Organized by
Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini
Università degli Studi di Siena, Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche e dei Beni Culturali
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Università di Siena, Palazzo del Rettorato e
Complesso Universitario di S. Francesco
(Via Banchi di Sotto 55 e Piazza S. Francesco 7, Siena)
24-26 September 2025
The Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini and the Università degli Studi di Siena, Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche e dei Beni Culturali are pleased to invite submissions of proposals for the conference «En Plein Air: Soundscapes of Ritual and Festivity in Europe and beyond from the Middle Ages to the Present», to be held in Siena from 24 to 26 September 2025.
The concept of soundscape has undergone a fascinating evolution, considering the spatial turn and the rise of urban musicology (e.g., Strohm 1985; Carter 2002; Bombi-Carreras-Marín eds. 2005; Piperno-Caputo-Senici eds. 2023; Collarile-De Luca eds. 2023). This has sparked interdisciplinary reflections, leading to groundbreaking insights and innovative ways of experiencing places that host rituals and festivities where sound plays a pivotal role (Lefebvre 2018, Massey 1994, Soja 1996). By incorporating the spatial dimension into the critical investigation of ritual and festivity, we can better identify the sonic identities of urban spaces. Before delving into the spatialisation processes of a musical event, the hermeneutic challenge lies in defining the sonic identity of a place and the nature of a historical soundscape compared to its contemporary counterpart. This is achieved by drawing on an integrated array of sources (literary, iconographic, etc.) that can more comprehensively capture the temporal dimension and its associated changes. Studies in geography (e.g., historical cartography, social geography), archaeology, and anthropology expand our knowledge of how sound spaces are constructed and how they evolve over time due to the transformation of cities, societies, and the ways festive and ritual moments are produced and experienced. Through a critical lens, it is crucial to address the power structures that underlie the organisation and use of public spaces: How do formal and informal power structures shape the construction and use of sound spaces for rituals and festivities? How do they influence the programming, organisation, and management decisions for these events? How are social hierarchies and power asymmetries reflected in the participation and representation of different social groups within these sonic spaces? How can access to these events be conditioned by factors such as class, gender, ethnicity, or religious affiliation? Consequently, issues of inequality and marginalisation in these contexts emerge as significant concerns. The conference aims to stimulate reflection on soundscapes in relation to spaces designated for rituals and festivities in Europe and worldwide, from the Middle Ages to the present. It specifically focuses on processions, civic and religious parades, diplomatic visits, and recurring festive occasions closely tied to the social and urban fabric, as expressions of communities.
The conference objectives are:
- To encourage methodological reflections on how technologies can contribute to soundscape studies and issues related to musical cartography and topography in dialogue with other disciplines;
- To highlight the diversity and multiplicity of “minor” festive and ritual occasions often overlooked in favour of events that attract substantial economic resources and generate visibility;
- To promote sustainable enjoyment of sounds linked to festivities and rituals, creating new forms of experiential tourism aimed at strengthening awareness of the connections between sounds and spaces;
- To contribute to the sonic knowledge of spaces as they evolve over time.
Thematic areas:
- Digital Mapping applied to soundscapes;
- Digital cartography for thematic representations and geolocation of spaces in relation to soundscapes;
- Historical cartography as a source for soundscape studies;
- Tangible and intangible cultural heritage, with particular reference to sources useful for reconstructing soundscapes;
- Sound archives in relation to specific geographical contexts;
- Evolution of urban spaces in relation to the production of sounds for festivities and rituals and their reciprocal influences;
- Sustainability of tangible and intangible musical heritage;
- New forms of experiential tourism and proposals for enjoying soundscapes.
Programme committee:
- Giulia Giovani (Università di Siena)
- Anna Guarducci (Università di Siena)
- Roberto Illiano (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
- Giancarlo Macchi Jánica (Università di Siena)
- Fulvia Morabito (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
- Fabio Mugnaini (Università di Siena)
- Marida Rizzuti (Università di Siena)
- Massimiliano Sala (Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini)
Keynote speakers:
- Mark Everist (University of Southampton)
- Massimiliano Tabusi (Unistrasi – Università per Stranieri di Siena)
The official languages of the conference are English, French, Italian. Papers selected at the conference will be published in a miscellaneous volume.
Papers are limited to 20 minutes in length, allowing time for questions and discussion. Please submit an abstract of no more than 500 words. We also welcome proposals for pre-recorded recitals or lecture-recitals of 20-30 minutes in length.
All proposals should be submitted by email no later than ***6 April 2025*** to <conferences@luigiboccherini.org>. Alongside your proposal, please include your name, contact details (postal address, email, and telephone number), and your institutional affiliation (if applicable).
The committee will make its final decision on the abstracts by April 2025, 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
