Defining "ethnomusicology"
Today I was reading a really good article by ethnomusicologist Thomas Turino, from the University of Illinois. His definition of "ethnomusicology," which appears at the beginning of the article, made me smile:
[E]thnomusicology is the study of the dialectical interplay of music making and social life within specific instances toward the goal of understanding the special potentials of musical sound and motion (including dance) as well as understanding the individuals, social groups, situations, movements, and exchanges in which music plays a role.If I can memorize that, then what a snappy answer I'll have whenever somebody asks me, "What is ethnomusicology?" I also think this would look great on a t-shirt.
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