Die amerikanische non-profit Künstler-Organisation Sing for Hope stellt in Kooperation mit der Stadt New York und der Joghurtmarke Chobani 88 Klaviere in den Straßen und Parks von New York bereit, die von allen BürgerInnen bespielt werden können. Gemäß ihrer Mission „Kultur für alle“ möchten die MacherInnen, die Opernsängerinnen Monica Yunus und Camille Zamora und ihr Team von ehrenamtlichen HelferInnen, Kultur auch in die ärmeren Stadtteile bringen und so auch weniger betuchten Kindern und Erwachsenen den Zugang zur Musik ermöglichen. Die Klaviere stehen vom 01.-16.06. öffentlich bereit und werden von „Piano buddies“ in der Umgebung betreut und vor Diebstahl und Regen geschützt; jedes Klavier ist ein Unikat und liebevoll von KünstlerInnen bemalt worden. In dieser Zeit finden überall Events rund um die Pianos und wahrscheinlich unzählige spontane Happenings und Sessions statt. Danach werden die Klaviere an Schulen, Krankenhäuser und andere lokale Gruppen gespendet.

The twelfth meeting of the international, biennial conference Feminist Theory and Music will take place at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, July 31-August 4. The conference program will include scholarly papers, lecture-recitals, and evening concert performances. The conference theme, „New Voices in the New Millennium“, is in conversation with the 2011 theme, “Looking Backward, Forward, and Sideways” as it welcomes new voices with planned panels addressing gender and the music of diverse communities. Planned panels include those focusing on the role of women in contemporary gospel and feminism and expressions of funk.

We welcome proposals for scholarly papers from any disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspective addressing music in relation to feminism, gender, or sexuality. The organizers especially encourage proposals addressing questions related to African American, Latin American, and Native American music. The committee also invites proposals related to gender, feminism, and ethnographic research; music and the body of the Other; music and prisons; poetry/spoken word, gender, and music; and immigration, transnationalism and musical diasporas. Proposals focusing on current social issues and any area of music and gender are also encouraged. Proposals for panels of three or four papers are also welcome. Please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words for scholarly papers
of 20 minutes’ duration. Proposals for panels should include the overall theme of the panel and individual abstracts of each paper (paper abstracts should be 250 words maximum). Please specify any audio-visual or other equipment requests. E-mail your abstracts to Gayle Murchison, ude.m1737111900w@suM1737111900yroeh1737111900TmeF1737111900 with “FTM2013 Proposal” in the subject line. Proposals are due March 1, 2013.

We also invite proposals for musical performances and lecture-recitals. Proposals for lecture-recitals not to exceed 35 minutes’ duration should take the form of an abstract no longer than 250 words. Please specify any equipment requests and the length of the lecture- recital, and identify works you will perform. E-mail your proposals to Gayle
Murchison, as above.