Our mission (should we choose to accept it) consists of mapping the life and times of Darius Milhaud, with a particular focus on the time he spent in Germany. What statement does his relationship with different publishing companies make about the changing national landscape of music in the 1920s? Perceiving music spatially through maps will allow us to better visualize the movements of composers and ideas through time. In creating interactive maps, I hope our audience can include both the odd musicologist that values the specific and intense work we will be performing and my family, whose Montanan sensibilities rarely consider (or care to know) what impact nationalism had on Darius Milhaud. Ideally, we will disseminate our research in such a way that it contains valuable information for musicologists while still being accessible to the general public.
Being a classical singer from a rural state, I have a unique perspective on musicological research. My “cowboy” work ethic and “operatic” passion for history lend me an insatiable curiosity about the ways music connects the past and the present. My experience as a musician and background in music theory allow me to examine music in close (sometimes too close) detail. My experience as a Women’s and Gender Studies student allows me to consider musicological evidence from a feminist lens. This summer, I will delve into the complexities of musicological research and develop my skills as a writer, presenter, and communicator while working in a team.
Working on “The Musical Geography Project” is an amazing opportunity that will allow me to grow not only as a musician and academic but as a learner and producer of information. I’m ready: let’s go.
Mission: Accepted.