Lydia Bangura

Her Music Academia

Music EN ↓ 103 episodes

What 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

Author

Lydia Bangura

Category

Music

Podcast website

podcasters.spotify.com

Latest episode

Jun 29, 2026

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Episodes

Developing a Rap Canon: Part One (with Tayo Omisore) 26.06.2023

In this episode, I chat with YouTuber and musician Tayo Omisore (COLORMIND.mp4 on YouTube) all about his musical upbringing with rap, his experiences learning to write music, and the development of his career as a Black musical content creator. We also discuss his video response to music theory YouTuber Adam Neely, who made a video about the absence of "rap covers." Tayo and I offer our...

Secular Organ Music (with Dr. Benjamin Cornelius-Bates) 05.06.2023

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Ben Cornelius-Bates (Duquesne University) about his musical upbringing in Alaska, his path to composition, and his experiences studying the organ. We also discuss how to write music for the organ, particularly within the context of secular music, and talk about timbre in Maan Varjot by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho for organ and orchestra. Rest in peace to Saaria...

Winter 2023 in Review 15.05.2023

In this solo episode, I chat all about how my winter semester at the University of Michigan went. I give an update on the grad student strike, my classes, and my teaching. I also explore my yearly theme of simplicity, set new goals for Summer 2023, and discuss the podcast's progress! THANK GAWD this episode was edited by Jair G with ExpMediaProductions! Hire him for all of your video/audio edi...

ISSA STRIKE! (with Anna Rose Nelson) 10.04.2023

In this episode, I invite Anna Rose Nelson (University of Michigan) on the show to give us an update on finishing her dissertation (hire her!). We also (in great detail!) break down the ongoing strike at the University of Michigan. Beginning with the very recent history of U-M graduate student workers and lecturers striking in 2020, Anna Rose shares about her experiences organizing with the Gradua...

Rethinking Music Loving (with Dr. Vivian Luong) 29.03.2023

Our last episode for Women's History Month! Today on the show I welcome another Michigan alum Dr. Vivian Luong (University of Oklahoma) to chat about her background as a clarinetist and a pianist, her time studying music theory at Michigan, and her current approaches to theory pedagogy. We also discuss her research centered around feminist music theory and what it means to love music, her MTO...

Feminine Endings (with Dr. Susan McClary) 22.03.2023

TW: brief mentions of sexual assault For our second episode of Women's History Month, I chat with Dr. Susan McClary (Case Western Reserve University) about her path to musicology, as well as her experiences as an educator and researcher. We also discuss her incredibly influential scholarship centered around gender and sexuality in music by diving into her 1991 book Feminine Endings . Finally,...

The Games Black Girls Play (with Dr. Kyra Gaunt) 08.03.2023

Our first episode for Women's History Month! Today I chat with Dr. Kyra Gaunt (University at Albany, State University of New York) all about her experiences as a singer, her time studying voice and ethnomusicology at Michigan, and her first book The Games Black Girls Play: Learning The Ropes From Double Dutch To Hip-Hop . We also discuss her forthcoming book PLAYED , featuring her research cen...

Renaissance by Beyoncé: Part Two (with @ismatu.gwendolyn) 28.02.2023

We are finishing off Black History Month with a conversation about Beyoncé! My sister ismatu gwendolyn and I chat all about our personal relationships to her music, the public perception of Beyoncé, and the aesthetics and politics in her latest album, Renaissance . I also feature the voices of some of the Black women and femmes in my community to get their thoughts on the album. In order of appear...

Renaissance by Beyoncé: Part One (with @ismatu.gwendolyn) 27.02.2023

In this episode, we are wrapping up Black History Month with some familial history! My younger sister ismatu gwendolyn joins me on the show to discuss our shared musical upbringing, their experiences leading a gospel choir at Northwestern University, and how their relationship to music changed after they became a sex worker. We also chat about their blossoming Tik Tok career and the ways in which...

The Future of Music Theory (with Dr. Philip Ewell) 20.02.2023

Continuing our series of conversations with Black musicians for Black History Month, today Dr. Phil Ewell (Hunter College of City University of New York) joins me on the show to discuss his background as a cellist, his time studying music theory at Yale University, and our shared investment in public music theory. We also examine the whiteness and maleness of music theory through the lens of other...

Creating Community Around Hip Hop (with @94Drow) 13.02.2023

This week we are continuing our conversations with Black musicians for Black History Month! In this episode, I chat with Darrian Dorrough (@94Drow) about his experiences in hip hop, the status of rap research in the academy, and his songwriting and production process. We also discuss his experience hosting a live show on Instagram called the Dope or Nope Show, where he and his collaborators review...

"Quare Studies" by E. Patrick Johnson (with Jordan Brown) 06.02.2023

Happy Black History Month! In this episode, I chat with Jordan Brown (Harvard University) about her experiences as a singer and arranger, her path to ethnomusicology, and her positionality as a queer Black woman in music academia. We also discuss E. Patrick Johnson's 2001 article titled "Quare Studies, or Almost Everything I Know About Queer Studies I Learned From My Grandmother," which is utilize...

