Volume 55, Number 3 Summer 2021 SEM 2021 Annual Meeting in Atlanta Celebrating the Music and Contributions of Africa and Its Diaspora Oliver Greene, Local Arrangements Committee Chair The Local Arrangements Committee (LAC) for the 66th broaden the appeal of the discipline while showcasing Annual Meeting of SEM welcomes ethnomusicologists, cultural traditions unique to the site of the annual meeting. anthropologists, performing artists, administrators, stu- Special events include a public program titled “Walking dents, and music lovers to Atlanta, the city known as “The with My Ancestors – Africa in Atlanta,” featuring ethnomu- Cradle of the Civil Rights Move- sicologist Ama Aduonum on the ment,” “The City too Busy to Hate,” transatlantic slave experience, and and “Atlanta: People Seem to Like an African drumming ensemble. it Here.” Because the city is cul- Local scholar presentations will in- turally diverse and has played a clude papers by musicologist Marva significant role in the preservation Griffin Carter, interpreting a church of traditional African-derived music choir’s signifyin’ at a historic 1939 and contemporary urban music, premiere, and historian Maurice J. the committee has planned activi- Hobson discussing the political in- ties that promote the theme The fluence on Atlanta’s popular music Music of Africa and the African (1970s-1990s). Jason Orr’s film Diaspora in Atlanta. All activities FunkJazzKafe: Diary of a Decade scheduled (October 28-31) are (early 1990s – early 2000s) exam- related thematically to those of the ines the impact of a popular multi- Pre-Conference Symposium (Oc- arts event featuring celebrated tober 27), which will highlight the neo-soul musicians. musical contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. All Performing groups from the three LAC activities also support under- host institutions include Afro-Nyota: represented communities in the city Dr. Ama Oforiwaa Aduonum. Photo by Lyndsie Schlink. Pan African Popular Music En- or region, many of whom, along Courtesy of Ama Oforiwaa Aduonum semble (Florida State University); with other cultures, have been the targets of institutional- Saxophone Ensemble (University of Georgia); and the ized racism, hate crimes, and, recently, voter suppression. Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble (Georgia State University). Nevertheless, they represent the cultures many of us A Brazilian Drumming Workshop will be followed by an study and serve. Afro-Brazilian Dance Workshop, sponsored by the Dance, Movement, and Gesture Section. We are pleased to announce that for the 2021 meet- ing, SEM will allow undergraduate students to attend Planned excursions include: “Black Atlanta: A Tour of performances, presentations, paper and panel sessions, History, Education, and Culture” and an Emory University and workshops at no charge. This is a wonderful way to Archival View of Black Musicians. For relaxation, Saturday [continued on page 4] Features Announcements News Our Back Pages SEM 2021 Annual Meeting Incoming Editor of Ethno- Member News Conference Calendar in Atlanta musicology Institutional News Advertisements President’s Column Incoming Editor of SEM SEM Publications Newsletter Internet Resources The Society for Ethnomusicology, SEM Newsletter James Cowdery, Editor, SEM Newsletter SEM Membership RILM, CUNY Graduate Center The object of the Society for Ethnomusicology is the ad- 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016 vancement of research and study in the field of ethnomu- [email protected] sicology, for which purpose all interested persons, regard- Adriane Pontecorvo, Editorial Assistant less of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability are encouraged to become members. SEM Newsletter is a vehicle for the exchange of ideas, Its aims include serving the membership and Society at news, and information among the Society’s members. large through the dissemination of knowledge concerning Readers’ contributions are welcome and should be sent to the music of the world’s peoples. The Society, incorporat- the editor. ed in the United States, has an international membership. The Society for Ethnomusicology publishes the SEM Members receive free copies of the journal and the Newsletter four times annually in January, April, July, and newsletter and have the right to vote and participate in the September, and distributes issues free to members of the activities of the Society. 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Adriana Helbig (Treasurer) University of Pittsburgh Full page: $200 1/3 page: $60 2/3 page: $145 1/6 page: $40 Jean Ngoya Kidula (Member-at-Large, Groups & Pro- 1/2 page: $110 fessional Development) University of Georgia Ethnomusicology: Back Issues Ethnomusicology, the Society’s journal, is currently Alisha Lola Jones (Member-at-Large, Prizes) published three times a year. Back issues are available Indiana University, Bloomington through the SEM Business Office, Indiana University, 800 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN, 47405-3657; 812-855- Beverley Diamond (Past-President) 6672; [email protected]. Memorial University ISSN 0036-1291 2 Scenes of Perseverance Tomie Hahn, Interim President & President-Elect I hope everyone has been well. Acknowledging that the Of course, ethnomusicologists reading this fully under- year has been deeply challenging for numerous reasons, stand the great challenge of presenting online! The nu- I am curious how everyone has been coping and carrying ances of sound qualities via online transmission, including on while being shuttered in. What spatial and directional qualities, projects arose or fell aside because can render a presentation nearly of the inability to conduct on-site unintelligible. However, imagine fieldwork? Because you were research based on conveying unable to perform music, ritual, qualities of touch, taste, energy and or dance with others in the same presence, space, and so on. I was ways, how have you and your com- delighted that presenters last fall at munities moved along? SEM’s conference and recently at the Uncommon Senses conference Many students have needed to took on the challenge of the (senso- delay or change their research. ry muted) online scene to enhance The dissertations I have been their presentations in clever, inno- overseeing this year included a vative ways. The online conference range of diversions—full revisions contexts afforded unique avenues of their carefully crafted proposals, to explore, and I observed present- reducing the number of field sites, ers’ open their sensory vocabu- conducting interviews online, and laries, their sense of humor, and expanding the number of people daringly walk compelling edges of interviewed, to name a few. In imagination. I believe the ingenuity, all cases there were challenges. born from sheer urgency, fostered However, while these challenges were initially viewed as a type of growth beyond our usual presenter vocabular- unsurmountable, in each situation I observed the ob- ies. When we meet again in person, will these innovations stacles transformed the research in unique ways that I continue to broaden and influence our conferences? I believe would not have emerged without such a dramatic believe they will! struggle. Don’t get me wrong, the impositions on each dissertation were considerable and required great effort. But allow me to consider an expansive perspective of Emotions surged. New strategies and designs surfaced. transmission and emergent growth. Viral transmission, on In some cases, objectives and intentions shifted. a micro(biological) level, has the potential to alter bodies in myriad ways.