Music Department | SOAS University of London

Welcome to the Music Department

The Music Department embraces SOAS’ commitment to widening horizons, fostering cross-cultural perspectives, and engaging critically with social issues. Our academic staff are leading authorities on the traditional and popular musics of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and their diasporas, and we offer a wide range of exciting courses with performance, research and practical skills being integral to all our programmes.

Many of our staff members and senior students are involved in professional performance, composition and music production, and are the proud recipients of international awards and even Grammy nominations. Our students join us from all over the world, and our graduates enjoy successful careers in a range of sectors, from professional performance, academia, radio and print journalism, to composition for film, theatre and digital gaming, music education, and working on arts-based interventions with local and international NGOs.

Our Department has played a leading role in the development of the discipline of ethnomusicology in the UK. Amongst other initiatives, it has been instrumental in developing the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, the internationally acclaimed journal Ethnomusicology Forum, and the SOAS Musicology Series (published by Routledge).

The Department of Music is situated within the School of Arts.

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SOAS Music

Degree Programmes

Facts and figures

1st: in the UK for research output - REF 2014.

Teaching

88% of undergraduates say that staff are good at explaining things (NSS 2015)
88% of undergraduates say that staff have made the subject interesting (NSS 2015)
88% of undergraduates say that staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching (NSS 2015)
94% of students say the library resources and services are good (NSS 2015)

Research

Music Department at SOAS has been ranked first in the UK for research output

Alumni and student stories

Clara Wenz PhD Student

"More than any other place, the SOAS Music Department allows me to combine my interests in music, philosophy and culture in the Middle East. "

I've experienced SOAS as a place of profound research and interdisciplinary cooperation, and as home of an inspiring community of people who are connected through their love for music and openness to new ideas.
Almira Farid BA Music

"SOAS has helped tremendously in opening up my eyes and ears to how culturally colourful our musical world is. "

As a future music educator, ethnomusicology has become a highly empowering tool in reinforcing that all our voices are unique and are worthy of being listened to.
Thomas Graves MMus Ethnomusicology

"As soon as I first walked into the Junior Common Room I said ‘this is what university should be like!’ "

When I mentioned my interest in ethnomusicology to the academics at my previous university, their instant reaction was SOAS.
Richard Gray

"I would sum up my studies here so far as a white-knuckle intellectual adventure. "

I would sum up my studies here so far as a white-knuckle intellectual adventure. It has opened doors not only in my mind, but in real life, especially in terms of people I have met.
Marina Di Giorgi MMus Ethnomusicology

"I chose SOAS because it is the only place in London where I could gain a broad knowledge of Music in the Middle East."

SOAS is a great place to study Ethnomusicology. It has the flavour of the world spread through the music made by the students, lecturers and guests.