophy of Music Theory [research group]
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RESIDENCY PROGRAMME FOR MUSIC THEORISTS
[October 2026 – June 2027]
The New Lexicon is an international research residency devoted to advancing philosophy of music theory as a rigorous field of inquiry. It convenes researchers who approach music theory not only as the analysis of musical structures, but also as a mode of thought through which objects, concepts, relations, knowledge, experience, and value are constituted, examined, contested, and reformulated.
Across four online seminars and a culminating public residency, participants will articulate the philosophical premises of their practices, develop projects through critical exchange, and contribute to a shared yet plural vocabulary for thinking music theory anew.
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PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
Program period: October 2026–June 2027
Format: Four online seminars followed by an on-site festival phase
On-site location: Bled, Slovenia (EU)
Public presentation: Seventh Bled Contemporary Music Week
Application deadline: September 30, 2026
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FORMAT
Stage I | Articulation and Presentation | November 2026
Two online seminars introduce participants’ practices, projects, and research questions, with attention to their conceptual premises, methods, objects, and stakes.
Stage II | Critical Inquiry and Development | February 2027
Two online seminars examine the grounds, methods, and functions of philosophy of music theory while establishing trajectories for theoretical and research development.
Stage III | Public Presentation and Exchange | June 2027
Participants present their research through lectures and discussions at the seventh Bled Contemporary Music Week in Bled, Slovenia.
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RESIDENCY OVERVIEW
The New Lexicon is an international research residency dedicated to advancing philosophy of music theory as a rigorous field of inquiry within contemporary musical cultures. It convenes music theorists, analysts, researchers, and practitioner-scholars who understand theory not only as the description, classification, or explanation of musical phenomena, but also as a mode of thought: a practice through which musical objects, concepts, relations, evidence, knowledge, experience, and value are constituted, examined, tested, contested, and reformulated.
Across four online seminars and a culminating public residency, participants will articulate the philosophical premises of their theoretical practices, develop analytical and research projects through sustained critical dialogue, and contribute to a shared yet plural vocabulary for thinking music theory anew. The programme offers a setting in which theoretical decisions can be considered not only in terms of accuracy, elegance, or explanatory power, but also in relation to the ontological, epistemological, aesthetic, ethical, historical, technological, and political commitments they enact and practical consequences they produce.
The residency is intended for researchers whose work raises questions that cannot be exhausted by methodological discussion alone. These questions may concern what counts as a musical object; how categories, models, and representations organise perception; the relation between analysis and interpretation; the status of evidence; the role of listening, notation, computation, archives, and pedagogy; or the institutional conditions through which theoretical knowledge acquires authority. Participants need not align themselves with any philosophical tradition or theoretical school. What matters is a willingness to examine the premises of their practice, submit its assumptions to collective inquiry, and engage seriously with perspectives different from their own.
The New Lexicon is neither a conventional analysis workshop nor a philosophy seminar in which an established system is simply applied to musical theories. It is a research environment in which music theory and philosophy are placed in reciprocal relation. Philosophical inquiry offers methods for clarifying concepts, testing claims, distinguishing problems, and situating knowledge historically. Music theory, in turn, is approached as a distinctive practice capable of producing concepts, perceptual organisations, and forms of understanding that may exceed or transform existing philosophical language in changing musical contexts.
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MENTORS
Dr. Alastair White
Urban Megušar, Double M.Mus.
Dr. Niki Zohdi
Dr. Dré A. Hočevar
COORDINATOR
Brina Kren
DATES
MENTORS
PROGRAMME FORMAT
RESEARCH PREMISE
WHY THE NEW LEXICON?
CENTRAL QUESTIONS
WORKING METHOD
PARTICIPANT VALUE
WHO THE PROGRAMME ADDRESSES
TOWARDS MULTIPLE PHILOSOPHIES OF MUSIC THEORY
APPLICATION
APPLICATION FORM AND
PARTICIPATION FEES
The New Lexicon program is produced by .abeceda Institute
.abeceda [Institute for Research in Art, Critical Thought and Philosophy], a public-benefit NGO and non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing contemporary artistic practices and critical inquiry. Through its innovative programmes, .abeceda has gained international recognition as one of the leading platforms for contemporary music and artistic research in the Adriatic region and across Europe: www.abeceda.io