Training
•Bullet: The department describes itself as the largest and first of its kind in a U.S. university; courses cover the music of virtually every region of the world and of many ethnic groups in the U.S., as well as popular music and film music
•Bullet: The major combines musical cultures of the world (Europe and Americas, Africa and Near East, Asia), Music Theory and Musicianship, Basic Principles of Ethnomusicology, and at least seven upper-division ethnomusicology electives
•Bullet: Students take 12 units of world music performance organizations, private instruction or world music specializations, then 12 more units at the advanced level, and finish with a capstone: a 25-45 minute public performance, a 20-25 minute composition, or another approved project
•Bullet: Faculty include Helen Rees (professor and chair; director of the World Music Center), Cheryl L. Keyes (contemporary jazz and hip hop), Steven Loza (director of the UCLA Center for Latino Arts), and ensemble directors such as Francis Kofi Akotuah (Music and Dance of Ghana), Gamin Kang (Music of Korea) and Chi Li (Music of China)
Performance & Productions
•Bullet: Performance ensembles include the Music of Java, Music and Dance of Ghana, Klezmer Music, Mariachi de Uclatlán, African American Music, Music of Bali, India, Mexico, China, Persia, Thailand, Turkey, Korea and Tibet ensembles, and the Old-Time String Band
•Bullet: The department’s World Musical Instrument Collection, Ethnomusicology Archive (65 years old in 2026) and World Music Center support study and performance
