STAVE/OFF: Non-traditional Modalities of Musical Training in Popular Musics

One-day symposium at Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
15 July 2026

Laying the groundwork for an emerging regional network of scholars, this one-day symposium seeks to examine what musical ‘training’ means outside of the traditional binary of reading vs not reading music notation. With an emphasis on popular musics, we invite all kinds of music thinkers, makers, and facilitators to submit an abstract for a 15-minute talk, workshop, or demonstration. STAVE/OFF will be a jam-packed day of networking and brainstorming.

Some musicians with the popular image of being ‘self-taught,’ like Daniel Johnston, in fact grew up in musical families with access to sheet music and lessons. Kate Bush and Tori Amos actively resisted sight-reading during their childhood training in favour of ear-led creativity. Scores of the biggest names in music consider sight-reading somewhat antithetical to their image or artistic process — from The Beatles and Hans Zimmer, to Arethra Franklin and Jimi Hendrix.

STAVE/OFF will consider how the narratives constructed around ideas like ‘self-teaching’ and the aural transmission of traditional repertoire are reflective of broader discussions of class, elitism, learning styles, technologies, and authenticity in the music industry, with implications for how arts funding is distributed across grassroots projects and conventional conservatoire frameworks. Delineating the many heritages of popular musics, the relationship between experimental, improvisational performance and contemporary art music may also be explored, looking at questions of training, programming, and composition.

Contributions could include (but are not limited to) the following:

• biographical approaches to particular musicians, scenes, or genres;
• analyses of particular recordings or performances;
• reflections on songwriting practice;
• theoretical approaches to informal/autodidactic music education, and modes of musical training/knowledge exchange that take place outside of prestige institutions like music schools and conservatoires (e.g. sessions, jams, improv events, self-tuition via YouTube, Ultimate Guitar, etc);
• reflections on the socioeconomic frameworks of the music industry and arts funding;
• histories of non-conventional musical learning;
• performances and demonstrations pertinent to the conference themes.

Submission

Please send an overview of what you would like to talk about (this could take the form of a standard 300-word abstract [.docx/.pdf] or a more informal approach via email) along with a short biography of about 100 words. If you are including a performance, please make this clear. We will put together a range of panels and informal roundtable discussions based on the nature of the submissions we receive. Please note that in aiming to create a relaxed and productive environment of knowledge exchange, spaces will be very limited. Participants will be selected both on the strength of their submission and with an aim of assembling a varied programme.

A limited number of travel bursaries are available — please let us know in your application if you would like to be considered for one of these, along with where you will be travelling from. Priority will be given to postgraduate students, early-career scholars and contributors without institutional funding. There will be no registration fee. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Submit your proposals together to Richard ([email protected]) and Anika ([email protected]) with the subject heading ‘STAVE/OFF’ by 15 June 2026. Results: 22 June 2026.

Nancy Kerr Elliott (Lecturer & Researcher in Folk & Traditional Music, Newcastle University) will deliver the keynote address.

Note: available audiovisual equipment includes projectors and speakers. Instruments will not be provided but please do get in touch if you have any plans that we could help facilitate.