"Tangamerican" by Margaret Bonds (with Dr. John Michael Cooper) 30.01.2023

In this episode, I chat with Dr. John Michael Cooper (Southwestern University) about his path to musicology, his experiences in music publishing, and the lives and music of Margaret Bonds and Florence Price. We also listen to and discuss Margaret Bonds' piece Tangamerican , performed by pianist Lara Downes. Special thanks to Lara and to Candace Johnson for their appearances in this episode! Dr. Co...

Gendered Music (with Majel Connery) 23.01.2023

In this episode, I chat with Majel Connery all about her experiences as a singer, her choice to leave the field of musicology, and our shared experiences as women in music. We also discuss her new podcast from CapRadio, "A Music of Their Own," which explores the ways women in music navigate the industry and the ways the music itself is gendered. Make sure to stream her show wherever you get your p...

Fall 2022 in Review 26.12.2022

In this solo episode, I chat all about how my fall semester turned out, from taking classes to teaching for the first time to quitting my barista job. I also discuss my experience presenting at the American Studies Association conference and at the big #musiccon (AMS/SEM/SMT 2022) in New Orleans. Finally, I reflect on achieving some of my goals of the past year and set a new yearly theme for 2023....

Bach's Goldberg Variations (with Natalie Krafft) 21.10.2022

In this episode, I chat with my friend Natalie Krafft all about her career as a music teacher, her experience doing music streams on Twitch, and our favorite recordings of the Goldberg Variations by Bach. Follow Natalie on Twitch! @nitnatkat Study Together Discord server MTO article by Peter Martens Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com

Timbre in 1980s Pop Music: Part Two (with Dr. Megan Lavengood and Dr. Cara Stroud) 23.09.2022

In part two of my conversation with Dr. Megan Lavengood (George Mason University) and Dr. Cara Stroud (Michigan State University), we chat all about timbre, the role of "world music" instruments, and Megan's MTO article "The Cultural Significance of Timbre Analysis: A Case Study in 1980s Pop Music, Texture, and Narrative." A special thanks for Cara and her class for their thoughts on Megan's piece...

Timbre in 1980s Pop Music: Part One (with Dr. Megan Lavengood and Dr. Cara Stroud) 15.09.2022

In part one of my conversation with Dr. Megan Lavengood (George Mason University) and Dr. Cara Stroud (Michigan State University), we chat about their experiences in music theory, their approaches to reading and writing, and their thoughts on teaching theory during the pandemic. Stay tuned for part two of our conversation! The SMT Committee on the Status of Women writing groups Get in touch with m...

Improvisation Studies (with Dr. Dan DiPiero) 06.09.2022

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Dan DiPiero (Ithaca College) about his background as a jazz drummer, his experiences studying comparative studies, and his new book Contingent Encounters: Improvisation in Music and Everyday Life (out now and available open access through the University of Michigan Press!). Dan's book Dan's lecture on YouTube Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com

Introducing: Her Music Academia! 28.08.2022

Lydia pops in to give a special announcement about her new podcast, Her Music Academia! This is the pilot episode during which she reflects on her first year at the University of Michigan. Get in touch with Lydia at on her website, hermusicacademia.com , or send her an email at hermusicacademia@gmail.com.

Season 5 Happy Hour! 08.07.2022

In this happy hour episode, we discuss our plans for the fall semester, Lydia's artist residency with Dr. Philip Ewell, and Emily's women's history course (and newfound obsession with Harry Potter). We also provide an update on the future of the podcast. Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com

Teaching Music Theory (with Dr. Jennifer Snodgrass) 27.05.2022

In the last episode of season four, Lydia chats with Dr. Jenny Snodgrass (Lipscomb University) about her experiences as an opera singer (and with computer programming), her upcoming career change, the music theory pedagogy conference coming up next month, and her 2020 book Teaching Music Theory: New Voices and Approaches . Jenny's book Music Theory Pedagogy Conference (June 2-4) Music Theory Pedag...

Movable Do Solfège for Singers: Dan's Solfège Trainer (with Dan Inglis) 20.05.2022

In episode seven of season four, we chat with Dan Inglis about his choose your own adventure music education, his career as a voice and piano teacher, and his music theory YouTube channel centered around developing aural skills for singers. Dan's website (he's available for Zoom lessons!) Dan's YouTube channel Timestamps: Dan's background: 4:11 Dan's Solfège Trainer: 44:31 Get in touch with us at:...

Wallflower by Aerhart (with Amelia Wellers) 13.05.2022

In episode six of season four, Lydia talks to Amelia Wellers about her experiences in music performance and music production, having a career outside of music, her rock album Wallflower ( produced with Kyle Joseph), and how she uses music theory as a singer-songwriter and producer.  Stream Wallflower everywhere!  Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com

Fugitive Music Theory (with Dr. Marc Hannaford) 06.05.2022

In episode five of season four, Lydia chats with Dr. Marc Hannaford (University of Michigan) about his experiences as a jazz pianist, pursuing careers in both music performance and music academia, and his forthcoming article "Fugitive Music Theory and George Russell's Theory of Tonal Gravity." https://marchannaford.com/ https://marchannaford.bandcamp.com/ Timestamps: Marc's background: 4:12 Balanc...

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