Annual Ethnomusicology Conference Showcases Participation of UCLA Students, Professors, and Graduates
The 63rd annual Society for Ethnomusicology Conference was held in Albuquerque, drawing over 1,000 international ethnomusicologists, musicologists, anthropologists, and scholars of sound studies. The event, which took place in 2018, gathered scholars and performers to showcase new material and engage in up-to-date conversations about various types of music from diverse humanistic and social scientific perspectives.
The conference featured a variety of presentations and panels, including sessions dedicated to the study of Jewish music in the North American diaspora. Mark Slobin, chaired a session titled "Jewish Music in the North American Diaspora," while Clara Byom, Independent Scholar, Ettrick, WI, presented "Is the Repertoire of Sammy Musiker the Real Jewish Jazz?: Expressions of Jewish American Identity in the mid-20th century." Simone Salmon, University of California, Los Angeles, presented "This is what Migration Sounds Like: Songs of Ottoman Jewish Cultural Relationships, 1920-1989," and Jardena Gertler-Jaffe, University of Toronto, presented "Challah and Roses: Jewish Music in Toronto's Kensington Market."
Other topics presented at the conference included indigenous music, global pop, and more. Notable presentations included Mohsen Mohammadi's "Traditional Modernities: Modern Discourses on Traditional Iranian Modal System," Jeremiah Lockwood's "Opportunity and Conflict: The Gentrification of Khazunes," and Behzad Namazi's "A Musical Repatriation: Tracing the Resurgence of the Barbat in Iran."
The conference also included live music performances, offering a unique opportunity for attendees to experience the music they were studying in a more immersive setting. A new documentary film by Steven Feld was presented, focusing on ecology and the well-being of people in Papua New Guinea.
The program link for the 2018 SEM Conference can be found here to learn more about the school of music's presentations. The conference provided a valuable platform for scholars to share their research, collaborate, and engage in thoughtful discussions about the role of music in shaping and reflecting cultural identity.
Participants explored diverse music genres and cultures, such as Jewish music and indigenous music, during the online education sessions at the 2018 SEM Conference. Attendees could also broaden their knowledge on various topics like global pop and music in different diasporas by engaging in learning opportunities offered throughout the event.
