The Society

The Gesellschaft für Musikforschung (GfM) is the professional association of musicologists working in Germany in study, research and teaching. It offers all those interested in questions of music history, ethnomusicology and systematic musicology a forum for information and exchange. It currently has around 1600 members in Germany and abroad. The society also promotes musicological research in dialogue with other disciplines. In addition, it sees itself as an organ for communicating findings from the entire field of music to a broader public.

Activities of the Society primarily encompass five fields:

1. Organisation of conferences and international meetings,
2. Publication of the journal “Die Musikforschung” (appears four times a year) and other contributions to musicology,
3. coordination of academic projects,
4. support of academic interactions internationally,
5. representation of musicological concerns in education policy.

Membership is open to all persons, institutions, companies and associations at home and abroad who are interested in the aims of the Society. Members receive the journal Die Musikforschung free of charge as well as access to the password-protected members’ area of the homepage with much additional information.

Within the Society, there are a number of field units and committees, who collaborate in specific areas of research and common concerns. The annual conferences and meetings of the Society also offer a platform for young academics to report on their own research.

The Gesellschaft für Musikforschung e.V. is a non-profit registered society. Membership fees and donations to the Society are tax deductible.

According to the charter, the governing bodies of the Society are the general assembly, the managing committee, and the advisory committee. The seat of the Society and the office is Kassel.