FREE and open to the public

Guest Lecture by Dr. Philip Ewell on Thursday, 3/21, 2pm Sateren Auditorium

Title: “Racialized Musical (His)tories.”

Abstract:In certain languages the words for “history” and “story” are the same, as inFrench (histoire) or Russian (история). “History” usually implies anaccurate account of past events, while “story” usually refers to events thatmay or may not accurately reflect on the past, embellished as necessary by a“storyteller.” But in this distinction, race is rarely mentioned. Anyone,irrespective of race, can write histories or tell stories, yet with remarkableconsistency in the academic study of music in the U.S., our histories have beenwritten by white persons, usually men, passing from generation to generationwith little divergence from narratives of “great works” of the “western canon.”And when a nonwhite voice challenges the white narrative, efforts to stiflethat voice are swift and severe. In this talk I’ll expand on music’s historiesand stories, and explain why the common American music curriculum is stillsegregated along racial lines. I’ll then suggest that we need to desegregate itand foreground race in our discussions so that all racial musics, and musicalraces, have a seat at the table and a voice in the conversation.