Magdalene College, Cambridge:
A Year in Literature Festival

Festival Conference: Metrics and Versification

Should we class poetry as something different from prose? Why do we value writing in verse? What effects can metre achieve? How do we distinguish rhythm from metre? Should we be looking at versification and the art of poetry or is the search for a science of metrics more likely to be fruitful?

This day-conference aims to assess the current thinking about verse from aesthetic, technical and literary angles. It will bring together poets and musicians with scholars working in literature, linguistics and poetics. The emphasis will be on debate focusing on first principles.

The conference will run as a series of discussion panels, with short papers by key speakers encouraging participation by a audience which will include invited experts, members of a number of different Faculties of the University of Cambridge, graduate students and members of the general public.

Date: Saturday 18th March 2006

Venue: Magdalene College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.

Schedule:
Registration 9.30am.
Conference Lunch 1pm
Conference ends 6.20pm
Evening Entertainment. 8.30pm-10pm Poetry and Jazz in Benson Hall, Magdalene College.

Accommodation is not available in Magdalene College - please contact litfest@magd.cam.ac.uk for details of local hotels where a limited number of rooms will be available at special conference rates.

Morning Coffee, Lunch and Afternoon Tea:
Coffee and Tea are available throughout the day at no additional cost.

A hot 2-course buffet lunch in the ancient Hall of Magdalene College is included in the conference fee.

Confirmed Panellists:

Derek Attridge (York)
Richard Cureton (Michigan)
Nigel Fabb (Strathclyde)
Sophie Hannah (Manchester Metropolitan)
Michael Hurley (Cambridge)
Simon Jarvis (Cambridge)
Paul Kiparsky (Stanford)
David Maw (Oxford)
Christopher B. McNally (Netherlands)
John Mole
Brennan O'Donnell (Fordham)
Ian Patterson (Cambridge)
Clive Scott (UEA)
Tim Steele (USA)

Provisional Topics for Panel Sessions:

The Aesthetics of Versification,
Poetry as Rhythmic Prose
Metre and Effect

Other Events During the Day:

Poetry Reading - Sophie Hannah will read
Medieval Music and Song - talk by Dr David Maw including musical examples

Events around the Conference:

Pre-conference: 17th March
3.15pm Virelai: the early music group, Virelai, will give a recital based on their exciting new project to commission contemporary composers to set Renaissance Poems - with a talk by one of the composers.
5.00pm Poet, Simon Armitage, will read

Post-conference: 19th March
Brunch, discussion and punting for Conference participants

We welcome enquiries by e-mail:litfest@magd.cam.ac.uk. We regret that we cannot accept bookings by e-mail or telephone.