Faculty of the VCA and Music School of Music (Parkville)

Musicology and Ethnomusicology

Head of Musicology and Associate Dean Research: Assoc Prof Kerry Murphy
Head of Ethnomusicology: Prof Catherine Falk
Head of Early Music:
Prof John Griffiths
Senior Lecturers:
Dr Michael Christoforidis, Dr Linda Kouvaras
Research Fellow: Dr Sue Cole

Overview

Musicology is a lively area of activity in the Music Faculty. All staff are actively engaged in research (see listed projects) and staff and students regularly present papers at National and International conferences.  The Faculty is also fortunate in its outstanding research fellows and associates who contribute to the richness of our research community and are also available as potential supervisors. 

A wide range of research areas is encouraged in postgraduate studies. There is a large and varied number of theses in the area of Australian music studies but European music studies are also well covered, spanning the medieval period to popular music of the 21st century. There are many opportunities for graduate students to do field work both within and outside Australia and also opportunities for later year postgraduates to tutor within the Faculty.

The musicology postgraduate community publishes a refereed music journal, Context, which provides students with unique opportunities to gain editorial skills.

Musicology and Ethnomusicology Research Projects

International Links

The Faculty has links with International organizations such as

Visiting Scholars

The Faculty of Music regularly has visiting scholars in residence for short or extended periods of time.  Recent visitors include Roy Howat, Hugh Macdonald, Dinko Fabris, Stephen Banfield, Annegret Fauser, Tim Carter and Karl Kugle.

Conferences

Musicological conferences are frequently held at the Faculty: most recently the International Percy Grainger conference (2007); International conference on Music in France (2004), the Annual conference of the Musicological Society of Australia (2001) and  smaller national conferences such as Choral Music in Melbourne (2002) and Music’s Audience (2000).  In 2008 The Faculty is once again hosting the Annual conference of the Musicological Society of Australia.

Careers

Musicology graduates can be found working in tertiary and secondary teaching, journalism and publishing, administration, government, communications and multi-media, archives, libraries, and museums.

The Music Faculty prepared me for a new career that has brought me the vocational fulfillment that I have always sought. Without the training and opportunities provided during my PhD candidature I would not have attained my current position as Assistant Professor at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore.
Dr Anne Marshman

Alumni Profiles

Graduate study in musicology

Graduate study in musicology is available at several levels. More information about courses, entry requirements and application procedures can be found in the University handbook:

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