The Department of Music Theory and the History of Silesian Musical Culture at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław invites participants to the 2nd National Academic Conference: "Spirituality in Music – Music in Spirituality", which will take place from April 8 to 10, 2026, at the Academy’s premises in Wrocław. The deadline for submission of applications and abstracts is January 2, 2026.
The organizers cordially invite music theorists, musicologists, composers, performers, scholars of religion, theologians, philosophers, and humanities researchers whose academic or artistic work relates to the theme outlined in the conference title. The event is open to independent researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and PhD candidates in both academic and artistic disciplines.
The planned gathering at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music aims to create a platform for the exchange of ideas through papers (both theoretical and analytical) and multimedia presentations, offered by scholars and artists engaged in the study and practice of the coexistence of art and spirituality in various forms.
The organizers suggest understanding spirituality in the thematic context as including, but not limited to:
- Religious (Christian) spirituality – considered the foundation of European culture, encompassing music created for religious practice as well as works inspired by faith;
- Ecumenical and non-Christian religious spirituality – understood from the perspective of universal human experience;
- Mystical spirituality – pertaining to compositions and artistic attitudes centered on the experience of transcendence, ecstasy, union with the Absolute, without necessarily indicating a specific religious framework;
- Philosophical and existential spirituality – viewing artistic practice as a way of posing questions and seeking answers in such areas as: the meaning of life, existence, death, freedom, solitude, transformation, the search for truth, and openness to the New;
- Nature- and cosmos-related spirituality – perceiving music as a medium for connecting with the elements, the universe, the rhythm of life, and their potential spiritual implications;
- Aesthetic and contemplative spirituality – understood as an artistic spiritual experience evoked by beauty in form, sound, proportion, symmetry, and other material or immaterial elements;
- Personal spirituality – related to the stirring of the human spirit through musical art in the context of categories such as inspiration, creation, performance, and the experience of catharsis.
The topic of silence in spirituality and music will also be addressed as a subject of reflection (e.g. “Music is born from silence and returns to it” – Arvo Pärt; “God is silence. And in silence you will meet Him” – Meister Eckhart).
The conference languages are Polish and English.
Each presentation, including musical examples, should not exceed 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute discussion session.
Active participation requires a conference fee of 300 PLN, to be paid after acceptance of the paper. Payment details will be provided with the notification of acceptance.
Application form available at the website: https://amuz.wroc.pl/duchowosc-w-muzyce-muzyka-w-duchowosci-ii-ogolnopolska-konferencja-naukowa-panelem-miedzynarodowym-11732/?date=2026-04-08
