Question 1

What is the study of musicology?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

Historical musicology refers simply to music history. Cultural musicology is often referred to as ethnomusicology, where an individual studies the musical practices of a certain group of people. Systematic musicology means the musicologist studies systems used within music, such as music theory or musical acoustics.

Question 2

Where do Musicologists work?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

Musicologists are usually employed by colleges and universities, where they hold teaching and research roles. Musicologists often do fieldwork, going into the community to better understand the social, political, and cultural drivers behind the type of music they’re studying but for the most part, you’re likely to find a musicologist working as a professor.
Musicology is a fancy word for the study of music. It’s an overarching term for the scholarly study of different aspects of music, including the study of music through historical, cultural, scientific, and systematic lenses.

Question 3

What is a PHD in musicology?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

Most working musicologists have a PhD in musicology. This is because it’s such a research-based field, with the majority of musicologists teaching at colleges and universities and regularly publishing music-related studies in academic journals.

Question 4

What is the single biggest suggestion you would give to someone wanting to get into this career?

Jeremy Smith · Accepted Answer

“Cultivate their writing and thinking.”

Question 5

What’s the #1 mistake people make when trying to get into this career?

Jeremy Smith · Accepted Answer

“It’s a funny one. It’s difficult to get into a really good program like Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, or Stanford, etc. Some people come out of those programs with a kind of arrogance.
“That is the one mistake I’ve seen: people thinking they’re already really good at what they do and too good for what people are asking them to do. You get to be like a music critic and give your opinions, people agree with you, and you start to think you’re the one who knows all this stuff. I’d caution against arrogance. I’d say the better thing to do is be interested, engaged with people, and not try to stand above them.”

Question 6

What is the question people should ask about this career but rarely do?

Jeremy Smith · Accepted Answer

“The one thing that is weird is you’re working when you don’t seem to be working. I think a lot of academics get this feeling. You’re actually thinking a lot, so much that even you tell yourself you’re not working when you’re working sometimes. To even just be thinking is difficult in today’s society when everyone is so busy and caught up in what they’re doing — so actually, you’re sometimes working hard when you don’t look like you’re doing anything.”

Question 7

What is one thing I should have asked which I didn’t?

Jeremy Smith · Accepted Answer

“Do I like it?
I do love it. I’d love to see more young people in our profession. Some people see musicology as a disappointment: that you didn’t get to be a musician or something. I think it’s a really desirable job and something to shoot for. I think there are people who thought they were going to be orchestral violinists or rock stars and end up being musicologists, but some of those people are probably even happier as musicologists than they would be in those other roles. This is a wonderful job.”

Question 8

If you could describe in one word what makes you successful, what would it be?

Jeremy Smith · Accepted Answer

“Curiosity. Why is it this way? Why does that work? Why did everyone print music this way? Why do people love albums? Why is Ozzy Osbourne so interesting? Over and over again, I think being curious has really helped me out.”

Question 9

What all does a PhD in musicology involve?

Alison Stolpa · Accepted Answer

Musicology students delve into how music interacts with language, psychology, anthropology, music theory, history, and culture. Over the four years it takes to earn a PhD they take classes in general music, music theory, and performance. They also conduct their own research and write academic studies intended for publication.
If you’re interested in obtaining a PhD in musicology, check out our blog on the nation’s best musicology programs.

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