M.A. and Ph.D. programs in Ethnomusicology

Faculty Directory for Ethnomusicology

The program is designed to educate scholars and performers both to teach and to engage with the shifting lines of inquiry and methodological debates that define the field. To date the U.B.C. School of Music's Ethnomusicology division faculty have focused their research on Asian musics, especially those of Korea and Indonesia, but the program can accommodate interests in ethnomusicology's wide range of geographic areas and intellectual issues. We strongly encourage performance, close interaction with related disciplines (Anthropology, Area Studies, Sociology, Linguistics, etc.), as well as border crossing within music.

Students with an interest in designing a course of study integrating ethnomusicology with Western theory, composition, or historical musicology are encouraged to inquire. Students from the social sciences or from Asian studies, with backgrounds in music, are also encouraged to apply, though some remedial work in music may be required.

We offer a range of undergraduate courses including: World Music Cultures, Area Studies in Music, Indian Rhythm, Popular Music, Folk Music, Music Fusions, and others. Graduate classes include the core Ethnomusicology seminar, Cross-Cultural Interactions, Ethnography and Representation, Musical Periodicity, Human Musicality, Sociology of Music, Organology, and others.

The Ethnomusicology Division is located in the Old Auditorium (Room 206) where seminars are held and computer facilities are available. Many classes and ensemble rehearsals are held in room 105 of the Asian Centre, a large, bright, acoustically warm room. Special Resources include the Music Library's books, journals, and recordings; the large Asian Library; an Anglo-Canadian folk music collection; and musical instrument collections in the School of Music (especially Chinese Ensemble, Korean Ensemble, African Drumming Ensemble, and two Indonesian Gamelan) and in the Museum of Anthropology (especially Northwest Coast). Master performers are in residence on a regular basis for the Chinese and Balinese ensembles, and the ensembles often include long standing community members who bring extra cohesion and skill to the experience of participating.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ethnomusicology for Prospective Students: