serious about ethnomusicology

<p>i'm a junior and i am very interested in pursuing ethnomusicolgy in college and i was wondering...</p>

<p>1- where are the best ethnomusicology programs (i'm on the east coast and my parents would rather i stayed closer to home.. so good programs other than ucla?)</p>

<p>2- I am in many performing ensembles and have taken many music classes in school but have not been able to get in past county level (not into state or regional honor ensembles on my main instrument, clarinet); does this factor in since I want to major in music? (even though ethnomusicology is generally more academics and i also play latin/african percussion and the mandolin)</p>

<p>3- Everyone I speak to says that it's not worth it to major in music because it's so hard to get jobs... what can ethnomusicology majors do after college other than teach? and are there job openings for ethnomusicology majors??</p>

<p>thanks!</p>

<p>University of Chicago -- Prof. Philip Bohlmann
Wesleyan is supposed to have a strong department too
Columbia -- Aaron Fox</p>

<p>Just from personal experience I know U of Tenn just recently started a bachelor's program in Ethno. Les Gay (PhD from Columbia) is the head of that dept, extremely knowledgeable, and they could probably come up with some funding if you have a strong application. Gay is interested in music from Bali. I think lessons are required for 2 of the 4 years and you'd be taking from the clarinet instructor, not a TA. The percussion ensemble is quite innovative too, if you want to get in with them. I don't think they're doing any culturally-focused percussion ensembles at the moment though...</p>

<p>As noted earlier Columbia has a good program too.</p>

<p>As for jobs after school that are actually ethnomusicological, it is definitely difficult, and almost impossible unless you go all the way to the PhD. I always imagine ethno majors moving off to teach in foreign countries while they do their own research, but honestly, I'd say there aren't many options beyond teaching. Maybe library work if you go into library sciences in grad school. I have met one guy (of course I can't remember his name) who made his living writing books detailing the history of one particular recording label.</p>

<p>Yeah, Wesleyan has a hardcore program. In fact, that's one of three subjects on which their grad school focuses.</p>

<p>Wesleyan numbers six grad programs, mostly in pure science (Physics, Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry.) Ethnomusicology is its only non-science program leading to the Ph.D.</p>