Volume 51, Number 1 Winter 2017 From the Society for Ethnomusicology Board SEM Board Opposes U.S. Executive Order Banning Immigrants he Board of the Society for Ethnomusicology joins interactions of scholars, musicians, and students from Tother constituents of the American Council of Learned countries throughout the world. Through these exchang- Societies in calling for the immediate retraction of the U.S. es, ethnomusicologists have advanced public under- Executive Order of 27 January 2017, that bans or puts standing and appreciation of the world’s vast musical and limitations on immigration from seven Muslim-majority cultural heritage and its significance for civil society. countries. This Order violates the Society’s core values of The new Executive Order is, at present, disrupting the respect for human diversity, inclusivity, free inquiry, cre- movement of musicians and other artists, scholars, teach- ativity, and the open ers, students, and their exchange of ideas. family members into For over sixty and out of the U.S. A years, SEM has radical departure from served as a U.S.- American values and based international goals, it undermines forum for the study the mission of colleges of music across all and universities, schol- cultural contexts and arly societies, and arts- historical periods. presenting institutions. Within the U.S., SEM will work with the field of ethno- other organizations to musicology has oppose this Order and flourished in the to offer support for col- academy and public leagues affected by its sphere through the directives.§ SEM Members join hands in Round Dance Flash Bomb following the General Membership Meeting and preceding the Seeger Lecture [Organized by the Indigenous Music Section], SEM 2016 Annual Meeting, Wachington D.C. Photo by Douglas Peach. SEM Position Statement in Response to the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election he 61st Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomu- ers themselves—representing, among others, Muslims, Tsicology occurred in Washington D.C., beginning on Jews, African Americans, Latin Americans, Native North the day after the U.S. presidential election, an event that Americans and Indigenous peoples of the world, women, stunned our gathering and prompted many of us to delib- LGBTQIA communities, and migrants and refugees—af- erately reframe our presentations with affirmations of our firmed the Society’s commitment to inclusivity both in commitment to globally engaged dialogue and scholar- terms of our discipline and among our colleagues, stu- ship, and to reject the statements of xenophobia, Islamo- dents, teachers, and consultants in the myriad contexts phobia, anti-Semitism, misogyny, and homophobia that in which we work. Political activism, community engage- were unleashed in the course of the campaign. As is typi- ment, proactive pedagogies, race relations, repatriation, cal of our meetings, ethnomusicologists presented their class consciousness, power dynamics, violent conflict, work on the role and power of sound and music within a disability, spirituality, health, memory, and social justice diverse human community. Papers, panels, and present- are just some of the issues [continued on page 10] Features Announcements News Our Back Pages President’s Column SEM 2017 Annual Meeting Institutional News SEM Publications and Posts SEM Honorary Members Music and Social Justice Member News Conference Calendar SEM 2016 Prizes Call for Journal Editor In Memoriam Advertisements National Humanities Alliance SEM Chapter Meetings Grants and Fellowships Internet Resources The Society for Ethnomusicology, SEM Newsletter SEM Membership Jennifer Milioto Matsue, Editor, SEM Newsletter he object of the Society for Ethnomusicology is the Department of Music, Union College Tadvancement of research and study in the field of Schenectady, New York 12308 USA ethnomusicology, for which purpose all interested per- [email protected] sons, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability are encouraged to become members. 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ISSN 0036-1291 § 2 Our Gig at the Refugee Christmas Party Anne K. Rasmussen, SEM President ver the course of the next several months, with your were socially organized around a number of churches, Ohelp, the Society for Ethnomusicology will develop a were the listening connoisseurs of the community. These new section of our website for announcing and document- listening connoisseurs (Arabic, sammi‘ah), I was taught, ing ways people worldwide use music (or other tech- along with the community leaders who planned the music niques developed through ethnomusicology and related parties, festivals, and fundraisers at the center of Arab disciplines) to address issues of human conflict and social American musical and social life, were as important to justice. This essay outlines my own modest efforts to the scene as the musicians themselves. And it was my become more involved with communities of migrants and Rhode Island informants, Georgina and Blanche Deckey, refugees. I first reflect on who connected me and my my early career, describe husband to their extended three scenarios that led to families in Aleppo, which our recent gig at the local in turn led to an extraor- “Refugee Christmas Par- dinarily rich experience of ty,” and finally share some music making in Syrian concrete steps to involve homes, private gatherings, students in my classes social clubs, hotels, and and in our ensemble restaurants. To comple- with the communities of ment our “guided tour” Virginia refugees who are of Aleppian music and our newest neighbors. I culture, a chance encoun- hope that these instances, ter led us to Syria’s great examples of “social micro- muezzin and traditional transformations,” to follow singer, Sheikh Sabri Mu- Michael Frishkopf, are dallal, with whom we were harbingers of more good able to interact on sev- * Zach Aravich (‘ud), Luther Millison, Jonathan Glasser (violins), and Anne K. ** things to come in 2017. Rasmussen (qanun) play