About

In September 2024, scholars gathered at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna for Rhythm Under the Microscope, a conference examining microrhythm and groove in popular music. Keynote speakers Anne Danielsen and Justin London explored the effects of a variety of parameters on the perception of microrhythm as well as the relationship between rhythm and microtiming. Other paper presentations and workshops further examined aspects of timing, groove, and aesthetics.
 
Rhythm Under the Microscope II is a sequel to the 2024 conference, providing an opportunity for renewed study of microrhythm, including scholarly advances since the first conference, but also opening up to discussions of tempo variability. The conference seeks to bring together musicians and scholars from various disciplines to connect their different perspectives and further the current state of microrhythm, tempo variability, and groove research.
 
We invite proposals for paper presentations and workshops. Paper presentations should be 25 minutes long, with an additional 10 minutes allotted for questions and answers. We also encourage scholars to submit ideas for 90-minute workshops in which a group of participants would have the opportunity to learn about current research or pedagogical methods and implement them in a hands-on fashion. Artistic research is also highly welcome. Applicants can submit a maximum of one presentation proposal and one workshop proposal.