WORDS, MUSIC, UNIVERSITIES, AND CONSERVATORIES

SOME OBSERVATIONS ON CHARLES SEEGER AND U.S. (ETHNO)MUSICOLOGY

Abstract

In a world grappling with the enduring influence of colonialism and racism and the
terrible social costs of economic inequality, wars, and resulting suffering, it should be no
surprise that musicology departments and music conservatories are re-examining their
missions and curricula. This self-analysis is further encouraged by statistics that show
college graduates with B.A. degrees in music earn the lowest starting salaries of any
university major in the United States and changes in musical tastes. This is partly
because many kinds of music and musical knowledge have been excluded from
musicology departments and institutions of musical training in the United States. I
assume this is happening in Brazil, with more concrete results.