Ethnomusicology

Faculty Faculty of Music History, Theory and Composition
Department Department of Ethnomusicology
Available degrees Bachelor – 4 years full-time study, 240 ECTS. Master – 2 years full-time study, 120 ECTS.
Curriculum and skills obtained Curriculum and skills obtained

Achievements and awards. The folklore ensemble of Ethnomusicology students is an independent on-stage performance group, a laureate of the International festival “The Oldest Songs of Europe” in Lublin (Poland, 2013); the International social and cultural forum “Live Tradition” (2014–2018); the International interactive festival “FOLK-progressive” (Moscow, 2015); the International folklore festival “Pokrovskye Kolokola” (Pokrov Bells) in Vilnius (Lithuania, 2015, 2018).

Teaching staff. The education process is implemented by ethnomusicologists well-known in Russia and abroad, with extensive expedition work experience, hosts and participants of numerous scientific events, authors of creative, editorial and public awareness raising projects, respected specialists in the field of folklore and ethnographic performance, PhDs in History. They are authors of hundreds of scientific publications, monographs, collections of folk songs. In Russia and beyond the team of researchers is known as the Gnesins Ethnomusicology School, one of the most respected ethnomusicology schools in the world.

Facilities and resources. The Academy has computer classes, a library, a record library, and a reading hall with internet connection. The group classrooms and student lounges have free access to library collections (educational, scientific, reference literature) as well as audio and video recordings. The Academy also has the Center of Music and Ethnography named after E.V. Gippius with a unique and largest database of folklore materials and Gnesin’s folklore expeditions used by students for academic purposes. Many practical classes are taken at the Center.

Education. As part of the educational program students undertake teaching, performance, and folklore and ethnography (expedition) internships. They have an opportunity to include elective courses in their curricula, choose a scientific supervisor for their graduation research, and independently choose the themes of term papers and graduation theses.

Employment opportunities. Graduates are employed at special and supplementary education institutions of Moscow and other cities of Russia, the Center for Music and Ethnography named after E.V. Gippius. They are members of on-stage performance groups. About half of Bachelor graduates pursue their Master’s degree, and Master graduates pursue a postgraduate degree at the Academy. 

Strategic partners. The Department of Ethnomusicology cooperates with the similarly-named departments of St. Petersburg and Moscow conservatories, Voronezh State Academy of Arts, the Russian Folklore Center, the Russian Folklore Union, Belarusian State Academy of Music, various foundations of Russia and foreign countries (Lithuania, Poland, Belarus). The department holds joint student conferences, seminars, contests and implements public awareness raising projects.

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