AMS Institute: Studying Early Music with Computers

Application Deadline: 11:59pm PT, 6 March 2026

Call for Applications

Studying Early Music with Computers: Tools, Formats, and Strategies is the American Musicological Society’s two-week residential summer institute taking place from 14-27 June 2026, made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities. This institute will provide a unique opportunity for scholars and educators to learn more about the machine-assisted study of early music.

Over the course of two weeks, thirty participants and eleven faculty members will focus on the practical applications of digital technologies, primarily through practitioner workshops and seminars on specific tools, formats, and machine-assisted investigative strategies. Through both expert talks and interactive workshops, participants will be equipped with the knowledge needed to advance their own research and teaching, including detailed explorations of the technical, infrastructural, and funding requirements necessary for conceiving, developing, deploying, and maintaining digital humanities projects and programs for the study of early music (c. 1000–1750 CE).

Application is open to scholars from all fields, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements. Six participant slots will be reserved for untenured/non-tenure track faculty and three spaces will be reserved for graduate students who have advanced to Ph.D. candidacy. Stipends of $2,200 will be provided to participants to defray the cost of attendance, travel, and lodging.

Applications must be received no later than 11:59pm PT, 6 March 2026. Late applications will not be accepted and only complete applications will be considered. Notifications of decisions will be sent in early April.

Eligibility:

Scholars from all fields are invited to apply. You are eligible to apply if you are a:

• United States citizen, including those teaching abroad at U.S. chartered institutions and schools operated by the federal government;
• resident of U.S. jurisdictions; or 
• foreign national who has been residing in the United States or its jurisdictions for at least the three years immediately preceding the application deadline.

You are not eligible to apply if you:

• are a foreign national teaching abroad
• are related to the project director(s)
• are affiliated with the applicant institution (employees, currently enrolled students, etc.)
• have been taught or advised in an academic capacity by the project director(s)
• are delinquent in the repayment of federal debt (taxes, student loans, child support payments, and delinquent payroll taxes for household or other employees)
• have been debarred or suspended by any federal department or agency
• have attended a previous NEH professional development project (Seminars, Landmarks, or Institutes) led by the project director(s)

NEH does not require participants to have earned an advanced degree.

In any given year, an individual may attend only one Institute or Landmark workshop.

J1 and F1 visa holders should confer with their sponsoring institution regarding their eligibility to receive a stipend from another institution.

To be considered for selection, applicants much submit a complete application as indicated on the individual project's website. Any questions about applications should be directed to ams@amsmusicology.org.

Application Procedures:

To apply for the institute, you will be asked to:

1. Provide the required contact information.
2. Answer short answer questions about your interest in the institute.
3. Provide a short CV (two pages maximum) highlighting achievements relevant to the institute's mission.
4. Rank your preferred workshop streams.

Once all applications have been received, the participant selection committee will select the cohort. Application notices are expected to be sent in early April.

Important Notes:

1. Start your application early. You may save an incomplete form and continue later.
2. You MUST click the 'Submit' button at the end of the form to submit your application. Applications not submitted by the deadline cannot be considered.
3. Upon submission of your application form you will receive an email confirmation. You may also view your application by signing into your Submittable account and clicking "My Submissions".
4. If you have any questions about your application, please contact the AMS office at ams@amsmusicology.org. For technical questions about Submittable, please visit submittable.com/contact.
    

Application Deadline: 11:59pm PT, 6 March 2026