AMS Newsletter August 2011
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AMS NEWSLETTER THE AMERICAN MUSICOLOGICAL SOCIETY CONSTITUENT MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES VOLUME XLI, NUMBER 2 August 2011 ISSN 0402-012X “The Suburb across the Bay” AMS San Francisco 2011 10–13 November www.ams-net.org/sanfrancisco “From its very beginnings Oakland has suf- fered by comparison with its more illustri- ous suburb across the bay,” quipped the Local Co-Chairs in this Newsletter when the photo Bureau Visitors & Convention Francisco San Society last came to the Bay Area twenty- one years ago . They also went on to point out that the previous season, the Athletics had won in four straight games over the San Francisco Giants… But don’t worry—that isn’t true anymore; the Giants beat every- body last year (though this Italian still has no idea how that game works) . You will have a swell time in the “suburb across the bay,” the thirteenth most populous city in the U S. and home to the current World Series champions, the San Francisco Giants . settled by Ohlone Native Americans prob- of alternative and local events . There are The San ranciscoF Bay, protected by the ably around eight thousand years ago, the museums for all tastes, and restaurants for two land “fingers” called the Golden Gate protected bay being a perfect setting for a all pockets . It may well be the most open (hence the name of the red bridge), was port for trade as well as warfare activities . city in the country, accepting everyone and The surrounding natural resources provided everything as an integral part of its mission . In This Issue… fertile ground for agriculture and ample op- It is not a place devoid of problems, but it President’s Message . .2 portunity for hunting . The pull of adven- is a city where the idea of fighting for social JAMS News . .4 ture and exploration was also significant, justice is ingrained into most of the popula- AMS Lectures . .4 and well before the forty-niners and the gold tion . Studies Editor Jann Pasler . 5 rush . In 1579, Sir Francis Drake described Whether you want to explore the city’s Awards, Prizes, Honors . .6 and mapped the region; he was followed in sporting activities, concerts, nightlife, parks, Musicology and Documentaries . 8. 1786 by French explorer Jacques-François de galleries, restaurants, panoramic stairs, or National Humanities Alliance . 10 Galaup, Comte de la Pérouse . The firstu E - most anything… there is an app for that . Executive Director’s Message . 10 ropeans to settle in the area were the Span- Really . Some notable examples include the Ingalls Wilder Family Songbook . 11 iards, in the eighteenth century, who started SFArts org. one, the SF Weekly app, or the Inaugural AMS Teaching Award . 11 various missions to convert the Ohlone, meta-app called SwamiCity San Francisco San Francisco Performances . 12 eventually driving them away altogether . that lists all sorts of places and events . There San Francisco Preliminary Program . 13 San Francisco is a peculiar city, with a are quite a few about restaurants, including News from the AMS Board . 23 feeling that is unlike any other place in this one that features specifically Chinatown res- AMS/SEM/SMT New Orleans 2012 . 24 large and multifaceted country . There are taurants . So get those walking shoes on your Committee & Study Group News . .26 dirt-poor and filthy-rich neighborhoods, feet and your smartphone in your pocket News Briefs . .28 housing projects and ocean-side villas that and off you go . Speaking of walking, be Conferences . 28 sell for millions, as well as pretty much ev- sure to check elsewhere in this Newsletter for Obituaries . .30 erything in between . Its artistic offerings events organized by the Ecocriticism Study Legacy Gifts . 31 range the entire spectrum, from the world- Group (see p . 27) . President-Elect Reynolds . 32 renowned opera and symphony to all kinds continued on page President’s Message: Forward Thinking / Moving Forward In my last column, I began to reflect on will certainly maintain these functions as thought . How can we strengthen our core what the AMS might do in the coming we move ahead . mission “to advance research in the various years to continue achieving its aims . Here But I hope that the Society will also con- fields of music as a branch of learning and I would like to focus on the ways in which sider questions that call for strategic think- scholarship?” Are we serving all our con- forward thinking can benefit the Society ing . In certain instances, being proactive stituencies, particularly our graduate stu- as we begin to assess the current state of might entail something as straightforward dents and our younger, emeritus, minor- the AMS in terms of its relationship to its as streamlining some of our committees . ity, and independent scholars, as well as we members and the broader world, and its Our current procedure for weighing