UCLA Introduces Musical Humanities Center
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music is set to unveil its new Centre for Musical Humanities with an inaugural event, "Anthem: Remixing Race and Nation." This centre, dedicated to exploring the intersections of music with culture, history, identity, and society, will amplify marginalized voices and decentralize dominant narratives.
Scheduled for Monday, May 8, the event will take place at Schoenberg Hall from 3:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. The programme consists of a symposium in the afternoon and a live performance leading to a panel discussion in the evening.
During the symposium, Wade Dean, a graduate student in musicology at UCLA, will discuss Marvin Gaye's reimagining of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the 1983 NBA All-Star game. Cecilia O'Leary, a professor of history at CSU Monterey Bay, will give an overview of nationalism and nationalist symbols in the 19th century.
Shana Redmond, an associate professor of musicology and African-American studies at UCLA, serves as the program's curator and symposium moderator. She is also the author of the book "Anthem: Social Movements and the Sound of Solidarity in the African Diaspora."
The evening concert, scheduled from 7:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., will feature transgressive performances of the national anthem, some performed by UCLA students and faculty. Grammy-nominated songwriter and jazz vocalist René Marie will perform at the event, singing the black national anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," sung to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Following Rene Marie's performance, there will be a discussion of recent protests associated with the anthem, led by UCLA faculty members Shana Redmond and Robin D.G. Kelley. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, whose protests over the national anthem led to a foreshortened career in the NBA, will participate in the discussion.
The Centre for Musical Humanities, administered by the school of music, boasts an advisory board comprising faculty from various disciplines, including music, humanities, social sciences, theater, film and television, and arts and architecture.
For details about the event, visit the "Anthem: Remixing Race and Nation" website. The Centre for Musical Humanities promotes interdisciplinary study of music and the humanities across the university and aims to foster community-driven scholarship on music as a form of cultural expression and social engagement.
Attendees can expect a combination of education and self-development during the symposium, featuring talks on the historical and cultural significance of national anthems and their reinterpretations. The Centre for Musical Humanities' inaugural event, "Anthem: Remixing Race and Nation," will also offer evening entertainment, including a live performance by Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist René Marie.
