Graduate Music Society
About us
The Graduate Music Society is a group of dedicated members who create a cohesive and supportive structure for graduate studies in music at UCalgary. We promote communication and interaction between all graduate students in music.
Annual Graduate Student Conference
Every year, the GMS organizes an International Graduate Music Conference “Confounding Expectations” to encourage the sharing of research in the field of music. The GMS Conference receives strong support from the Music department of the University of Calgary.
The Conference topic is chosen by the GMS members. The incoming abstracts are adjudicated by a committee of Professors from the Music Department.
The event typically lasts for two days and features paper presentations, lecture-recitals, performances, round tables, presentations by the invited esteemed members of the musical community and the keynote presentation. Specific to each year, receptions and catering are organized to provide a comfortable and pleasing atmosphere.
The Conference usually takes place in the Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall on the University of Calgary main campus. To ensure safety of all participating members, we do supply the option of presenting online via Zoom as well as in person. The Zoom link will be available here closer to the conference.
2025 Confounding Expectations: In the Now
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jeremy Brown (University of Calgary)
Invited Speakers: Dr. Melanie Kloetzel
The 2024-25 Members
President – Jon Halvorson
Vice-President – Roger Johnson
Treasurer – Dylan Martin
Past conferences
- 2024 Confounding Expectations 2024: The Bounds of Time
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jeremy Brown (University of Calgary)
Invited Speaker: Dr. Vincent Ho and Sir N. Antonio Peruch - 2023 Confounding Expectations: Creativity, Expression, and Emotion in Music
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael Frishkopf (University of Alberta)
Invited Speaker: Dr. Adam Patrick Bell (University of Western Ontario) - 2022 Confounding Expectations: Cultural Assimilation in Music and Its Authenticity
Keynote speaker: Dr. Jeremy Leong (UCSI University), Invited speaker: Prof. Karen Keyhani (Tehran University of Art), Invited speaker: Dr. Tolga Tüzün (Istanbul Bilgi University) - 2021 Confounding Expectations: Music in the Information Age
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Norma Coates (Western University), Invited Speaker: Dr. Julie Scott (Southern Methodist University) - 2020 Confounding Expectations: rescheduled to 2021 due to the COVID-19
- 2019 Confounding Expectations: Cultural Meaning in Sound
Keynote speaker: Barry Truax (Simon Fraser University) - 2018 Confounding Expectations: Music and the Creative Process
Keynote speaker: Roger Moseley (Cornell University) - 2017 Confounding Expectations: Celebrating 150 Years of Music in Canada
Keynote speakers: Mary Ingraham (University of Alberta) & Allan Gordon Bell (University of Calgary) - 2016 Confounding Expectations: Music and Multiculturalism
Keynote speaker: Robin Elliott (University of Toronto) - 2015 Confounding Expectations: Musical Intersections
Keynote: Benjamin Piekut (Stanford University) - 2014 Confounding Expectations: Music(s) and Place(s)
Keynote speaker: Joseph Auner (Tufts University)