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THEME — Activities

THEME provides a variety of opportunities for sharing ideas about music research.  These include invited presentations, a potluck/orientation, “get a job” workshops, proposal-writing workshops, member presentations, readings seminars, and conference reports. Click here to see our upcoming calendar.

Invited Presentations.  THEME is lucky to enjoy frequent presentations by special invited guest scholars from other institutions.  Click here to see a list of recent visitors.

Potluck/Orientation.  We typically begin the year with an informal potluck dinner and orientation at the Collier House or at a faculty member’s home.  At that event, the new crop of graduate students is introduced to faculty and veteran graduate students. 

“Get a Job” Workshops.  In the fall term, THEME usually offers workshops on how to write a resume and cover-letter for an university teaching position.  Faculty members pass out sample cvs and job-application letters.  Much of the discussion centers on how one can best display one’s accomplishments.

Proposal-Writing Workshops.  Later in the year, we also offer workshops on writing conference-presentation proposals.  Those with experience may bring in proposals that have been accepted and say what they feel is important to include in a proposal.  But the central focus of these workshops is group editing of proposals that members plan to submit to regional and national conferences such as SMT, AMS, SEM, and CMS.  Members bring in multiple copies of their proposals, we all take time to read them, and then we discuss how they might be improved.  The process teaches us all a lot about writing clearly and effectively, and it inspires graduate students to become active in their fields.

Member Presentations.  THEME meetings also include presentations.  Some of these are “pre-conference run-thrus”:  practice presentations of papers that will be given by THEME members — faculty and student members alike — at upcoming conferences.  These run-thrus are always followed by practice questions of the type one might encounter at a conference as well as constructive suggestions for improving the presentation.  Members also do presentations on work-in-progess. These run-thrus help all of us to give better presentations.

Readings Seminars.  THEME meetings have also included seminar discussions of published writings.  This is a good way to deal with a current “hot topic” that hasn’t yet found its way into a particular course.  And it is an important way in which we prepare to take best advantage of the visits by our invited guests.  Sometimes our courses can fulfill this function (Carl Schachter’s visit was scheduled at the end of a term in which Jack Boss taught a seminar devoted to Schachter’s book Unfoldings).  But THEME is an excellent place for this.  For example, before Susan McClary came, THEME had spirited discussions of some of her writings, and, as a result, we were all better prepared to benefit from her presence.

Conference reports.  Another enjoyable THEME event is the meeting we have at the end of fall term, in which we get reports from those who have attended various conferences.

In short, THEME provides faculty and students at the University of Oregon with valuable opportunities to discuss music research and it roles in our musical and professional lives.