The MA/PhD in Ethnomusicology investigates music in cultural and social contexts. In preparing students for careers in studying global music communities, our program assists students in understanding music as social practice from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Students are introduced to the intellectual history of the field and its paradigmatic shifts, and research methodology in preparation for ethnographic fieldwork. Our ethnomusicology program seeks to prepare students for careers in the academy, public sector, the music industry, and/or cultural heritage policy-making. We also offer seminars in select global music cultures as well as topics, which examine music as related to gender, politics, religion, economics, philosophy, aesthetics, and musical practice.
Ethnomusicology
Master of Arts / PhD
Global Music
Cultures
SUMMER DISPATCH | Rane Prak (Ethnomusicology PhD `29) writes: I attended a queer folk music jam session with my band members from Sastra Moon. At this session, we taught a Thai folk song that we learned in Dr. Supeena Adler`s Music of Thailand ensemble class at UCLA called Bai Sri Su Kwan, which means "Calling Back the Soul" and is performed as part of a traditional Thai-Lao blessing ritual for weddings, New Year, and homecomings. The ceremony summons the 32 vital life spirits (kwan) back to heal the person from illness or protect them from bad luck. Thank you to my friend, Sara, for taking the group picture!
SUMMER DISPATCH | Rane Prak (Ethnomusicology PhD `29) writes: I attended a queer folk music jam session with my band members from Sastra Moon. At this session, we taught a Thai folk song that we learned in Dr. Supeena Adler`s Music of Thailand ensemble class at UCLA called Bai Sri Su Kwan, which means "Calling Back the Soul" and is performed as part of a traditional Thai-Lao blessing ritual for weddings, New Year, and homecomings. The ceremony summons the 32 vital life spirits (kwan) back to heal the person from illness or protect them from bad luck. Thank you to my friend, Sara, for taking the group picture!
SUMMER DISPATCH | Julie Xiang (Percussion Performance BA `28) writes: I got to play Timpani 2 on Alpine Symphony at a summer music festival and also played my first solo marimba performance at the festival’s student showcase.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Julie Xiang (Percussion Performance BA `28) writes: I got to play Timpani 2 on Alpine Symphony at a summer music festival and also played my first solo marimba performance at the festival’s student showcase.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Haiden Chase (Trombone Performance BM `29) writes: These photos were taken during the 10-day LA Brass Institute at Colburn. Elias, Bishop, and I were in the same brass quintet, and we performed Four Sketches by Anthony Plog together. It was a really fun experience getting to rehearse, perform, improve as a group, and of course eat some great food together throughout the institute.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Haiden Chase (Trombone Performance BM `29) writes: These photos were taken during the 10-day LA Brass Institute at Colburn. Elias, Bishop, and I were in the same brass quintet, and we performed Four Sketches by Anthony Plog together. It was a really fun experience getting to rehearse, perform, improve as a group, and of course eat some great food together throughout the institute.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Olivia Phaneuf (Saxophone Performance DMA `27) writes: This July, I attended the Université Européenne de Saxophone (UES) in Gap, France. During this two-week program, I studied with renowned saxophone professors from around the world through lessons, masterclasses, and performances. I also participated in the Challenge Gap, where I received feedback from both faculty and peers and had the opportunity to perform with phenomenal collaborative pianists. In addition, I performed as part of a saxophone nonet throughout the Hautes-Alpes region, bringing classical saxophone music to several rural French villages. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn, perform, and connect with saxophonists from around the world.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Olivia Phaneuf (Saxophone Performance DMA `27) writes: This July, I attended the Université Européenne de Saxophone (UES) in Gap, France. During this two-week program, I studied with renowned saxophone professors from around the world through lessons, masterclasses, and performances. I also participated in the Challenge Gap, where I received feedback from both faculty and peers and had the opportunity to perform with phenomenal collaborative pianists. In addition, I performed as part of a saxophone nonet throughout the Hautes-Alpes region, bringing classical saxophone music to several rural French villages. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn, perform, and connect with saxophonists from around the world.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Greg Goodall (Percussion Performance) writes: On stage at the iconic Hollywood Bowl for a performance of the score to How to Train Your Dragon, which was written by two-time Oscar-nominated composer John Powell. The score was played along with the film, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra was conducted by David Newman, also an Oscar-nominated composer.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Greg Goodall (Percussion Performance) writes: On stage at the iconic Hollywood Bowl for a performance of the score to How to Train Your Dragon, which was written by two-time Oscar-nominated composer John Powell. The score was played along with the film, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra was conducted by David Newman, also an Oscar-nominated composer.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Alexa Clawson (Percussion Performance MM ‘27) writes: This summer I had the opportunity to join @icyola_ for their “I too sing, America” tour to Mount Rushmore, Washington DC, and New York City. We played many pieces, including Lincoln Portrait, Danzon No. 2, and Afrospire by @bakhari.nokuri
I had a great time during this tour and was very excited to be part of the first orchestra to play in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC!
SUMMER DISPATCH | Alexa Clawson (Percussion Performance MM ‘27) writes: This summer I had the opportunity to join @icyola_ for their “I too sing, America” tour to Mount Rushmore, Washington DC, and New York City. We played many pieces, including Lincoln Portrait, Danzon No. 2, and Afrospire by @bakhari.nokuri
I had a great time during this tour and was very excited to be part of the first orchestra to play in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC!
