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  • HMS Annual Conference 2008: Metals in Musical Instruments, 12th-14th September, Oxford, UK

    Download the flier and booking form: MS Word version or Adobe Acrobat (pdf) version.

    Venue
    The conference will be based in the Holywell Music Rooms, the oldest surviving purpose built concert hall in Europe. The Holywell Music Rooms, which are attached to Wadham College, were built in 1748 and Handel is among the many famous musicians and composers who have appeared here.

    Organisers
    The Conference is being organised by
    Eddie Birch. Email: mejbirch@aol.com. Tel: 01226 370331
    Louise Bacon, Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ.
    Email: lbacon@horniman.ac.uk

    Announcement and Call for Papers
    Papers will reflect the theme of the conference on the technology of metals with particular relation to musical instruments. As well as a full lecture programme there will be concerts on the Friday and Saturday evenings, themed to the conference, and opportunities to see “behind the scenes” at the Bate Collection of Historical Musical Instruments. There will be a number of other relevant venues to visit on Saturday afternoon.

    While we shall do everything possible to keep the price of the conference down, such a full and varied programme in a major city does not come cheap. We expect the full residential fee to be of the order of £250 and the ‘day fee’ for those organising their own accommodation to be around £75. As in any ancient city, car parking can be difficult; however Oxford has an excellent bus service.

    Conference accommodation has been reserved at Wadham College. If you have any queries, or would like to know more about the conference, please contact Eddie Birch on 01226 370331 or email mejbirch@aol.com.

    We invite offers of papers, for the conference which will cover:

  • Metallurgy and metals used in instruments
  • Metal working techniques, including influence on design of instruments
  • Makers and their techniques
  • Archaeology and history of metal musical instruments

    Offers of papers, together with a title and 150 word abstract, should be sent no later than 31 January 2008 to Louise Bacon, Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ. Email: lbacon@horniman.ac.uk

    The Historical Metallurgy Society Is and organisation which contracts with the college for the use of facilities, but which has no formal connection with the University of Oxford.