Musicologist

Musicology is the scholarly study and research of music. The field is generally divided into three main categories: historical musicology (the history of music and the Western classical music tradition), systematic musicology (the technical aspects of music like music theory, acoustics, instrument design, and more), and ethnomusicology (the cultural and social aspects of music). There is a wide range of specialties, but most musicologists serve as researchers and professors in universities and conservatories.

Some disciplines in musicology, like “performance practice”, concern the practical application of research into how we perform music of the past. Those with this type of focus often are as much performers as they are researchers. Musicologists’ work sharing knowledge to the next generation of musicians and publishing new research to expand our musical understanding make up a critical part of the preservation and advancement of the art form.

Undergraduate and graduate degrees in academic music disciplines are required to establish a solid base of musicological knowledge and research experience. Musicians with strong academics and passions for research, writing, and analysis excel in this field.