ethnomusicologist
eth-no-myoo-zi-KOL-uh-jist
Definition
A researcher who studies music as a social and cultural phenomenon, specifically by examining the relationship between music and the human groups that create it.
Etymology
The word combines the Greek 'ethnos' (nation or people) and 'musikē' (art of the Muses or music) with the suffix '-ologist' (one who studies). It emerged in the 20th century to describe the scientific study of musical traditions within their cultural contexts.
In the news
Moisei Beregovsky is described as a Soviet Jewish ethnomusicologist who recorded Yiddish music from Holocaust survivors, capturing cultural artifacts that might have otherwise vanished. His work highlights the role of music as a historical record of people's lived experiences.
Lost Holocaust music, nearly erased by Stalin, goes on tour in Asia
Read the full article ↗Jewish Telegraphic Agency