The SEM Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Snyder as the Incoming Editor of the Society’s journal Ethnomusicology. Dr. Snyder will work closely with current Editor Kate Brucher during a transition period of Spring 2026 through Fall 2026 and will begin a four-year term as Editor with the Winter 2027 (71.1) issue.

Dr. Snyder is an Assistant Research Professor of Music and Politics in the Ethnomusicology Institute at NOVA University Lisbon in Portugal, having received his PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Berkeley. He has long been interested in the politics of festivity, and he is the author of Critical Brass: Street Carnival and Musical Activism in Olympic Rio de Janeiro (2022) and Postcolonial Intimacy: Brazilian Music and Carnival in Portugal (forthcoming). He is excited to bring his editorial experience to the flagship journal of ethnomusicology, having previously served as Co-Editor of the Journal of Festive Studies (2022-26). He is also Co-Editor of the books HONK! A Street Band Renaissance of Music and Activism (Routledge 2020), At the Crossroads of Music and Social Justice (Indiana University Press 2022), Festival Activism (Indiana University Press 2025), and Music and Modern Portuguese Statecraft (Routledge forthcoming). Having trained in North American ethnomusicology, but based in European academia since 2020 and engaging with academic communities in Latin America in multiple languages, Andrew aims to expand the global reach and accessibility of Ethnomusicology, furthering its mission to representing the vast diversity of the world's music. He is also a trumpeter and guitarist, who enjoys playing jazz and popular music from Brazil to the Balkans.

As he begins service as Incoming Editor of Ethnomusicology, Dr. Snyder looks forward to receiving inquiries and manuscripts from SEM members and colleagues. Visit the Ethnomusicology Scholastica Page for submission and contact information. 

SEM is happy to announce the 2026 Public Ethnomusicology Mentoring Program (PEMP), with program applications due Friday, 15 May 2026. Now in its fifth year, PEMP pairs early career applicants interested in working in public sector ethnomusicology with senior colleagues who have spent significant portions of their careers working as ethnomusicologists outside university settings at museums, art councils, archives, and recording labels. Applications for the program are due on 15 May, 2026 and can be submitted by filling out the mentoring form on the PEMP page. 

2025 Charles Seeger Lecture: Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje

Saturday, October 25 at 4:30 to 5:45 in Marquis Ballroom C/D

Introduction by Birgitta J. Johnson, University of South Carolina

The Charles Seeger Lecturer for the SEM 2025 Annual Meeting, held in Atlanta, Georgia, is UCLA Professor Emerita of Ethnomusicology Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje. She will discuss “The Fiddle/Violin in African American Culture: Meanings and Associations.” Her retirement from UCLA in 2013 as a Distinguished Professor marked 34 years of service and leadership to the university in the Departments of Ethnomusicology, Music, and the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive. Prior to joining the faculty at UCLA in 1979, DjeDje taught at the historic Tuskegee University (1975-179). Her collegiate education in music began as a piano major at another HBCU and the birthplace of American concert spirituals, Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Her time at UCLA actually began when she was a graduate student where she earned her master’s and doctoral degrees. It was at UCLA in the 1970s and working with “the father of African musicology” J.H. Kwabena Nketia that “Jackie" began a lifelong pursuit of researching African and African American musical traditions, documenting their connections as well as their distinctions. She is particularly interested in how the dynamics of urban life give rise to change and other musical activity. In addition to conducting fieldwork in several countries in West Africa (Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal), East Africa (Ethiopia), North Africa (Egypt and Morocco), as well as Jamaica, she has also done ethnographic research in various parts of the United States such as California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia. In her 1942 autobiography, Dust Tracks on the Road, anthropologist and Black feminist literary pioneer Zora Neale Hurston defined research as “…formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” Professor DjeDje’s contributions to the fields of ethnomusicology, Africana studies, history, and archiving exemplify the kinds of excellence a life of focused poking and prying can yield to the world. In the encomium for her 2020 SEM Honorary Member recognition I noted, “she is a scholar of excellence, distinction, tenacity, candor, and respect who gently pushes her students, colleagues, and community to dig deeper, ask more questions, and add to the overall cultural historical narrative from as many angles as possible. She has been a remarkable presence in the discipline of Ethnomusicology serving in numerous roles that modern ethnomusicologists strive to embody today.”

Application Deadline: August 1, 2025

Dear Students,

We are pleased to announce a $500 travel grant to support one student each year, starting in 2025, to attend the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) annual conference.