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Inna Faliks (Piano Performance) writes: I just landed in NYC where I am about to perform at Piano Rites Festival and Bargemusic. Prior to this, I spent two months performing, recording and teaching in Europe: most recently in Altdorf, Switzerland at Borromeo Chamber Music Festival. Prior to that, I was making a recording at the historic Domovina studios in Prague, Czech. We recorded music, including a world premiere by Janacek and Martinu, with the renowned Czech violinist Pavel Sporcl, for the Pentatone label. We then performed the program in the Znojmo International Festival, where I also played solo - my Czech debut! Prague has my heart forever.
Before that, I was at the Chigiana festival, with a few of our students. Concerts, both solo and chamber, beautiful student concerts, amazing art, masterclasses and a group of musicians from all over the world in Tuscany - what can be better. I was really proud of our two UCLA students - incoming MM Andrew Altrock and our own rising senior undergrad Isabelle Ragsac, who very much held their own in a world class pianist collective.
Before NYC, I had a chance to get a little sun and sea with my family in Greece.
A few weeks ago, my new CD Stranger Things, Piano Music from a Refugees Backpack, came out on Parma, with my own music, as well as Schoenberg`s opus 11, Brahms f minor Sonata and Wagner Elegy. It is a very personal disc. Great reviews are starting to come in!
My CD of Richard Danielpour`s Music for Supertrain Records has also been out since a few weeks ago.
Photos are with our Alisa Gukasian at Borromeo, hiking with other artists in Borromeo, St Stefan in Vienna, with Pavel at Smetana hall in Prague, with the recording team in Prague, in the Estate Theater where Mozart conducted Don Giovanni in Prague, in Siena after student concerts and after my concert.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Inna Faliks (Piano Performance) writes: I just landed in NYC where I am about to perform at Piano Rites Festival and Bargemusic. Prior to this, I spent two months performing, recording and teaching in Europe: most recently in Altdorf, Switzerland at Borromeo Chamber Music Festival. Prior to that, I was making a recording at the historic Domovina studios in Prague, Czech. We recorded music, including a world premiere by Janacek and Martinu, with the renowned Czech violinist Pavel Sporcl, for the Pentatone label. We then performed the program in the Znojmo International Festival, where I also played solo - my Czech debut! Prague has my heart forever.
Before that, I was at the Chigiana festival, with a few of our students. Concerts, both solo and chamber, beautiful student concerts, amazing art, masterclasses and a group of musicians from all over the world in Tuscany - what can be better. I was really proud of our two UCLA students - incoming MM Andrew Altrock and our own rising senior undergrad Isabelle Ragsac, who very much held their own in a world class pianist collective.
Before NYC, I had a chance to get a little sun and sea with my family in Greece.
A few weeks ago, my new CD Stranger Things, Piano Music from a Refugees Backpack, came out on Parma, with my own music, as well as Schoenberg`s opus 11, Brahms f minor Sonata and Wagner Elegy. It is a very personal disc. Great reviews are starting to come in!
My CD of Richard Danielpour`s Music for Supertrain Records has also been out since a few weeks ago.
Photos are with our Alisa Gukasian at Borromeo, hiking with other artists in Borromeo, St Stefan in Vienna, with Pavel at Smetana hall in Prague, with the recording team in Prague, in the Estate Theater where Mozart conducted Don Giovanni in Prague, in Siena after student concerts and after my concert.
This summer, emerging vocalists came together at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music for a week of intensive training, collaboration, and performance—working closely with accomplished artists and industry professionals.
Led by our voice faculty (and with thanks to Professor Juliana Gondek for the photos!), the Voice Intensive gave high school students the chance to sharpen their technique, explore their artistry, and find their voices alongside other aspiring musicians.
These are a few snapshots from our Summer Intensives, which also offer programs in global jazz, music industry, music production, and songwriting.
This summer, emerging vocalists came together at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music for a week of intensive training, collaboration, and performance—working closely with accomplished artists and industry professionals.
Led by our voice faculty (and with thanks to Professor Juliana Gondek for the photos!), the Voice Intensive gave high school students the chance to sharpen their technique, explore their artistry, and find their voices alongside other aspiring musicians.
These are a few snapshots from our Summer Intensives, which also offer programs in global jazz, music industry, music production, and songwriting.
David Castañeda
“I enjoyed the connections that I made with my colleagues who have now become family, seeing my approach as a researcher develop substantially in such a short amount of time, and most of all the opportunity to grow as an instructor and educator.” – David Castañeda Ph.D. ’21 | Ethnomusicology
A stream of high-profile artists and scholars from around the world have energized and inspired our students, helping to transform their educational experience. Among them are J.H. Kwabena Nketia, considered Africa’s premier musicologist/ethnomusicologist; Akin Euba, a Nigerian composer, musicologist, and pianist; MacArthur Fellow Steven Feld, an American ethnomusicologist, anthropologist, and linguist, who worked for many years with the Kaluli people of Papua New Guinea; Judith Becker, professor emerita of ethnomusicology, University of Michigan; Mark Slobin, the author or editor of books on Afghanistan and Central Asia, eastern European Jewish music, film music, and ethnomusicology theory; Chano Dominguez, award-winning Spanish-born pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and Hossein Omoumi, a scholar and teacher of Persian traditional music, among others.
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