Stay ConnectedWhat does it mean to be a music researcher? How does a musician use music as a medium to foster community? Featuring interviews with other musicians, scholars and artists, host Lydia Bangura seeks to ask interesting questions about music and execute important and relevant music research. Join Lydia as she reads, writes and chats her way through a music PhD program.
Got questions or feedback? Interested in being a guest on the pod? Send inquiries to: hermusicacademia@gmail.com
Copyright: © Lydia Bangura
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Stephen Stacks (North Carolina Central University) all about his musical upbringing as a multi-instrumentalist, his time studying musicology at UNC Chapel Hill, and what he’s currently teaching at NCCU. We also discuss his most recent book The Resounding Revolution: Freedom Song After 1968, all about the music of the long Civil Rights Movement.
Playlist of music mentioned in Stephen’s book
My episode with Candace Bailey
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Olivia Lucas (Louisiana State University) all about her musical upbringing as a vocalist, her time studying music theory at Harvard, and what she’s teaching at LSU. We also chat about how her early interest in metal music led to her current research on Lingua Ignota, who blends references to art music and classical vocal training with noise and extended techniques.
TW: domestic violence, religious trauma
Olivia’s 2018 Meshuggah article
Olivia’s 2021 Meshuggah article
Olivia’s 2014 article on experience of extreme loudness at a Sunn O))) concert
2024 Teaching Difficult Topics book
Olivia’s forthcoming chapter on Lingua Ignota and Eminem
“That He May Not Rise Again” by Lingua Ignota
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Jennifer Ronyak (Institute of Music Aesthetics, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz) about her musical upbringing as a pianist, her time studying musicology at Eastman, and the major differences between music graduate programs in different countries. We also discuss her 2017 performance and analysis article “Meeting Barthes at Fischer-Dieskau’s Mill: Co-Performance, Linguistic Identity, and a Lied.”
Boccherini’s Body by Elizabeth LeGuin
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Melissa Hoag (Oakland University) about her musical upbringing as a pianist, her path to music theory, her time as coeditor of the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, and her work as editor of Expanding The Canon and a forthcoming textbook. We also discuss the AP College Board Music Theory exam, the yearly grading session with over one hundred college professors and high school teachers, and how YOU can get involved as an AP reader!
My episode with Christine Boone
Expanding The Canon: Black Composers in the Music Theory Classroom
Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Dan DiPiero (Boston University) about his curriculum at BU, his new Substack newsletter and podcast, and writing for public audiences. We also dive into their newest book, Big Feelings: Queer and Feminist Indie Rock After Riot Grrrl, as well as their forthcoming research on crushes in music.
This episode is dedicated to Christine Capetola, an amazing scholar in African American studies who passed away in 2024.
Dan’s second book Big Feelings
Dan’s first book Contingent Encounters
Reasons and Feelings by Sarah Mesle
Lauren Berlant on non-soverignty
In this episode, I chat with Cecilia Oinas (University of the Arts Helsinki, Sibelius Academy) about her musical upbringing as a pianist, her path to music theory, and her budding research on politeness and etiquette in chamber ensembles. We also discuss her recent paper presentation at the SMT annual meeting in Minneapolis, which analyses the relationship between the piano and the vocal line in the songs of Richard Strauss.
Cecilia’s article on the songs of Saariaho
Cecilia’s article on four-handed piano trios of Mendelssohn and Schumann
Ethics and aesthetics in Jazz by Duranti, Throop, and McCoy
My recording of “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” by Florence Price
In this solo episode, I chat all about the past semester including traveling for opera auditions, presenting at this year’s SMT/AMS annual meeting, and finishing my first dissertation chapter. I also discuss my yearly theme for 2025 and ponder what I’ll be focusing on in 2026. Please get in touch if you’d like to be a podcast guest in the new year!
My article in Music Theory Spectrum
My episodes with Lee Thomas Richardson
Audre Lorde’s "Uses of the Erotic"
CGP Grey’s video on yearly themes
Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com
In this bonus episode, I chat with Daniel Kumapayi about his upbringing as a double bassist, his experience studying at the University of Michigan, and the founding of the Pan Africanist art music foundation, Àkójọpọ̀. Make sure you check out the amazing resources on their website and follow their social media to stay up to date on their projects!
Quick correction: at 10:47, we meant to mention San Fransisco Symphony, instead of Conservatory.
TW: brief mention of suicide 25:13–25:50
Detroit Public School pay high school students for tutoring
Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com
In this solo episode, I chat all about my summer shenanigans including traveling for research in June, traveling for singing in July, and (quite honestly) an August meltdown. I also discuss my theme of the year and what’s coming up on the podcast this fall. Stay tuned for my next semester in review episode in December, as well as some bonus episodes in the coming months!
My TAAM conference performance
My Summer 2024 in Review episode
My article in Music Theory Spectrum
My HMA Book Club introduction episode
Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Christine Boone (University of North Carolina Ashville, St. Olaf College) about her musical upbringing as a vocalist, her path to music theory, and her forthcoming textbook project with Brad Osborn. We also discuss her research on mashups in popular music, including the gendered dynamics of pairing songs across genres.
Christine’s article on mashup typology
Christine’s article on gender dynamics in mashups
DJ Schmolli’s The Trooper Believer
Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com
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