The biennial Ita Beausang SMI Research Fellowship of €1000 commemorates the first person to be awarded a PhD in musicology in Ireland who was also a recipient of the IRC Harrison Medal. The Fellowship is funded jointly by the Beausang family and the SMI, supporting musicological research by a doctoral graduate without recourse to institutional funds who also meets the other eligibility criteria listed below.

The Fellowship is intended to subsidize costs directly or indirectly associated with any form of musicological research carried out by the recipient. With certain exceptions (mentioned below), these may include, for example, childcare fees, general living expenses, purchase of research materials (photographs, microfilms, scores, etc.), purchase of technological equipment, research trips including accommodation expenses, limited publication and editorial costs (e.g. translation services, preparation of an index, reproduction rights), etc.

Update, October 2025: Applicants for the 2026 award must complete the application form and submit it to the Chair of the Grants Committee, Dr Aidan Thomson (aidan.thomson@universityofgalway.ie) by Friday 24 November 2025. The recipient will be notified by email, after which an announcement will be made to the Society's membership. See the application form for the full terms and conditions (also summarized below). 

Previous winners of the Fellowship and their research topics
  • 2022: Dr Anne Stanyon, for Arthur Sullivan: A Working Life.
  • 2024: Dr Clare McCague, for The Boleyne Reeves Project: Reimagining Ireland's forgotten harpist-composer.
Eligibility
  • Application for the Fellowship is open to all members of the Society who have graduated with a doctorate and who lack recourse to institutional funds. This includes members who are not affiliated to an educational institution at the time of applying and those without permanent contracts who are employed on an occasional basis.
  • Eligible members must be in good standing with the Society and have been a member for a minimum of six months at the point of application.
  • The proposed research to be supported by the Fellowship must be music-related (even if the applicant's original degree award was not in music).
  • The Fellowship award may not be used for conferences, for this is already covered by the existing conference support grants scheme.
  • The Fellowship funding may not be used as full or part payment towards a book subvention or used for research towards educational/professional development courses.
The Fellowship is awarded subject to the following conditions:
  • The research project is to be completed within 12 months of receipt of the award.
  • The recipient submits a short report (c500 words) on completion of the research (this may be included in the SMI Newsletter).
  • The recipient delivers a presentation on the awarded research project at an SMI Plenary conference.
  • The support of the Ita Beausang SMI Research Fellowship must be referenced on all related published output and social media.
  • The recipient is strongly encouraged to consider submitting an article for publication in the Journal of the Society for Musicology in Ireland (subject to peer review).

Enquiries relating to the Fellowship may be made to aidan.thomson@universityofgalway.ie.