After two succesful editions (UIC 2021 and UIC 2023) and the establishment at the Conservatorio di Musica “Antonio Vivaldi” in Alessandria of the world’s first university program of study specialized in ukulele performance, the Third Ukulele International Conference (UIC 2025) – Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Performance, Composition, Pedagogy and Organology is organized and hosted by the Conservatorio di Musica “Antonio Vivaldi” in Alessandria (Italy), in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Heritage and Environment – University of Milan, and co-directed by Giovanni Albini and Giovanni Cestino. Its aim is to delve into the diverse cultural identities and resources of the ukulele from both academic and artistic perspectives. A volume of the conference papers will be published in 2026 (at this link, the Proceedings of UIC 2021, published by Milano University Press). Adam Jansen (Hawai’i State Archives) will deliver the keynote lecture. It will be held at the Conservatorio di Musica “Antonio Vivaldi”, in Alessandria (Italy) on October 24 and 25, 2025.
Events will be in-person, in Aula Abbà-Cornaglia, Conservatorio di Musica “Antonio Vivaldi” in Alessandria (Italy), as well as live-streamed on Zoom. Access to the conference, both in-person and online, will be possible only for registered participants. Speakers of paper presentations (selected through a call for papers) must attend in person. The language of the conference is English. All travel and accommodation costs are the responsibility of the participant(s).
The CALL FOR PAPER is officially open.
Authors are invited to submit an anonymized abstract (250 words max. excluding bibliography) and a short bio for all the submitting authors (150 words max. each) to proposals@ukuleleresearch.org by May 29, 2025. Please include your affiliation and position (if any) in the body of your email. All papers will be blind-reviewed. Notifications will be made by June 30, 2025. The authors can submit one or more than one contribution. The official conference language is English. UIC 2025 will host participants in the broad interdisciplinary community of research around the ukulele who will converge, share and celebrate their ongoing research efforts. We are looking for presentations focusing on one or more of the following themes:
- ukulele performance, techniques, and repertoires;
- composing, arranging, and transcribing for ukulele;
- ukulele organology and making;
- relationship between the ukulele and other instruments;
- cultural history of the ukulele;
- the ukulele in media and popular music;
- ukulele in/for music education and pedagogy.
Besides the topics listed above, the conference is open for any contributions related to the ukulele.
Organizing committee
- Giovanni Albini, Conservatorio di Musica “A. Vivaldi” di Alessandria (IT)
- Giovanni Cestino, Università degli Studi di Milano (IT)
Scientific committee
- Jim Dalton, Boston Conservatory at Berklee (US)
- Jim Tranquada, independent scholar (US)
- Jonathan De Souza, University of Western Ontario (CA)
- Laura Conti, Conservatorio di Musica “A. Vivaldi” di Alessandria (IT)
- Paulo Esteireiro, Conservatório – Escola Profissional das Artes da Madeira (PT)
- Shawn Yacavone, independent scholar (US)
Keynote lecture
- Adam Jansen, Hawai’i State Archives (US)
