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 | Brian Molina (Harp Performance BM `28) writes: Earlier this summer, I was thrilled to play in the FOOSA Philharmonic at FOOSA (Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy) 2026! We had a full two weeks of rehearsals at Fresno State, ending in concerts at Disney Hall (LA) and Shaghoian Hall (Fresno) led by Artistic Director Dr. Thomas Loewenheim. Outside of the orchestra, I had many opportunities to watch and perform solo and chamber literature.
Here are some photos of my time on stage and in rehearsal. We had a strong harp section—5 of us!—led by Laura Porter, principal harpist of the Fresno Philharmonic. I had a great time meeting fellow harpists, growing as a performer, and connecting with friends old and new in the orchestra.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Brian Molina (Harp Performance BM `28) writes: Earlier this summer, I was thrilled to play in the FOOSA Philharmonic at FOOSA (Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy) 2026! We had a full two weeks of rehearsals at Fresno State, ending in concerts at Disney Hall (LA) and Shaghoian Hall (Fresno) led by Artistic Director Dr. Thomas Loewenheim. Outside of the orchestra, I had many opportunities to watch and perform solo and chamber literature.
Here are some photos of my time on stage and in rehearsal. We had a strong harp section—5 of us!—led by Laura Porter, principal harpist of the Fresno Philharmonic. I had a great time meeting fellow harpists, growing as a performer, and connecting with friends old and new in the orchestra.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Dr. Dee (Director, African American Ensemble) writes: At home composing for an upcoming festival. Can’t show what I’m working on but it’s a sacred piece for SAB & piano. Crunch time!
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Dr. Dee (Director, African American Ensemble) writes: At home composing for an upcoming festival. Can’t show what I’m working on but it’s a sacred piece for SAB & piano. Crunch time!
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Juliana Gondek (Voice Performance) writes: three-week recording project with 17-time Grammy-winning producer Humberto Gatica (known for his work with Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Chicago, Cher, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, the 1985 “We Are the World” single & video...). This is my second collaboration with Humberto as vocal consultant and coach.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Juliana Gondek (Voice Performance) writes: three-week recording project with 17-time Grammy-winning producer Humberto Gatica (known for his work with Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Chicago, Cher, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, the 1985 “We Are the World” single & video...). This is my second collaboration with Humberto as vocal consultant and coach.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Neal Stulberg (Director of Orchestral Studies) writes: “I spent ten days in Mexico City in late June conducting and playing chamber music with the musicians of Orquesta Escuela Carlos Chávez — Mexico’s premiere training orchestra. Around 15 musicians from this orchestra had joined UCLA Philharmonia in December 2023 for a Schoenberg Hall concert, and their music director, Eduardo Barrios, will be guest-conducting Philharmonia in March 2027.
On June 23, I joined four of the young musicians for a performance of the Beethoven Quintet for Piano and Woodwinds, Op. 16 at the beautiful Sala Xicoténcatl of the Antigua Sede del Senado (Old Senate Building) in the historic city center.
We performed the orchestra program twice — at the Blas Galindo Auditorium of the National Center for the Arts and at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex. The program was Britten “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra,” Copland Suite from “Appalachian Spring” and Elgar “Enigma” Variations.
Terrific organization and outstanding orchestra! The second photo is from our first orchestra rehearsal. (Not quite sure why I was “hanging ten” off the podium...)”
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Neal Stulberg (Director of Orchestral Studies) writes: “I spent ten days in Mexico City in late June conducting and playing chamber music with the musicians of Orquesta Escuela Carlos Chávez — Mexico’s premiere training orchestra. Around 15 musicians from this orchestra had joined UCLA Philharmonia in December 2023 for a Schoenberg Hall concert, and their music director, Eduardo Barrios, will be guest-conducting Philharmonia in March 2027.
On June 23, I joined four of the young musicians for a performance of the Beethoven Quintet for Piano and Woodwinds, Op. 16 at the beautiful Sala Xicoténcatl of the Antigua Sede del Senado (Old Senate Building) in the historic city center.
We performed the orchestra program twice — at the Blas Galindo Auditorium of the National Center for the Arts and at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex. The program was Britten “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra,” Copland Suite from “Appalachian Spring” and Elgar “Enigma” Variations.
Terrific organization and outstanding orchestra! The second photo is from our first orchestra rehearsal. (Not quite sure why I was “hanging ten” off the podium...)”
SUMMER DISPATCH | Tony Italia (Ethnomusicology PhD, 2030) writes: This summer I’ve been taking bağlama (turkish long-neck lute) lessons online and in person in Istanbul Turkiye. I visited several workshops to see the instruments being made and I got to see one of my favorite bands Yasak Helva perform live.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Tony Italia (Ethnomusicology PhD, 2030) writes: This summer I’ve been taking bağlama (turkish long-neck lute) lessons online and in person in Istanbul Turkiye. I visited several workshops to see the instruments being made and I got to see one of my favorite bands Yasak Helva perform live.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Tim Taylor (Ethnomusicology) writes: "At the Library of Congress, where I was researching Henry Mancini and the archives of Score Productions, Inc., a New York City-based music production company that provided music for many television shows, especially game shows and sporting events starting in the 1960s.�"
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Tim Taylor (Ethnomusicology) writes: "At the Library of Congress, where I was researching Henry Mancini and the archives of Score Productions, Inc., a New York City-based music production company that provided music for many television shows, especially game shows and sporting events starting in the 1960s.�"
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Wendy Richman (Director, uclaFLUX; Performance Studies) writes: "I spent a second summer as viola faculty at FOOSA (Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy). Led by Artistic Director Dr. Thomas Loewenheim, this summer`s repertoire for the flagship FOOSA Philharmonic was Ibert`s Ouverture de fête, Bartók`s Miraculous Mandarin Suite, and Strauss`s Alpine Symphony. One of three orchestras in the intensive two-week program at Fresno State University, the FOOSA Philharmonic performs annually at Los Angeles`s Walt Disney Concert Hall and Fresno`s Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall.
Here I am after the June 28 Shaghoian concert with two UCLA performance graduate students attending the festival, Ricky Medina (flute, middle) and Daniel Hernandez (clarinet, right). Undergraduate harpist Brian Molina was also a member of the FOOSA Phil. Notably, Daniel Hernandez was the top prizewinner in the FOOSA Concerto Competition, performing Mozart`s Clarinet Concerto in its entirety earlier in the week! Bravo to all!�"
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Wendy Richman (Director, uclaFLUX; Performance Studies) writes: "I spent a second summer as viola faculty at FOOSA (Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy). Led by Artistic Director Dr. Thomas Loewenheim, this summer`s repertoire for the flagship FOOSA Philharmonic was Ibert`s Ouverture de fête, Bartók`s Miraculous Mandarin Suite, and Strauss`s Alpine Symphony. One of three orchestras in the intensive two-week program at Fresno State University, the FOOSA Philharmonic performs annually at Los Angeles`s Walt Disney Concert Hall and Fresno`s Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall.
Here I am after the June 28 Shaghoian concert with two UCLA performance graduate students attending the festival, Ricky Medina (flute, middle) and Daniel Hernandez (clarinet, right). Undergraduate harpist Brian Molina was also a member of the FOOSA Phil. Notably, Daniel Hernandez was the top prizewinner in the FOOSA Concerto Competition, performing Mozart`s Clarinet Concerto in its entirety earlier in the week! Bravo to all!�"
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Jacques Lesure (Global Jazz Studies) shares with us some shots of him playing in Tuscany and Barcelona!
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Jacques Lesure (Global Jazz Studies) shares with us some shots of him playing in Tuscany and Barcelona!
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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