Theme:
Resonant Asia: Music, Culture, Memory, and Underheard Voices
The ISMAA Student Research Competition & Conference 2026 invites students to submit original research and critical writing exploring music as a way of understanding culture, history, memory, identity, community, and human experience across Asia and its global connections.
 
Under the theme Resonant Asia: Music, Culture, Memory, and Underheard Voices, the competition encourages young researchers to investigate both established musical traditions and subjects that have received less academic or public attention.
 
We particularly welcome research that brings attention to underrepresented communities, minority cultures, Indigenous traditions, regional and local musical practices, diasporic communities, endangered traditions, lesser-known musicians and composers, and musical histories that have often remained outside mainstream narratives.
 
Students are encouraged to ask whose music is remembered, whose voices are heard, how musical traditions are represented, and what new perspectives emerge when we listen beyond familiar cultural and historical narratives.
 
Submissions may focus on Asia as a primary geographical or cultural context, or examine broader transnational and global questions through perspectives connected to Asia.
 
Suggested Areas of Inquiry
Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Music history and musicology

• Ethnomusicology and musical cultures of Asia

• Minority and Indigenous musical traditions

• Underrepresented musicians, composers, performers, and communities

• Regional, local, and vernacular musical cultures

• Music, memory, and oral history

• Music, identity, migration, and diaspora

• Music and cultural heritage

• Endangered or changing musical traditions

• Music and language, dialect, and local knowledge

• Music and literature, theatre, visual art, or film

• Performance practice and interpretation

• Popular music and contemporary culture

• Music education and pedagogy

• Sound studies and sonic culture

• Music technology and digital media

• Composition and creative practice

• Music, environment, place, and society

• Music anthropology and interdisciplinary humanities research

• Comparative and cross-cultural approaches to music

Research on lesser-known subjects and communities is strongly encouraged. Interdisciplinary approaches are also welcome.

Eligibility
The competition is open to students from international schools and other eligible secondary educational institutions.
Submissions must be the student’s own original work. Papers may have been developed through coursework, independent research, supervised projects, or extracurricular academic activities, provided that the submitted work represents the student author’s own research and writing.
Each student may submit one paper as the primary author.
Individual submissions are preferred. Co-authored work may be considered where the nature of the research clearly requires collaboration.

Submission Requirements
Papers should:

• present a clear research question, argument, interpretation, or critical inquiry;

• demonstrate engagement with appropriate academic or primary sources;

• use a consistent citation and referencing system;

• be written in clear academic English;

• include an original title and bibliography or reference list;

• be submitted as an editable Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx).

Detailed requirements regarding word limits, formatting, citation style, and file naming may be specified in the official Call for Papers.
All submissions must be original and properly referenced. Plagiarism, fabricated sources, substantial unattributed assistance, or other forms of academic misconduct may result in disqualification.

Competition Timeline
Submission Period
Open now through September 30, 2026
Editorial and Competition Review
October 1–7, 2026
Finalist Invitations
Selected authors will receive an official invitation following the completion of the review process.
ISMAA Student Research Conference
October 10, 2026
Finalists will present their research at the conference before an academic and educational audience.
Awards Ceremony
Awards will be announced following the conference presentations on October 10, 2026.

Conference Presentation
Authors of shortlisted papers will be invited to present their work at the ISMAA Student Research Conference 2026 on October 10, 2026.
Presentations should introduce the research question, key argument or findings, principal evidence, and wider significance of the project in a concise academic format.
Presentation instructions, time limits, conference access or venue information, and the detailed programme will be provided directly to invited finalists.
Participation in the conference presentation is required for papers being considered for the final competition awards unless an exception has been approved by the Organizing Committee.

Awards
Competition awards will be determined on the basis of both the submitted paper and the conference presentation.
Awards may include:

• First Prize

• Second Prize

• Third Prize

• Honorable Mention

• Outstanding Research Award, where appropriate

• Outstanding Presentation Award, where appropriate

The judging panel may adjust the number or category of awards depending on the quality and number of eligible submissions.
All finalists who complete the conference presentation will receive a certificate of participation or recognition.

Publication
Selected papers will be considered for publication in the ISMAA Student Journal.
Accepted articles will undergo editorial preparation before online publication. Published articles will receive a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and will form part of the Journal’s permanent publication record.
Publication decisions are separate from competition rankings. The editors may invite authors to revise their papers before publication.
Authors remain responsible for the accuracy of quotations, citations, references, images, musical examples, permissions, and other materials included in their submissions.

Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated according to the following considerations:

• clarity and significance of the research question;

• originality of the topic or perspective;

• quality of research and use of evidence;

• strength and coherence of the argument;

• understanding of relevant musical, cultural, historical, and social contexts;

• organization and academic writing;

• appropriate use of sources and citations;

• contribution to the theme Resonant Asia: Music, Culture, Memory, and Underheard Voices.

The competition particularly values research that identifies overlooked materials, communities, practices, archives, histories, or perspectives and demonstrates why they matter to a broader understanding of music and culture.
For finalists, the quality and clarity of the conference presentation will also contribute to the final award decision.

Registration Fee
A registration and review fee is required for each submission.
International / Hong Kong Payment:
USD 100 / HKD 800
Payment should be made to the designated Hong Kong account:
Account Name:  MOMENTUM INTL CONSULTING  LTD 
Bank Name:  The Bank of East Asia, Limited 
Bank Account Number:  015-515-68-10946-1
SWIFT Code:  BEASHKHH 
Other Payment Information: Please include the applicant's name when making the payment.
Mainland China Payment: 
RMB 700
Payment should be made to the designated Mainland China account:
Account Name:  上海壹势企业咨询有限公司 
Bank / Payment Platform:  招商银行上海花木支行 
Account Number:  1219 4438 7710 601 
Other Payment Information: Please include the applicant's name when making the payment.
The registration fee covers submission administration, editorial review, competition assessment, and conference participation for shortlisted authors.
Registration fees are normally non-refundable once a complete submission has entered the review process.

How to Submit
Applicants should prepare the following materials:
1. Research Paper
Submit the complete paper as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx).
2. Author Information
Please include a separate document containing:

• Full legal name

• Preferred name, if applicable

• Date of birth

• Current school

• City and country/region of school

• Current grade or year level

• Expected graduation year

• Student email address

• Parent or guardian email address

• Student telephone number, where appropriate

• Paper title

• Primary research field or subject area

• Name of teacher, supervisor, or academic mentor, if applicable

• Teacher/supervisor email address, if applicable

• A short author biography of approximately 80–120 words

• A statement confirming that the submitted paper is the student’s original work

• Any previous presentation or publication history of the submitted paper, if applicable

3. Proof of Payment
Attach a screenshot, receipt, or other valid record showing payment of the registration fee.

Submission Procedure
Please email all three items—

1. the research paper in Word format;

2. the completed author information document; and

3. proof of payment—

to:
ISMAA Student Research Competition Organizing Committee
Email: competitions@ismaa-asia.org
Suggested email subject line:
ISMAA 2026 Submission – Student Name – Paper Title
A submission will be considered complete only after all required materials and payment documentation have been received.
Applicants are advised to retain copies of all submitted materials and payment records.

Important Dates at a Glance
September 30, 2026
Submission deadline
October 1–7, 2026
Paper review and competition selection
October 2026, following review
Finalist invitations issued
October 10, 2026
Conference presentations and awards ceremony
Following editorial revision
Selected papers published in the ISMAA Student Journal with DOI assignment

Academic and Editorial Standards
ISMAA aims to provide students with an academically serious but educationally supportive environment for research, writing, presentation, and publication.
The Organizing Committee and Journal editors reserve the right to decline submissions that fall outside the scope of the competition, do not meet basic academic or editorial standards, contain inappropriate or unverifiable material, or raise concerns regarding academic integrity.
Submission to the competition does not guarantee finalist selection, an award, or publication.
By submitting, authors acknowledge that shortlisted papers may be discussed during the conference and that selected work may undergo editorial revision prior to publication.