Institute 13: Ethnomusicology

Ethnomusicology is the scholarly study of musics from all over the world. Subject of ethnomusicological research are tradition and modernity of the world’s musical cultures. On the basis of in-depth field work on the spot, regional studies are combined with a cross-cultural comparative perspective. Both musical practices and their social contexts are explored. Of particular interest are emic concepts related to music, i.e. both explicit and implicit musical knowledge in the respective cultures.

The Institute of Ethnomusicology is part of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, KUG). On the one hand, fundamental research is done at the institute, at present covering diverse musical traditions including musics of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, South East Asia, and Central Europe.

On the other hand we provide for the ethnomusicological education of a young academic generation. For that end, we hold classes which aim at familiarizing students with contemporary ethnomusicological methods and theories as well as with selected musical cultures of the world. Students are encouraged to reflect about their “own” by sharpening the eye on the “foreign”.

There are undergraduate and graduate studies in the field of musicology jointly offered by several institutes at the KUG – among them the Institute of Ethnomusicology – and the Institute of Musicology at the Karl-Franzens-Universität (KFUG). For their B.A. and M.A. degrees, students may major in ethnomusicology. It is also possible to earn a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at the KUG. Ph.D. students may take exams in English instead of German and submit the doctoral thesis in English.