I see musicology as taking a perspective on music midway between that of music theorists, who generally limit analyses to what lies between the covers of a score, and ethnomusicologists, who generally unpack the cultural work of music. Taking the middle ground, I explore with my students how composers express in their music, with their sundry new sounds collected through the twentieth century, their responses to the artistic, political, religious, and economic pressures of their times.

 

My classes emphasize the classical repertory, which performance majors must learn. I insist on their possessing a core sense of chronology and genre and on their need to demonstrate strong writing and critical thinking about music. My courses thus often discuss points of music historiography and require research papers and program notes.

 

While interacting with the students in my classes is often inspirational, I especially enjoy meeting with students one-on-one, when I can get to know their interests and help them to craft thoughtful questions and strong answers to the historical issues that music raises. By answering these questions, students learn to see the connections between music and culture and to articulate the significance and resonance of the music that may not emerge from performance alone.