Contemporary World Music

faculty

Steven Feld
Maria Williams
Maria Arko Klemenc
Steven Loza
Rahim Alhaj

course offerings

The field generally referred to as “ethnomusicology” or “world music” is considered a form of music specialization. For over one hundred years anthropologists have theorized the social functions and meanings of music and produced ethnographic accounts of music as social imagination and practice. Over time a more sophisticated conversation has developed linking the field of music with not only anthropology, but with sociology, philosophy, cultural studies, media studies, and performance studies. The Contemporary World Music courses offered at UNM represent a modern discourse that places music in an inter/transdisciplinary context.

ensembles

Middle Eastern Ensemble. Directed by Rahim Alhaj, this newly-formed ensemble explores music from Turkey, Near East, Iran and North Africa, utilizing instruments such as the qanoun, oud, saz, violin, viola and percussion.