South Asian Music - Graduate Seminar

South Asian music has many remarkable characteristics not obviously shared by other systems – unique and highly developed ways of relating melodic composition to an underlying grammar, a history marked not so much by ‘works’ as by concepts, underlying structures and compositional methods, and a richly productive interplay of theory and practice. It has much to teach us about the wider field of music, and by attempting to understand and describe it in its systems and its contexts (historical, literary, aesthetic, philosophical and social) we stand to gain valuable insights into the nature and functions of music more generally. These four lectures will not assume prior knowledge or experience of this music, but will raise and examine many musicological questions suggesting attractive research directions.

All are welcome, whether musicologists or not. Some introductory reading suggestions are available for those who would like to receive them. For these, please contact Dr Jonathan Katz.