Since ancient times, humans have made sense of the world through myth. Myths mirror back to us our understanding of reality. The conflicts, struggles, and phantasmagoric abilities of mythological figures often reflect the unique cultural context that first projected them. At the same time, myths also relate to universal features of the human condition.

Myths are at once a window to the distant past and a reflection of our current life experiences. Myths have been a perennial source of inspiration for musicians through the ages. Southeast Asia is home to countless myths and associated musical traditions. We are looking for papers and creative works that investigate the connections between music and ancient beliefs, traditional myths, or folktales in their historical contexts, as well as contemporary ones. We are also interested in papers that explore how traces of myths remain embedded in contemporary music-making practices, and that examine how the contemporary reinterpretations and re-invention of myths relate to musical expression and meaning.

Just as myths have inspired musicians, so too have musicians inspired the creators of myths. The beauty and seductive power of music is a theme found in countless mythological tales. We are also interested in papers that examine how musicians themselves have been mythologized through the ages.