appli- can? Does the time-honored format of the role in academic and cultural life . cations for travel awards from the Bartlet, annual meeting work as it should? What Any self-study of the Society should LaRue, Powers, and Wolf Funds offers a administrative bodies do we need to estab- begin by acknowledging that the AMS case in point . Each of these named award lish, restructure, or eliminate? Is the role of finds itself in an enviable position in many funds was set up with a separate commit- teaching properly recognized in the AMS? ways . It enjoys both longevity and stabil- tee of three at its inception during the What plans for ongoing, post-campaign ity, having marked its seventy-fifth anni- OPUS Campaign . Over time, it has be- development might we consider? Should versary and completed a highly successful come clear that the activities of the four JAMS become a quarterly publication? campaign . Our OPUS Campaign, more- committees, staffed by a total of twelve Should the Society institute a second, on- over, had a galvanizing effect: for almost a AMS members, overlap to a great extent . line journal? How can we effectively share decade—from the first announcement of To maximize their chances for success, the fruits of our research with wider audi- the idea in 2002 until the mailing of the students currently submit virtually identi- ences through print, broadcast, and digital final report to donors in 2011—we worked cal, yet separate, proposals for awards with media? What particular forms of com- together and accomplished important similar missions (e g. LaRue and Wolf, munication—ones similar, for instance, things . The hustle and bustle was invigo- both providing support for research in to our podcast initiative and our lecture rating and effective in part because it was Europe) . Recommenders write letters for series at the Library of Congress and the out of the ordinary . Remaining in cam- each application; duplication and triplica- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—might fur- paign mode, however, is neither desirable ther help the work of our members reach nor feasible . Day-in and day-out, societies We are at our best when the public? What new technologies can function in more mundane ways . benefit the Society to these ends? How can And yet, I think we should try to pre- we are proactive the AMS position itself to serve as a more serve one invaluable by-product of OPUS: prominent voice in American academic the forward thinking that this endeavor tion of effort are common . Beginning in and cultural life, as a go-to advisory body has fostered . Campaign or no campaign, 2012, the Board will establish a five-person for policy makers in the arts and humani- we are at our best when we are proactive . Committee on Travel Grants that will read ties? What directions should the AMS take applications for all four funds . Under the In order to help us engage in the kind over the next two decades, as we approach new procedure, applicants will write a of dedicated forward thinking that these our centenary? What’s working, and what single proposal describing the work to be questions call for, the Board has approved needs fixing? undertaken, and recommenders will write plans for a retreat, to be held in conjunc- To be sure, the Society already has struc- a single letter in support . It will be left to tion with its meeting in March 2012 . Prep- tures in place to help us move forward the committee to decide which fund best arations for this event are now underway . as well as operate on a daily basis in the suits which project . Not only do we an- Your guidance and counsel will be an es- post-OPUS era . Our governing bodies and ticipate that this means of vetting travel sential and welcome part of our delibera- committees carry out activities that range proposals will work more efficiently, but it tions; we are considering how we can in- from selecting winners for fellowships, will reduce the number of AMS members volve the membership formally and infor- grants, awards, and publication projects; administering these awards from twelve to mally in the process . As always, I encour- to planning the annual meeting; to reach- five, making it possible for some to focus age you to discuss these matters amongst ing out to other scholarly organizations; their efforts on equally important work yourselves and on AMS-L—at least two of to communicating both within and out- that is currently languishing in other areas the questions I mentioned above were al- side our ranks through print (e g. JAMS, of the Society . ready being debated there as I was polish- AMS Studies, the Newsletter) and word Reviewing the organization of our travel ing my own thoughts in May and June— (AMS-L); to sustaining our administrative fund committees is an obvious way of ad- or to communicate your thoughts directly structure; to monitoring the status of the dressing a perceived problem .