The Nature of Music

Ethnomusicology is the study of why, and how, human beings are musical - a definition that positions ethnomusicology among the social sciences, humanities, and biological sciences dedicated to understanding the nature of the human species in all its biological, social, cultural, and artistic diversity.

The Hugh Hodgson Schol of Music welcomes UCLA ethnomusicologist Timothy Rice to campus on Thursday, Oct. 10, where he will present a public lecture at 4 p.m. in room 408 of the school of music on The Nature of Music:

“By asking questions about the nature of music inspired by anthropology and other social sciences, by feminism and other social movements, and by various philosophical traditions, ethnomusicologists have learned much about the nature of music as a human behavior and cultural practice in thousands of particular studies,” said Rice. “In the process, they have created a rich picture of the nature of music and its significance for human life.”

Rice, whose specialty is traditional music of southeastern Europe, will examine how and why human beings are musical in an interdisciplinary presentation.

The lecture is presented by the Hodgson School in affiliation with the Athens Music Project, a Willson Center Faculty Research Cluster. The event is free and open to the public.