To be eligible, you must be a student whose research focuses on African or African Diaspora music and plan to attend the SEM conference in the same year you receive the award. This award can only be given to an individual once.

To apply, please email a brief statement of about 200-250 words explaining your need for funding to r.opara@columbia.edu. Be sure to copy the following recipients in your message: eschmidt@babson.edu, clwa@umich.edu, and althea.sullycole@mcgill.ca. The deadline to submit your application is August 1, 2025.

The recipient will be informed by August 31 and will be announced at the SEM meeting in Atlanta.

We encourage all eligible students to apply and look forward to seeing you in Atlanta.

Co-Chairs and Secretary

AADMS

Fill out the form at https://www.ethnomusicology.org/page/CommitteeForm

With the June 15 deadline approaching, this is the second call for submissions to the Summer issue of the SEM Newsletter. 

We welcome announcements about awards, publications, and ongoing projects, as well as reports from SEM Interest Groups, Sections, Chapters, and recent events. Submissions of broader interest to SEM members are also encouraged, including feature articles, photo essays, and creative pieces such as poetry.

Please send your materials to semnewslettereditor@gmail.com by June 15.

• Text submissions should be in .docx format
• Images should be in high-resolution .jpeg format

If you have any questions or would like to propose a piece, feel free to get in touch.

Kind regards,

--

Behrang Nikaeen

Editor, SEM Newsletter

PhD Candidate, Ethnomusicology

University of Alberta

The SEM listservs have been moved as part of Indiana University’s web domain consolidation project. All @indiana.edu addresses have been changed to @iu.edu, including those for the SEMannouncements-l, SEMdiscussions-l, and section listsservs through SEM/Indiana University. All user data has been automatically transferred by the University, so you should continue to receive listserv emails according to your preferences, but the emails will be from theiu.edu domain.

If sending a message or using the web portal, please be sure to use theiu.edu domain. For instance, you will need to visit list.iu.edu to login to the online portal and update the address for sending SEMAnnouncements emails to semannouncements-l@iu.edu.

Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience. Feel free to email sem@iu.edu with any questions or issues.

The 69^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology will be held virtually on October 17-26, 2024. For information on all aspects of the meeting, please visit the conference website.

Conference registration is now open. Early-Bird registration rates are as follows:

Early-Bird Regular SEM Member: $115   Non-Member: $200
Early-Bird Student SEM Member: $50     Non-Member: $90

If you have not yet purchased a 2024 calendar-year membership, visit the membership area of the SEM website, wait for confirmation of processing, and then register for the conference.

The SEM 2024 Program Committee is currently organizing regular program sessions and a variety of other virtual events and interactions that will take place during the conference. More information will be posted in the upcoming weeks. A preliminary version of the full program will be posted in early August.

By employing a fully online format for this year’s conference, SEM aims to increase participation by presenters and attendees throughout the world, explore new forms of communication and collegiality, and reduce the carbon footprint of its operations.

We look forward to welcoming you to the SEM 2024 Virtual Annual Meeting in October!

Dear SEM Members,

On Thursday, April 25, Indiana University professor Dr. David McDonald was arrested during a peaceful protest on the campus of Indiana University, where SEM's Business Office has been located since 1988. At Indiana University, Dr. McDonald serves as Chair of the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology and Director of the Ethnomusicology Institute. His 2013 article, "Imaginaries of Exile and Emergence in Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Hip-Hop," won SEM's Jaap Kunst Prize, and his 2014 book, My Voice Is My Weapon: Music, Nationalism, and the Poetics of Palestinian Resistance (Duke University Press), was awarded the Chicago Folklore Prize. Dr. McDonald has long been involved in SEM, and since 2008, he has taught at Indiana University, an institution that holds a special place in the continuation of ethnomusicology in the United States. SEM is outraged by the unjust arrest of Dr. McDonald and other faculty, staff, and students at institutions of higher education where nonviolent protesters are exercising their right to free speech. 

We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, efforts to harass, intimidate, and silence any member of our scholarly and musical community and stand in unwavering support of intellectual freedom and the expression of diverse viewpoints. 

In a recent statement, the Executive Board of the American Folklore Society, denounced "the sudden and unilateral actions of the Indiana University Leadership to change the assembly policy at the 11th hour, making preemptive arrests for non-compliance the next morning, and calling in the Indiana State Police to make those arrests." And the Indiana Chapter of the AAUP has stated: “This was an arbitrary assertion of authority with no consultative or policy basis, designed to block a particular exercise of free speech in a properly designated location as its organizers had planned it.” The SEM Board likewise condemns this targeted repression of nonviolent protest and voices its support for Dr. McDonald and others who are being unfairly arrested, threatened, and/or singled out for institutional retaliation because of their views. We welcome hearing from SEM members who are in need of support. 

