The 4th Global Piano Roll Meeting (GPRM) will take place at Stanford University, August 7–9, 2026. The program committee invites proposals for individual papers, organized sessions, lecture-recitals, panel discussions, posters, and performances.
Music rolls and pneumatic instruments are a vital part of the history of recording and mechanical music. They provide a rich window into the technological, musical, cultural and economic history of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Recent projects to preserve rolls by scanning and digitization have sparked wider interest in the field. This work has allowed for technical studies of rolls, which are an early digital record of music making. Archival documents are also yielding insights into the business and technology of roll manufacturing.
The committee looks forward to receiving proposals that build upon and expand these areas of inquiry. Topics may include but are not limited to the historical study of piano and organ rolls, performers, audiences, and repertoires; pneumatic instruments; roll manufacturing; archival preservation and access; roll collections; performance studies; and performance practices.
The conference will be conducted in English. This is the Call for Papers document.