Rhythm Under the Microscope II is a sequel to the 2024 Rhythm Under the Microscope 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. Fernando Benadon and Ragnhild Brøvig have been confirmed as keynote speakers.

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.

Please submit your abstract to rhythm-ipop@mdw.ac.at. Abstracts should be between 400 and 700 words (references not included in the word count). Authors will be notified of acceptance by mid-June. For further information, please contact rhythm-ipop@mdw.ac.at. Details about registration will be forthcoming.

Location: Vienna, Austria

Abstract deadline: June 1, 2026

Hosts: University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Institute of Popular Music

Website: https://ipop.at/rhythm/