Letter from the Project Directors

Dear Colleague,

The stories we tell about music matter. Researchers are telling exciting new stories that reveal the rich cultural history of the musics of the United States and the dialogues that have taken place among its peoples. These storylines have yet to be fully reflected in college and university courses and curricula.

We are delighted to invite colleagues from across the spectrum of music studies to engage in a conversation that advances our thinking about what stories to tell, and to develop methodologies that will foster listeners’ and students’ exploration of their own and others’ musical stories.

Our two-week Institute (27 July to 9 August 2025) gathers innovators who are telling these stories in museums, classrooms, and other spaces. The first week, participants will engage with these major thought leaders to explore the pedagogical, performative, historiographical, and analytical questions that surround American music. In conversations about the interrelationship between history, sound, and identity, we will consider a variety of storytelling approaches and imagine new ones. In the second week, we offer collaborative workshop sessions where participants can access rare materials and develop strategies and teaching resources that advance the integration of these stories into our curricula.

Please join us for a collegial conversation that helps us all imagine new directions for teaching and learning about the musics of the United States.

Tammy Kernodle, co-Director
Danielle Fosler-Lussier, co-Director