Musicology
What is musicology ?
Musicologists are interested in how music is made, how people listen to music and why music is heard in particular ways. Musicology is the perfect choice if you are interested in the history of music, how music is constructed, or the ways it is understood and used by people around the world.
Sydney Conservatorium of Music places you in a vibrant community of dedicated staff, researchers and talented students to support your education in Musicology.
- Take elective units offered in a variety of topics including early music, contemporary art music, popular music, and the music of Indigenous peoples.
- Learn from researchers in a wide range of areas including historical musicology, ethnomusicology, music analysis, psychology of music, popular music studies and more.
- Join an active academic community with producing innovative research and publications in musicology.
- We regularly organise national and international conferences, sharing musicological expertise to the broader community.
- Participate in a wide range of performance ensembles from choir to wind orchestra, guitar ensemble, Balinese gamelan or Chinese music ensemble.
- Take a second major in subjects across the university.
- Professor Neal Peres Da Costa, Historical Performance and Early Keyboards
- Professor Helen Mitchell, Musicology
- Associate Professor Christopher Coady, Musicology and Jazz
- Associate Professor Charles Fairchild, Contemporary Music Practice
- Associate Professor Daniel Rojas, Composition and Musicology
- Associate Professor Myfany Turpin, Ethnomusicology
- Dr Catherine Ingram, Senior Lecturer, Ethnomusicology
- Dr Amanda Harris, Senior Research Fellow
- Dr David Larkin, Senior Lecturer, Musicology
- Dr Alan Maddox, Senior Lecturer in Musicology
- Dr Rachel Campbell, Lecturer, Musicology
- Ms Laura Case, Lecturer, Musicology
- Mr Lewis Cornwell, Lecturer, Musicology
- Dr Jadey O’Regan, Lecturer in Contemporary Music
- Dr Alex Chilvers, Academic Fellow (Aural Perception)
- Honorary Associate Dr Graeme Skinner
- Emeritus Professor Richard Charteris
- Honorary Associate Professor Kathleen Nelson, Musicology
- Honorary Associate Professor Michael Webb, Music Education and Ethnomusicology
Musicologists often pursue further research and become experts in a particular subject area or teach at a tertiary level.
However the skills gained within musicology – such as research, critical thinking, communication and public speaking – are transferable to a range of industries and occupations:
- arts administration and management
- music critic
- music journalist
- musicologist and/or subject expert
- private tutor
- museums/libraries (curating, archiving, and preserving instruments, manuscripts, photos, documents, and letters)
- university lecturer.
What are my study options with musicology?
“I am researching conducting in the 21st century. I chose this area as I am hoping to become a conductor, so I’ve been able to marry my research with my training and experience.
"One of the highlights of my time at uni is speaking at the Musicological Society of Australia conference when it was held at the Con. It tied in with the Con’s 100th birthday Celebrations in 2015 and I felt very privileged to be there, especially as a new student.
"I hope to go on to PhD studies as I’d love to conduct or teach in a university one day.”
Nicky Gluch
Master of Music (Musicology)