Reasons to sing: Singing, spirituality and the search for meaning.

17-18 September 2026, University of Birmingham

Below you’ll find the full schedule of sessions and events, along with information for travel and accommodation. Please note that timings and details may be subject to change.

Return to 'Singing and the Human Spirit'

Conference Schedule

Wednesday, 16 September 2026

19:00 – 21:30 | Conference Dinner (Speakers Only)

Thursday, 17 September 2026 (Day 1) - Lecture Room 1, Arts Building, Edgbaston Campus B15 2TT.

08:45 – 09:15 | Registration & Coffee

09:15 – 09:30 | Opening Remarks

09:30 – 11:00 | Bridging Worlds Through Singing:

Jacqueline Leary-Warsaw; Voicing the Threshold: Singing as a Bridge Between Embodiment and Transcendence.
David Camlin; Group Singing and Civic Imagination
Regina Seiwald; Embodied Soundscapes: The Localising Power of Singing in Digital Gameworlds

11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee

11:30 – 13:00 | Practice and Pedagogy

Jonathan Arnold; Just Singing: The social and spiritual benefits of singing in the work of the Social Justice Network and other charitable initiatives
Daisy Widdicombe; The Uses and Impact of Music in Chaplaincy: Singing, Spirituality, and ‘Specialism’
Katherine Zeserson (IRL) & Guiliana Frozoni (online); Singing as a Bridge Between Materiality and Spirituality: A Pedagogical Perspective

13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch (provided)

14:00 – 15:30 | Rituals and Truth

Hamid Lea; The Distinctive Contribution of the Boudchichi Samāʿ: A Psychospiritual Modality within Contemporary Sufi Practice
Theresa White; "Sacred Voices, Sacred Senses: A Theoretical Exploration of the Multisensory Nature of Liturgical Singing"
Richard Cheetham; Learning to sing, meaning making and searching for truth

15:30 – 17:00 | Beauty and Being

Adinda van’t Klooster; How voice-responsive VR interfaces can improve wellbeing
June Boyce-Tillan; Singing the Beauty of Holiness
Michael Glover; Entering the Mystery of Salvation through Sacred Music: Memory, Participation and Invitation

17:00 – 18:00 | Canapé Reception – Lapworth Museum

18:00 – 19:00 | Break / travel time

19:00 – 20:00 | Can Beauty Save the World? Performance-based Research Event – Ex Cathedra, St George’s Church
Please note this event is free for those attending the conference. For those not registered for the conference such as family and friends please book on this box office link.

Friday, 18 September 2026 (Day 2) Lecture Room 1, Arts Building, Edgbaston Campus B15 2TT.

08:45 – 09:00 | Coffee

09:00– 10:30 | Music and Christian Theology

Daniele Sabaino; From “sacred” to “ritual” music: the paradigm shifts between music and liturgy in the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council
Gareth Wilson; Music & Monotheism
Vedran Obucina (online); The Reformation Debate on Singing: Theology, Power, and the Human Voice

10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee

11:00 – 13:00 | Singing as Human Flourishing

Kate Fawcett; Holding our breath: reaching towards an embodied understanding of spirituality in palliative music therapy and sacred performance contexts
Kat Branch; Sing for Happiness Project: Can adults who believe they 'can't sing' benefit from group singing?
Jasmine Smales; Can Compassion Change the Score? Psychoeducation in Community Music Settings
Kay Norton; Beauty Is the Only Reason the World Is as Tolerable as It Is

13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch (provided)

14:00 – 15:30 | What is Song?:

Chae-Lin Kim; Singing in sign language. A case study of the Berlin sign choir.
Holly Winter-Hughes; The Architecture of Song: Wordlessness, Space, and Embodied Memory
Sarah Moerman; When Singing Remembers: Meaning-Making Through Borrowed Songs

15:30 – 17:00 | Singing is Social:

Damaris Ngoru; Singing Politics?: The Functions of Popular Gospel Music in Kenya’s Presidential Elections.
Peter Sorensen; Singing in the Nahua World: Music and Indigenous Local Identities in Sixteenth-Century Mexico City
Monique Ingalls; Singing Beyond Belief: Conceptual Tools and Cross-Purpose Conversations for Research on Spirituality and Singing

17:00 – 17:15 | Closing Remarks

Travel & Accommodation

Conference Locations

The conference will take place in Lecture Room 1 in the Arts Building on the Edgbaston campus, B15 2TT.

There will be a canape reception at the Lapworth Museum on campus straight after the conference on the 17th September.

Maps and directions to all campus locations are here. Campus maps and directions - University of Birmingham

The performance-based research event on the evening of the 17th September will take place at St George’s Church, Edgbaston which is just over a half an hour walk from the campus.

Coach transport to the church will also be provided from the Lapworth Museum which will take about 10 minutes depending on traffic.

Getting to the University

‍By Train (Recommended)

‍Arrive at Birmingham New Street, then take the Cross‑City Line to University Station (10–12 minutes). The campus is a five-minute walk from the station.

‍By Bus

‍Frequent buses (including X61 and 63) run from Birmingham city centre to Bristol Road / Edgbaston Park Road.

‍By Taxi

‍A taxi from Birmingham New Street typically takes 10–15 minutes, subject to traffic.

‍By Car

‍Limited on-campus parking is available. Visitors should check parking arrangements in advance. Edgbaston Park Hotel offers free parking to guests.

‍Walking & Cycling

‍The campus is easily accessible on foot or by bicycle from Selly Oak, Edgbaston, and Harborne, with dedicated cycle routes including t‍he A38.

‍Hotels within 30 Minutes’ Walk of the University of Birmingham Campus

‍On-Campus & Immediate Vicinity (5–10 minutes)

‍Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre (4★):

‍On-campus hotel offering contemporary rooms, landscaped grounds, free parking, and an excellent restaurant. Ideal for conference delegates, visiting speakers, and formal guests.

Peter Scott House:

‍University-owned accommodation offering good-value, convenient stays for academic visitors. Please get in touch with Ann Evans a.p.evans@bham.ac.uk if you want to stay here.

‍Edgbaston / Harborne Area (15–30 minutes’ walk)

‍Edgbaston House – Boutique guest house in a quiet residential area.

The Avenue Club & Lodge – Informal and budget-friendly accommodation.

The Bournbrook Inn – Pub with rooms close to Selly Oak.

The High Field Town House - Elegant boutique hotel in leafy Edgbaston village.

Additional Nearby Options (Short Commute)

Travelodge Birmingham Central Broadway Plaza: A short drive or bus ride away.

Best Western Plough and Harrow Hotel: Located in Edgbaston, approximately a 5-minute drive from the campus.

Malmaison, The Mailbox, 1 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RD, United Kingdom. Elegant boutique hotel for those looking to stay in Birmingham's city centre.

‍Hyatt Regency Birmingham, 2 Bridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2JZ, United Kingdom. Luxury hotel in Birmingham centre.