Sincerely,

The Society for Ethnomusicology

The Society for Ethnomusicology is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Alan Burdette as its next Executive Director, effective June 1, 2024. Dr. Burdette will bring to SEM extensive knowledge of the field of ethnomusicology and more than 20 years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector.

Before accepting this appointment, Dr. Burdette served for 16 years as the Director of the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University, where he led one of the largest ethnographic media collections in the United States. He was part of the team that developed a media preservation plan for the university and worked to digitally preserve over 350,000 audio-visual items. In 2000, Dr. Burdette became the first Executive Director of SEM and served part-time in that capacity to early 2008. During that period, he was also the Executive Director of the EVIA Digital Archive Project and an Associate Director for IU’s Institute for Digital Arts and Humanities. In addition, he has taught courses in ethnomusicology, folklore, and musicology at Indiana University and the University of Georgia, with a particular focus on performance studies and vernacular musics in the Americas.

SEM Board President Melvin L. Butler states: “I congratulate Dr. Alan Burdette on being selected as SEM’s new Executive Director. It will be a pleasure to welcome him in June and initiate his collaborations with the Board and membership. In addition to his vast experience with fundraising, ethnographic media, and digital archiving, he possesses a wealth of institutional knowledge and a strategic mindset that will help us build on our existing strengths, rise to current challenges, and maximize opportunities for future growth. I am eager to begin working with him!”

Dr. Burdette adds: “I’m excited to return to a service role in the Society for Ethnomusicology, and I look forward to continuing the great work of Stephen Stuempfle and SEM members who have assumed leadership roles within the organization. I intend to continue stewarding the community-building, advocacy, and professional development that has made SEM an invaluable organization for our field.”

SEM thanks the members of its Executive Director Search Committee: Co-Chair Melvin L. Butler (University of Miami), Co-Chair Tomie Hahn (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), Chad Hamill (California Institute of the Arts), Beverley Diamond (Memorial University of Newfoundland), and Steven Lewis (National Museum of African American History and Culture). The committee reviewed applications and carried out in-depth interviews with a set of excellent candidates. Following discussions, they unanimously selected Dr. Burdette to collaborate with the SEM Board and membership to advance the Society’s mission and programs in the upcoming years.

SEM’s current Executive Director, Stephen Stuempfle, looks forward to working with Dr. Burdette to ensure a smooth transition in leadership. Dr. Stuempfle will remain on the job until his retirement on Friday, May 31. Dr. Burdette will begin use of the semexec@indiana.edu email account on Monday, June 3.

As a network of scholars, educators, students, musicians, activists, curators, and other professionals across different countries, disciplines, and institutions, the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) serves as an inclusive forum for the exchange of knowledge about the world’s music and for advocacy on behalf of musicians and their communities. In its unwavering support for the study of all forms of music from diverse humanistic and social scientific perspectives, the SEM Board condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the oppression and killing of innocent and vulnerable populations in Palestine and Israel.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a vicious attack at an outdoor music festival, which dramatically escalated tensions in the region and led to the deaths of over 1200 Israeli citizens and at least 250 taken hostage. Israel’s military subsequently launched a devastating bombing campaign on Gaza that has resulted in more than 30,000 Palestinian fatalities with over 75,000 injured.[1] The ongoing assault on Gaza expels Palestinians from their homeland, destroys their material and cultural claims to it, and threatens Palestinians’ existence as a people. This terrifying campaign has also destroyed or severely damaged much of Gaza’s cultural heritage,[2] including archaeological and historical sites stretching back 4,000 years; mosques and churches housing educational recitation and music programs; archives with historical and municipal records; museums with holdings representing Gaza’s long history and rich culture; community centers that serve as gathering places for cultural and musical events; and libraries that provide access to books and literacy.

Musical life and infrastructure, and the study of these fields, have thus come under brutal attack in this war, putting Palestinian scholars, educators, students, musicians, activists, curators, and other professionals at risk of death. All twelve universities in Gaza have been attacked and destroyed, and at least 94 professors and 4,000 students have been killed.[3] This systematic destruction of Gaza’s human and cultural heritage breaches several international conventions,[4] and it also violates the laws of war and the prohibition on genocide that are the subject of current investigations before the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.[5] These attacks are clearly an affront to SEM’s mission “to promote the research, study, and performance of music in all historical periods and cultural contexts.”

