Published: September 14, 2012

Derek Kortepeter, fourth year undergraduate ethnomusicology major, world music concentration, discussed the question, “What do you even DO with ethnomusicology?”  in a recent interview with Jenn German. The interview appears on the music website "If it ain't Baroque..."

Derek's academic interests include music composition, rock and heavy metal music, music theory (western and global), sociology of music, music and politics, music of China, music of Japan, electronic music, and musical minimalism. His main instrument is guitar (namely in the context of rock and metal music performance), but also plays piano, 'ud, Balinese gamelan, drums/percussion, and bass guitar. His passion is to write music that is constantly trying to incorporate his eclectic music influences, and he credits UCLA’s ethnomusicology program with expanding his musical creativity.