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Minority Travel Grants

2019 SMT Annual Meeting

Theorists who belong to an ethnic minority (defined here on the basis of the majority of current SMT members) and who are citizens of, or are currently residing in, the US or Canada are invited to apply for Minority Travel Grant. Theorists at all stages of their careers, including graduate students, are encouraged to apply. It is possible to be a repeat recipient as well (though new applicants will be given priority). For a list of past Travel Grant winners since 2002, see the Past Recipients of SMT Travel Grants page. The Committee on Race and Ethnicity administers the Minority Travel grant program.

Travel Grant Application Form

Information regarding Minority Travel Grants

Applicants need not be SMT members; registration for the annual meeting will be covered as part of the grant. You can use online application form, but you’ll need to create an account if you don’t already have one. Preference will be given to students and junior faculty (in that order); financial need and research interests within the field of music theory will be used to evaluate the applications. Typically up to 7 grants are made, with a maximum award of $400.

  1. Only those who are citizens of, or are currently residing in, the US or Canada are eligible.
  2. Individuals who self-identify with a race or ethnicity other than 'White' are eligible to apply.

Information required on the application forms

Applicants are asked to provide the following information whether submitting a grant application online or via PDF:

  • name, address, telephone, e-mail, and academic affiliation
  • estimated expenses to attend the conference including travel to and lodging during the conference (demonstrating responsible approaches to minimize costs);
  • purpose(s) for attending the conference; and
  • a clear statement of research interests and their relation both to conference participation and the field of music theory in general.
  • Applicants shall include a short curriculum vitae (no longer than two pages).
  • Students must also submit a letter of support from one of their major professors. The professor should email the letter of support directly to SMT’s Executive Director at smt@societymusictheory.org. Although each committee member makes their own decision on how to use letters of recommendation, these letters are typically very helpful in two ways—(a) they provide a description of the applicant’s interests and work in music theory, and therefore how attending the annual conference will be beneficial to them; and (b) the applicant’s individual background, and how this makes them suitable for the specific grant to which they are applying. Though this information is very helpful to the committee, it does not need to be comprehensive, and a typical letter of recommendation does not need to be longer than a couple of paragraphs to a page in length.