SEM has released several statements condemning hateful ideologies and reaffirming our dedication to upholding the principles of fairness and inclusion that lie at the heart of our mission. In line with those previous statements, we again denounce Islamophobia, antisemitism, and all forms of hatred toward peoples of any faith, wherever they reside. We stand for social justice and defend the right of musicians and performing artists to exist and thrive in a humane environment.

The Society for Ethnomusicology therefore

• Condemns the ongoing violence against and killing of innocent civilians, and the deliberate destruction of Gazan culture heritage;
• Calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire;
• Calls for an immediate, unimpeded humanitarian response that would provide aid and protection for Palestinian people, land, and heritage;
• Calls for the immediate release and return of kidnapped Israelis;
• Calls upon the relevant United Nations and other international agencies to work with Gazan specialists and determine the next steps in the process of recovery, reconstruction, and preservation of Palestinian material culture and heritage;
• Stands in support of the lives and livelihoods of all who seek peace in the region.

Too often, those who express viewpoints regarding the war, particularly students and contingent faculty, have suffered unjust treatment. It is unacceptable that any SEM member would feel unsafe or alienated within our organization or their home institution. The SEM can and will continue advocating for our members and for the intellectual freedom to work on behalf of marginalized peoples around the world. 

Sincerely,

Melvin L. Butler
SEM President

The Society for Ethnomusicology is pleased to announce the publication of Ethnomusicology Translations Issue No. 15:

Martí, Josep. Ethnomusicology, Folklore, and Social Relevance. Translated by Peter Collins. Ethnomusicology Translations, no. 15. Bloomington, IN: Society for Ethnomusicology, 2024. DOI: 10.14434/emt.No.15.37936

Abstract:
This article raises the need for (Spanish) ethnomusicology to replace rigid nineteenth century approaches with renewed anthropological and sociological concepts and analytical tools, Through the notion of “social relevance,” the author responds to this need and advocates for the study of horizontal influence (dynamic, meaningful), rather than vertical roots (ancestral, quasi-sacred) in a musical repertoire. “Social relevance” would be the academic opposite to “cultural paternity” (as ethnic ascription), prioritizing the importance that a song, instrument, or dance has for a community in a specific moment. Therefore, the main task of an ethnomusicologist is to understand the musical life of a society, because the relevance does not depend on music itself, but on its context. Consequently, the concept of social relevance rejects perceptions of popular music studies as marginal, and instead accepts the study of popular music as a discipline that deserves full scholarly attention, eliminating mythologized hierarchies of elite groups. The article discusses how social relevance manifests in three interrelated dimensions: meaning, or how a musical piece is perceived; the uses to which it is put; and its social functions. These analyses apply to different genres such as opera, jazz, rock, folk, classical, and avant-garde music, and point out the universal attributes they all share according to the principle of their social relevance.

Originally published in Spanish as “Etnomusicología, folklore y relevancia social.” In Actas del I Congreso de la Sociedad Ibérica de Etnomusicología, edited by Jordi Raventós, 11-22. Barcelona: La mà de Guido, 1996.

To download Issue No. 15, please visit the Ethnomusicology Translations website at https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/emt.

SEM thanks Peter Collins (Translator), Javier Campos Calvo-Sotelo (Manuscript Editor), Richard K. Wolf (General Editor), and Savannah Rose Ridley (Editorial Assistant) for the preparation of this translation.

Ethnomusicology Translations is a peer-reviewed, open-access online series for the publication of ethnomusicological literature translated into English. Articles and other literature in any language other than English will be considered for editorial review, translation, and publication. In general, the editorial team does not accept submissions from authors who are nominating their own publications for translation. As a central online resource, Ethnomusicology Translations aims to increase access to the global scope of music scholarship and advance ethnomusicology as an international field of research and communication.

SEM thanks Richard K. Wolf (rwolf@fas.harvard.edu) for his extraordinary ten years of service as the inaugural General Editor of Ethnomusicology Translations. As indicated in the Society’s announcement on March 20, 2024, J. Lawrence Witzleben (jlwitz@umd.edu) will begin service as the new General Editor on July 1, 2024.

For information on nominating articles for translation, please see the Ethnomusicology Translations information page on the SEM website.

