This study experimentally assesses the influence of cello string types on playability and tonal characteristics using a robotic bowing device and a custom monochord setup. Eight custom-made G2 cello strings, each defined by unique combinations of core materials, windings, and nominal tensions, were systematically tested. High-resolution Schelleng diagrams were constructed from steady-state signals across various bow forces, bow-bridge distances, and bow speeds. Analyses included bow force limits, spectral centroid, pitch flattening, and anomalous low frequencies. Results revealed similar regions of Helmholtz motion, with deviations from Schelleng's classical theory aligning with recent research. Pitch flattening occurred mainly at high bow forces and lower bow speeds, with deviations up to 60 cents below nominal pitch, while spectral centroid analysis highlighted a significant correlation between bending stiffness and perceived tonal brightness. Minimal within-type variability was noted; however, tonal deviations due to string settling were substantial, underscoring the importance of play-in periods. Although playability differences across tension groups were minor, tonal descriptors, notably spectral centroid, displayed clearer sensitivity to material composition. Future studies should explore broader string variations and detailed harmonic content to enhance statistical robustness and generalizability. This research was funded in whole or in part by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [P34852-N].

In recent decades, social and economic changes have brought about a growing awareness of the role of art and culture in society. As a result, scholars have turned their attention to a sociological view of arts, developing hermeneutic approaches and conducting empirical research that have led to a wealth of insights into the organization of arts. These studies of the creation, production, distribution, evaluation and consumption of arts are clearly sociological, but they include approaches from other disciplines, notably arts management studies and cultural policy research. Volker Kirchberg and Tasos Zembylas critically discuss seven major theories of the social organization of arts in Western societies, with the aim of encouraging further research and theoretical developments.

Audio-to-score alignment is a core task in MIR, but its application to music performance analysis is underexplored and it has not been developed for prospective users. Moreover, there have been very few user studies to shed light on the software needs of performance researchers. To help fill this gap, we present an open-source software application with a graphical UI that integrates audio-to-score alignment, designed to facilitate performance analysis. Working with Vamp plugins, this tool can also serve as a suitable platform for developing and comparing new alignment algorithms. In addition, in this paper we offer a use-case example of this tool comparing multiple performances of the same piece. We have also evaluated this tool with 15 prospective real-world users and received highly positive responses. Our user study suggests that tools like this can help bridge disciplinary divides between MIR and performance research.

The electroacoustic works of the Greek-French composer Iannis Xenakis (1922–2001) captivate with their radical ideas, sounds and compositional models. They were often conceived as multimedia works for specific locations and architectures. The richness of the approaches and processes gave rise to an extensive body of sources. Therefore, this volume is particularly dedicated to a philological approach, combining contributions by companions of Xenakis and renowned experts in Xenakis research with studies in philology of electroacoustic music. It concludes with a roundtable discussion of the performance of these electroacoustic works, thus linking the philological questions back to musical practice.

Für die Krankheitsverarbeitung und Erhaltung der psychischen Gesundheit spielen das Zusammenwirken von Medizin, Krankheitswahrnehmung und Musik sowie die Musik im Krankenhaussetting eine Rolle. Die als musikpädagogisches Seminar der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst am Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics (CCP) an der Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde (UKKJ) Wien veranstaltete Musikwerkstatt You Smile richtet sich an Kinder und Jugendliche, die aufgrund schwerer und schwerster Erkrankungen für längere Zeit im Krankenhaus betreut werden müssen. Dieses pädagogische Projekt zielt darauf ab, Kindern zu zweit oder in Kleingruppensettings nicht nur einen Zugang zur Musik zu bieten, sondern sie auch in ihren musikalischen und sozialen Kompetenzen zu stärken und ihnen in einer schwierigen Lebensphase emotionale Unterstützung zu geben. Die Instrumentalpädagogik konzentriert sich traditionell auf den Unterricht in formellen Bildungseinrichtungen, so auch in diesem neuen edukativen, kommunikativen musikpädagogischen Kontext im Krankenhaussetting.