i'm in heaven

Dear Veronica

You will find lots of sympathy with your sentiments among
ethnomusicologists here at Royal Holloway. Ethnomusicology has been embraced here in
the Music Department and musicologist colleagues are taking a much more
reflexive angle than was the case 5 years ago. Indeed, in this respect
we have a very lively department and have, in effect, four
ethnomusicologists out of a staff of 16 - as well as several others with distinctly
ethnomusicological/anthropological leanings (such a Nick Cook, Jim
Samson and Rachel).

Also, if you are interested in how society relates to music (and music
shapes society), issues of power, representation etc you would find
plenty to get your teeth into on the MMus. I enjoyed hearing about the
Crumb controversy - although gauging when and when not to use the
McClary-style shock tactics is often hard. It can backfire.

As to your dissertation, there are plenty of interesting diasporic
communities based here in London. But you could also find yourself making a
critique of so called 'Western Art Music' practices/institutions - one
recent MMus student wrote an ethnography concerning notions of success
among contemporary art music composers in London...

All the best

Henry

I just had to post that.