The Society for Ethnomusicology is pleased to announce the publication of Ethnomusicology Translations Issue No. 14:

Widyastutieningrum, Sri Rochana. A History of Gambyong: From Folk Art to Classical Dance. Translated by Maho Ishiguro, Rajendra Amira L.S., Sonia Pangesti Lambangsari, and Thow Xin Wei. Ethnomusicology Translations, no. 14. Bloomington, IN: Society for Ethnomusicology, 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14434/emt.No.14.37415 

Abstract:
Gambyong is a Central Javanese dance form with folk origins. Today, it is performed in royal courts, at opening ceremonies for official municipal events, as well as at other social events such as weddings, performing arts festivals, and the anniversaries of establishments. While gambyong developed within the two court cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta, it is in the latter where the dance has been more prominently cultivated and woven into the social fabric of today. Infused with the aesthetics and prestige of the Central Javanese courts, gambyong characteristically portrays the elegance, amorousness, and alluring liveliness of its female dancers. In this monograph, Sri Rochana Widyastutieningrum discusses the history and recent developments of gambyong, the content and context of its performance, and its practice in the present day. The author also explores gambyong’s sociocultural values and symbolism, its educational value for women’s minds and souls, its aesthetics and philosophical underpinnings, and its musical accompaniment.

Originally published as: Widyastutieningrum, Sri Rochana. Sejarah Tari Gambyong: Seni Rakyat Menuju Istana. Surakarta, Indonesia: Citra Etnika Surakarta, 2004.

To download Issue No. 14, please visit the Ethnomusicology Translations website at https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/emt.

SEM thanks Maho Ishiguro, Thow Xin Wei, Rajendra Amira L.S., and Sonia Pangesti Lambangsari (Translators); Maho Ishiguro (Manuscript Editor); Richard K. Wolf (General Editor); and Savannah Ridley (Editorial Assistant) for the preparation of this translation.

Ethnomusicology Translations is a peer-reviewed, open-access online series for the publication of ethnomusicological literature translated into English. Articles and other literature in any language other than English will be considered for editorial review, translation, and publication. In general, the editorial team does not accept submissions from authors who are nominating their own publications for translation. As a central online resource, Ethnomusicology Translations aims to increase access to the global scope of music scholarship and advance ethnomusicology as an international field of research and communication.

For information on nominating articles for translation, please see the Ethnomusicology Translations information page on the SEM website and contact Richard K. Wolf (General Editor) at rwolf@fas.harvard.edu.

The 69^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology will be held virtually on October 17-26, 2024. By employing a fully online format for the upcoming conference, SEM aims to increase participation by presenters throughout the world, explore new forms of scholarly communication, and reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. Our online conference platform will enable modes of presentation and engagement beyond what is possible with an onsite event. We look forward to hearing from our regular conference attendees and from individuals who have not yet had an opportunity to participate in an SEM Annual Meeting. Anyone with an interest in ethnomusicology is strongly encouraged to submit a proposal.

For information on meeting arrangements, the Call for Proposals, and the abstract submission portal, please visit the 2024 Annual Meeting area of the SEM website (www.ethnomusicology.org). Note that SEM is using the same abstract submission system used for its 2022 and 2023 Annual Meetings. However, submitters will need to set up a new account for SEM 2024. Before submitting an abstract, be sure to read the Call for Proposals and the instructions on the “Your Submissions” page of the abstract submission portal.

Proposals are due on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.

SEM looks forward to welcoming presenters and attendees to its 2024 Virtual Annual Meeting in October!

The Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) seeks applicants for a full-time Executive Director to work with its Board of Directors and membership in the upcoming years to advance the Society and its programs within the spheres of higher education and public arts and humanities. The Director collaborates with the Board on strategic planning and administers programs and projects in accordance with the Society’s mission and goals. Primary responsibilities include management of the Society’s core program areas (annual conference, publications, and prizes); internal and external communications; personnel; finances; fundraising; and special projects in support of ethnomusicology. In addition, the Director represents and advocates the Society and the field of ethnomusicology through the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Humanities Alliance, and other national and international organizations.

With approximately 1700 members, SEM is the largest ethnomusicological organization in the world. Its Business Office is based on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and includes the Director, a full-time Program Specialist, and a part-time Graduate Assistant. The Director position is a full-time, 12-month appointment that includes the benefits package provided to Indiana University faculty. The Director is an Indiana University employee, classified as a research scholar, but reports to the SEM Board. The new Director is expected to begin work on or shortly after June 3, 2024.

Basic Qualifications:

Advanced degree in ethnomusicology or a related field (Ph.D. preferred).

5+ years of non-profit administrative experience, including leadership experience.

