Is becoming a music historian right for me?
The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:
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How to become a Music Historian
Becoming a music historian involves a mix of education, hands-on experience, and research. Here’s a general guide:
- Bachelor's Degree: Start with a Bachelor's Degree in Music, Music Theory, Music History, or a related field. Learn research methods, critical thinking, and writing skills. Classes in history or other related subjects can also help.
- Advanced Studies: Many music historians continue with a master's degree to gain deeper knowledge. A Ph.D. is usually needed for university-level teaching or advanced research roles. Ph.D. programs involve detailed research, writing a dissertation, and focusing on a specific area of music history.
- Choose a Focus Area: Pick a period, genre, or aspect of music history you’re most interested in. Specializing helps you build expertise and stand out in the field.
- Research and Publications: Do original research in your chosen area. This can include studying old manuscripts, analyzing musical scores, or exploring historical documents. Share your work by publishing articles, books, or presenting at conferences. Building a portfolio of research is important for your credibility.
- Networking: Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to meet other music historians and professionals. Join organizations like the American Musicological Society (AMS) to stay updated on research, job openings, and events.
- Gain Teaching Experience: Many music historians teach, so getting classroom experience is helpful. Look for teaching assistant roles, part-time positions, or guest lecturing opportunities.
- Academic Positions: Once you have the right education and experience, apply for faculty positions at colleges or universities. Museums, archives, and cultural institutions may also hire music historians for research, preservation, or public programs.
Helpful Resources
Music historians can use many resources for research, learning, and networking. Here are some valuable ones:
- American Musicological Society (AMS): Offers conferences, publications, grants, and a network of professionals.
- Society for American Music (SAM): Focuses on music in the Americas, with events and networking opportunities.
- Library of Congress – Music Division: Holds manuscripts, scores, recordings, and other research materials.
- JSTOR: Provides access to academic journals, books, and primary sources.
- Digital Public Library of America (DPLA): Offers digital photographs, manuscripts, and recordings related to music history.
- Smithsonian Folkways Recordings: A large collection of folk, traditional, and world music recordings.
- HathiTrust Digital Library: Access to digitized books, including music history resources.
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): Provides grants and funding for research projects.
- Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC): Focused on preserving and studying sound recordings.
- Research Libraries, Archives, and Museums: Institutions like the New York Public Library or major university archives house valuable collections.
- Professional Conferences and Seminars: Events like the AMS Annual Meeting allow you to present research, meet peers, and stay updated on trends.