January 12, 2023
Roman Holiday – Ethnomusicology Study Abroad Summer Program
Pasta! Piazzas! Pianos! Imagine walking past the Pantheon on your way to class, stopping for a cappuccino, and walking up a marble stairwell to your classroom in a 15th century palazzo built on the foundations of a Roman temple to Venus*. If you are interested in music, history and have always wanted to go to Italy, a new study abroad adventure awaits with Music Rome: Traditional and Popular Music of Italy! Students will spend 4 weeks learning and living in Rome, hosted by the UW Rome Center and guided by UW Libraries’ in-house ethnomusicologist, John Vallier. This is the first-of-its kind class at UW to study ethnomusicology in Italy. Ethnomusicology is the study of the music of different cultures, especially non-western ones.
“Local guest speakers and concerts add a depth of understanding that’s hard to duplicate from afar.”
“It was back in grad school when I first heard Alan Lomax’s 1950s era fielding recordings from Genoa, Calabria and Sicily,” says Vallier. “I’ve been hooked since and have been sounding out more Italian music, including jazz, metal, and hip hop. I led a study abroad to León, Spain in 2017 and had a blast. Local guest speakers and concerts added a depth of understanding that’s hard to duplicate from afar.”
Open to all Students!
Stay in apartments with other UW students, all within a 30 minute walk of the UW Rome Center. Many are located in beautiful, centuries-old buildings with steep staircases and architectural elements typical of historic buildings.
While the program is managed by UW School of Music, students do not need to be affiliated with the music school to participate. The 6-credit class is open to any UW student who meets the UW Study Abroad and Visa Requirements.
What will you learn?
The class will provide students with a deep understanding of traditional, experimental, and popular musics of Italy. Lectures and discussions will be punctuated by visiting musicians. Students will spend a large amount of time outside the Center, exploring the music of Italy and Rome through its venues, archives, museums, and rich busking tradition. Classes will draw on historical recordings and other resources from the UW Ethnomusicology Archives and related collections. Students will also create a music collection and interactive Roman Music Map.
Street musicians in Rome, Italy
Throughout the course, students will work together to carry out fieldwork and to create a Roman Music Map, documenting music venues, musicians, and related “musicking” sites throughout the city.
“I’m looking forward to exploring Rome with the students and mapping out music sites in and around the city and region.”
Applications are due January 31st!
If this sounds like something you might be interested in, be sure to attend one of the information sessions on January 19th and 24th, and get all the details about the program, Visa requirements and application process on the program’s study abroad page.
About the Instructor:
John Vallier is the Archivist for the UW Libraries Ethnomusicology Archives, as well as affiliate faculty in UW’s Ethnomusicology and the Honors programs. John teaches on a range of topics: from remix studies and ethnomusicology archives, to music of Seattle and sound of cinema. More information about John is available here.
*- Description from UW Rome in Residence
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