Specific Qualifications:

Knowledge of current issues and trends in ethnomusicology.

Knowledge of current issues and trends in scholarly publishing (publishing experience preferred).

Strong leadership skills, including the ability to mobilize volunteer service.

Excellent communication skills, including writing, editing, public speaking, and diplomatic handling of SEM business.

Experience in managing conferences and publications, including the negotiation and administration of contracts.

Experience in financial planning/management and fundraising, including grant writing and administration.

Ability to engage and respond to the diverse perspectives and goals of SEM’s members and partners.

Commitment to SEM’s mission and values.

Applications:

Send cover letter, CV, and names and contact information for three references to Executive Director Search Committee, c/o semexec@indiana.edu. Review of applications will begin in December 2023 and continue until the position is filled. For more information about the position, contact Stephen Stuempfle (current Executive Director) at semexec@indiana.edu or (812) 855-8779. Please also visit the Society’s website at www.ethnomusicology.org.

Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.

American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Presents an Online Orientation for SEM Members

Wednesday, November 8, 4:00-5:15 (ET)

The American Folklife Center (AFC) documents and shares the many expressions of human experience to inspire, revitalize, and perpetuate living cultural traditions. Designated by the U.S. Congress as the national center for folklife documentation and research, the Center meets its mission by stewarding archival collections, creating public programs, and exchanging knowledge and expertise. The Center’s vision is to encourage diversity of expression and foster community participation in the collective creation of cultural memory.

Join AFC staff November 8 at 4:00 (ET) for an introductory tour of their ethnomusicological holdings and a general introduction to the most efficient ways to do research with AFC collections -- either at the Library or online. Also, this is a chance to meet some of your ethnomusicology colleagues who work at AFC. The 60-minute introductory tour will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

Registration for the event is free of charge and can be done at the following link: https://iu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YQh74dTRQW21O98tvTqGhA

Wednesday, November 8, 4:00-5:30 (ET)

Program

4:00     Nancy Groce, Staff Folklorist/Ethnomusicologist, AFC: Opening greeting and housekeeping. 

4:05     John Fenn, Head, Research & Programs, AFC: Welcome, introduction to and short history of AFC; where AFC fits into the larger Library of Congress (LOC) structure and sister divisions; overview of awards and fellowships.

4:15       Melanie Zeck, Research Librarian: Introduction and overview of AFC’s holdings; collection’s cultural and linguistic diversity; how to initiate and pursue research topics; looking beyond AFC to do research in other LOC divisions; LibGuides, Finding Aids, reference appointments, “Ask a Librarian” and AFC other resources; online or on-site--what materials require in-person visits?

4:40       Douglas Peach, Staff Ethnomusicologist: Overview of AFC publications and online resources, e.g., blogs and podcasts; Folklife & Fieldwork and other publication; StoryMaps; Botkin and Homegrown broadcasts; using resources in teaching/classroom situations.

4:50       Andrea Decker, Librarian in Residence: Introduction to copyright and permissions matters when using AFC materials.

5:00       Q & A period. Nancy Groce and John Fenn, lead moderators.

PRESENTERS

Andrea Decker is a storyteller, musician, and information specialist with a Master's of Science in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Riverside, specializing in Indonesian popular music and gender. As Librarian-in- Residence at the American Folklife Center, Andrea analyzes legacy collection agreements to clarify legal and ethical obligations and develops staff protocols for communicating those obligations as part of initiatives to improve access. She is also an enthusiastic photographer and singer and fosters connections through the arts.

John Fenn is the Head of Research and Programs at the American Folklife Center, a position that entails leading a team of staff involved in public programming, publications, research, and training in the field of folklife. His academic background is in folklore and ethnomusicology, and he holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University (2004). Prior to taking his position at the Library of Congress, John was an Associate Professor in the Arts and Administration Program at the University of Oregon. He was also a core faculty member in the Folklore Program and served on the Executive Advisory Committee for the Oregon Folklife Network. While a graduate student, John worked for the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival as Assistant Festival Producer and was heavily involved in programming at WFHB, Bloomington's community radio station. He has conducted fieldwork on expressive culture in Malawi (Southeast Africa), China, Indiana, and Oregon—exploring a wide range of practices, traditions, and communities. Throughout his career he has merged training in folklore and ethnomusicology with a commitment to documentation, public presentation, stewardship, and interpretation of cultural forms and expressions.

