Ancient Song Conference: March 3-5, 2006

Taking place at the Michael C. Carlos Museum on the Emory University campus in Atlanta, GA

Music is a fundamental vehicle of cultural identity in the realms of ritual and healing, political identification, the creation of history, and the articulation of gender. It is accordingly central to the process of cultural investigation, providing an avenue of exploration for scholars of both ancient and contemporary societies. Anthropology, archaeology, philosophy, classics and religion as well as music and ethnomusicology each bring distinct methodologies as well as cultural foci to the question of song.

This conference bridges these human cultures and academic disciplines, bringing together scholars of the ancient Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the African American traditions of the deep South. It provides a context for transformative discussions of song as a cultural process, intersecting the studies of western and non-western cultures, contemporary and historical peoples, and ethnographic, material, and literary studies.

Performances as well as academic papers will bring these scholars together with specialists from outside Emory in complementary disciplines and distinct cultural traditions. Musical performances include a gamelan performance, re-enactments of ancient Greek song, and operatic selections.