Presenter: Ray Briggs, Associate Professor of Music and Assistant Director of Jazz Studies, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach

"Thoughts on Theory and Purpose In Ethnomusicology"

Recent dialogue on the nexus of theory and ethnography in ethnomusicology has highlighted a nebulous yet sensitive area in the discipline.  Though still in an inchoative stage, this presentation seeks to further that conversation by fostering an open discussion on the nature of the relationship between ethnomusicology and theory.  The colloquium draws from issues raised in current scholarship as well as the experiential knowledge of the author buttressed by ethnographic work with a regional study of jazz.  Among the objectives are to: (1) offer a fundamental definition of the apparent purpose(s) and expectation(s) of theory as it applies to ethnomusicology; (2) examine the application of theory in a select group of ethnomusicological literature; (3) survey the manifestations of the ways in which theory impacts the viability of the ethnomusicologist; (4) explore the quality of effectiveness in sustaining continuity between the fundamental purpose(s) of theory and its practical usage(s).

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Named after Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy, the founding chair of the Department of Ethnomusicology and Systematic Musicology, this colloquium series provides an opportunity for students, faculty, and visiting lecturers to share information about their research and discuss other issues important in the field. Please check the department website for details on lecturers.