Douglas D. Peach is a Folklife Specialist at the American Folklife Center. Trained as an ethnomusicologist, Peach most recently served as the Director of Folklife and Community Engagement at Sandy Spring Museum, leading the Regional Folklife Center for Montgomery County, MD, between 2020-2023. From 2014-2015, Peach also directed the Folklife and Traditional Arts Program for the state of South Carolina, at McKissick Museum (University of South Carolina) and the South Carolina Arts Commission. He is the co-author (with Henry Glassie and Clifford Murphy) of Ola Belle Reed and Southern Mountain Music on the Mason-Dixon Line, a two-CD/book published by Dust-to-Digital (2014). Peach has conducted ethnographic research with musical communities in Sierra Leone and Argentina, as well as long-term research in collaboration with Gullah Geechee communities in coastal South Carolina since 2012. He is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology at Indiana University.

Nancy Groce, a Senior Folklife Specialist at the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, is an ethnomusicologist, folklorist, and historian specializing in the study of American music, folklore, oral history, and urban culture. She holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Michigan, as well as a M.A./American Studies, M.M./Ethnomusicology, and a B.A./Music Performance. Groce has spent her career as a public sector scholar. Prior to joining the Library in 2007, she worked at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, where she served as the curator of Smithsonian Folklife Festivals on New York City (2001), Scotland (2003), Alberta (2006), and Northern Ireland (2007). She was the Senior Program Officer for the New York Council for the Humanities; the Borough folklorist for Brooklyn and Staten Island; and held fellowships at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Author of five books—most recently Lox, Stocks, and Backstage Broadway: Iconic Trades of New York City (Smithsonian: 2010) and several Smithsonian Folkways CDs, she has consulted and worked on numerous exhibits, concerts, documentary films, radio projects and festivals.

Melanie Zeck, PhD, MLIS, is a reference librarian at the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center with nearly two decades of experience in providing extensive informational support to researchers in the humanities. Previously, she served as a reference librarian at the Center for Black Music Research (CBMR) in Chicago, where she was also Managing Editor of the Black Music Research Journal. Her co-authored monograph, The Transformation of Black Music (with CBMR founder, the late Samuel A. Floyd Jr.) was published by Oxford University Press, and her recent scholarship on black music historiography and legacy preservation has been published by ABC-CLIO, A-R Editions, and W.W. Norton.

During this moment of transition, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who helped to make the Society for Ethnomusicology 2023 Annual Meeting in Ottawa a success. We also take this moment to issue a “call to care.” We so often gather during times of global and local strife. We tell stories through tears; we serve the Society amid the agony of historical and ongoing traumas. And while our annual meetings should be a safe space for intellectual exchange and cultural advocacy, it is clear to us—painfully clear—that a significant number of our members do not feel safe.

This year’s Charles Seeger Lecture, which included multiple participants and various live and multimedia components, elicited a range of reactions. For example, some observers with whom we spoke described feeling profoundly moved by the performance and conveyed their admiration for the presenters’ defiant disclosures and righteous calls for justice on behalf of North America’s Indigenous communities. But a significant number of our membership, including several of the performers themselves, have expressed tremendous outrage that the event’s presumed focal point was blurred by an unexpected interpolation of visual and sonic references to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and by what came across as a facile conflation of two distinct geopolitical and historical phenomena. To those who are understandably still reeling from the October 7 massacre of Israelis by Hamas, along with the subsequent war resulting in the deaths of thousands of Palestinian and Israeli civilians and soldiers, it was traumatizing to read a slogan that Hamas has adopted as a rallying cry for the destruction of the Jewish State. SEM condemns all forms of hate and deeply apologizes for the anguish caused by this statement within its meeting.

But the Seeger presentation and the varied reactions to it may point to generational and cultural fault lines that threaten to divide us even further.

At the conclusion of the event, some of the Indigenous graduate student-presenters were subjected to verbal attacks from at least one senior scholar. There was also at least one other incident in which a senior scholar verbally attacked a graduate student. This form of professional misconduct is never justified. Such hostility is in violation of SEM’s anti-harassment policy, and we deeply regret that it occurred. Harassment of participants in our meetings “is inconsistent with SEM’s strong commitment to academic freedom, equity, and human dignity.”

It is vital to the health of SEM that our members feel free to express themselves without fear for their physical or emotional safety. During times like this, when emotions are raw and so many of us are hurting, SEM must continue to be a safe space—one in which an ethic of empathy prevails. This requires, of course, that we care for one another, that we appreciate the complexity of our identities, and that we nurture a community of respect for our differences. In our scholarly presentations, we must likewise reject forms of intellectual carelessness that lump human beings into static categories or trivialize the present-day impact of historical traumas. Let us not allow ourselves to pit marginalized groups against each other within SEM. We can and will do better.

