Music Information Retrieval for Irish Traditional Music

About the Project

The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maynooth University are pleased to announce that a Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship will be available in the department of Computer Science for a suitably qualified and successful applicant intending to commence their PhD studies in September/October 2026.

Project Title: Music Information Retrieval for Irish Traditional Music

Supervisor and Second Supervisor, and Research Environment

• Supervisor: Dr Behnam Faghih
• Second supervisor: Prof Joseph Timoney

The candidate will become a member of the Maynooth University Music Technology Research Group and will be based in the Computer Science department.

Value of Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Award

The award is fully funded for four years, commencing September/October 2026 and running to completion in September 2030. The following funding is available:

• Student stipend: €25,000 per annum
• Annual Tuition Fees Support

Duration of Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Award

The scholarship is awarded for four years of full-time study, subject to satisfactory annual academic progression.

Project Description

This PhD project explores the development of advanced Music Information Retrieval (MIR) techniques tailored to Irish Traditional Music (ITM), a rich and expressive musical tradition characterised by complex ornamentation, diverse regional styles, and predominantly oral transmission. The project aims to bridge traditional signal processing approaches with modern deep learning methods to automatically analyse and understand key musical features in ITM recordings. The successful candidate will design and implement algorithms capable of extractioning musically meaningful information, such as note transcription, tune-type classification (e.g., reels, jigs, hornpipes), ornamentation detection, instrument recognition, and structural form analysis. Additional focus will be placed on identifying stylistic variations across performers and regions, contributing to a deeper computational understanding of ITM performance practices. The project will involve working with real-world audio datasets, addressing challenges such as performance variability, polyphony, and the nuanced expressivity that defines the genre. Candidates will have the opportunity to experiment with a range of techniques, from me1 frequency analysis and probabilistic models to state-of-the-art machine learning and deep neural networks. This research has applications in digital music archives, intelligent music recommendation systems, music education tools, and cultural heritage preservation. The project is well-suited to candidates with a background in computer science, audio signal processing, machine learning, or related fields, and an interest in music and interdisciplinary research. The PhD offers a unique opportunity to contribute to both technological innovation and the preservation and understanding of Irish musical heritage.

Mode of Study

Awardees must be resident in Ireland and available to pursue their programme of research on a full-time basis at Maynooth University for four years. The successful candidate’s research programme will be under the general supervision of their nominated supervisor(s) who will specify study times, research times, vacation periods and other operational requirements. Awardees will normally be based on the Maynooth University campus and may only conduct research elsewhere with the permission of their supervisor and the Head of Department.

Full eligibility criteria can be found on our website.

Application and Selection Process

Please include the following in your application:

• Personal statement (max. 400 words)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Research proposal (max. 2,500 words)
• Academic transcripts
• Names and contact details of two referees

English Language requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must provide written evidence of competency in the English language that satisfies the programme-specific requirements set out by the Maynooth University International Office. All Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Awards are conditional on approval for registration by the University. All eligible candidates will be considered for open positions. Applicants may be shortlisted for interview and, if so, will be contacted directly by the Department. Late applications will not be considered.

Informal queries can be sent to Behnam.Faghih@mu.ie.

Closing Date: Please apply by 5 pm on 29th May 2026, Dublin time.

Please submit applications by email directly to Dr Behnam Faghih at Behnam.Faghih@mu.ie.

Please title the subject of your email application as ‘MU Doctoral Scholarship - Department of Computer Science 2026’.