Song Studies

This series offers a platform for academic research on the multidimensional medium of song. The field of song studies has recently developed in an effort to position song’s various modalities at the center of an emerging interdisciplinary scholarship. As an object of study and as a practice, song extends disciplinary boundaries as well as creates space for dialogue between researchers and practitioners from different backgrounds. This series will contribute to the development of song studies as a new field of research through the facilitation of multi- and intercultural dialogues on the phenomenon of song worldwide and across historical periods.

In this context, ‘song’ is considered from multiple perspectives, acknowledging form and function. Song can be defined as vocal and musical expression in composition and practice, incorporating elements such as pitch, rhythm, repetition, language. Furthermore, song is inseparable from emotion and the performing body. As a complex, expressive practice, song leverages the physical and imaginative capacities of individuals and communities for diverse purposes.