In the upcoming weeks and months, the SEM Board will engage in a process of listening and dialogue with its Council, Sections, Special Interest Groups, and membership. Taking good care of ourselves requires that we have this conversation, that we learn from this experience and use it as fuel for growth. Let us therefore continue. We believe the journey is worth taking if we listen to one another and agree to be honest and open in the ongoing process of strengthening our Society.


Melvin L. Butler and Tomie Hahn
President and Past President
Society for Ethnomusicology

SEM 2023 Annual Meeting
October 19-22, 2023
Ottawa, Ontario
Live-Streaming Schedule

The Society for Ethnomusicology is offering live and archived video-streams of selected sessions from its 2023 Annual Meeting in Ottawa. These streams are provided as part of an effort to increase access, nationally and internationally, to the content of our meeting.

Please see the schedule of live video-streamed sessions. All streaming times listed are Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4). Please note that this schedule is subject to change.

SEM gratefully acknowledges Indiana University Bloomington Collaboration Technologies for its assistance providing video-streaming services for our 2023 Annual Meeting.

Click here to access the live stream (Zoom webinar link)

The 68^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology will be held on October 19-22, 2023, at the Westin Ottawa Hotel, in Ottawa, Canada. This year’s meeting is hosted by the Canadian Museum of History, Carleton University, and Queen’s University. Please visit the conference website for the final program and all other information on the meeting.


Registration

Online conference registration is now closed. Onsite registration will open at the Westin Ottawa Hotel (Level 4) on Wednesday, October 18, at 7:30 AM. To take advantage of discounted member rates, purchase a 2023 calendar-year SEM membership in the Membership area of the SEM website and then register for the conference.


Hotel Accommodations

The cut-off date for discounted rooms at Westin Ottawa Hotel was September 18. For inquiries concerning the availability of any remaining discounted rooms, contact the Westin and state that you are attending the Society for Ethnomusicology 2023 Annual Meeting on October 19-22. Please see our Accommodations page for rates and contact information.


Travel to Canada

Our Travel page includes information on entering Canada. Note that U.S. citizens must present a valid U.S. passport.


SEM looks forward to welcoming its members and colleagues to Ottawa for its 68^th Annual Meeting!

The Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) seeks applicants for a full-time Executive Director to work with its Board of Directors and membership in the upcoming years to advance the Society and its programs within the spheres of higher education and public arts and humanities. The Director collaborates with the Board on strategic planning and administers programs and projects in accordance with the Society’s mission and goals. Primary responsibilities include management of the Society’s core program areas (annual conference, publications, and prizes); internal and external communications; personnel; finances; fundraising; and special projects in support of ethnomusicology. In addition, the Director represents and advocates the Society and the field of ethnomusicology through the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Humanities Alliance, and other national and international organizations.

With approximately 1700 members, SEM is the largest ethnomusicological organization in the world. Its Business Office is based on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and includes the Director, a full-time Program Specialist, and a part-time Graduate Assistant. The Director position is a full-time, 12-month appointment that includes the benefits package provided to Indiana University faculty. The Director is an Indiana University employee, classified as a research scholar, but reports to the SEM Board. The new Director is expected to begin work on or shortly after June 3, 2024.

Basic Qualifications:

Advanced degree in ethnomusicology or a related field (Ph.D. preferred).

5+ years of non-profit administrative experience, including leadership experience.

Specific Qualifications:

Knowledge of current issues and trends in ethnomusicology.

Knowledge of current issues and trends in scholarly publishing (publishing experience preferred).

Strong leadership skills, including the ability to mobilize volunteer service.

Excellent communication skills, including writing, editing, public speaking, and diplomatic handling of SEM business.

Experience in managing conferences and publications, including the negotiation and administration of contracts.

Experience in financial planning/management and fundraising, including grant writing and administration.

Ability to engage and respond to the diverse perspectives and goals of SEM’s members and partners.

Commitment to SEM’s mission and values.

Applications:

Send cover letter, CV, and names and contact information for three references to Executive Director Search Committee, c/o semexec@indiana.edu. Review of applications will begin by December 2023 and continue until the position is filled. For more information about the position, contact Stephen Stuempfle (current Executive Director) at semexec@indiana.edu or (812) 855-8779. Please also visit the Society’s website at www.ethnomusicology.org.

Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.