Following the BFE Annual Conference at the Open University in April 2022, 16 papers were submitted for the BFE Student Prize. The committee tasked with reviewing the papers consisted of Cassandre Balosso-Bardin (University of Lincoln), Andrew Green (University of Warsaw) and Keith Howard (SOAS, University of London). Such a committee always faces a formidable challenge in having to identify the most insightful and significant contribution, and we found all 16 papers interesting and engaging to read. Indeed, all 16 expanded our discipline, although in multiple and diverse ways. Some closely addressed conference themes, some reported on recent fieldwork – including approaches that were ground-breaking – some were more theoretical, and some offered deep dives into specific music cultures. Overall, then, the 16 papers gave the committee the chance to explore the directions that emerging scholars are taking, and how each points to the future of ethnomusicology.

The BFE Student Prize 2022 is awarded to Caetano Maschio Santos (University of Oxford), for his superb paper, “Damn Corona: the (necro)political aesthetics of migration and the Haitian exodus from Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic.” As much of the world sees a rise in xenophobia and racial/ethnic prejudice, and as reflections begin on how people and politicians responded to the global crisis, Santos’s powerful paper is timely, insightful, and impactful. He takes a deep dive into the Haitian community and its musicians in Brazil, tracing the community’s subaltern status, but listening to their viral songs. Richly detailed and sharply written, it references a considerable and diverse literature to set up each of its parts. Songs invert silence and sound – silence marking fear of the unknown and the cross-cultural intensity of presence and effect, but sound demonstrating both recognition and engagement.

An Honourable Mention is made to Rowan Hawitt (University of Edinburgh), for her thoughtful and insightful paper, “Walking as a more-than-human methodology for ethnomusicologists.” Rowan’s evocative and engaging paper is well-crafted, and, framed by recent scholarship, explores the relationships between music, place, and the environment. At its core are two contrasting vignettes that explore critical participation in the relationships people have with the world around them, each featuring a walk with a singer. The first evokes deep time through geology while the other observes birds and poses questions about mass extinction. As she walks with singers, Rowan critiques her own privilege, pointing out that while her fieldwork offers a step forward for ethnomusicology, the project still involves issues of inequality.

We are delighted to announce the winner and commendation for the 2022 BFE Early Career Prize. This prize is awarded biennially for a distinguished article written by a BFE member who is in the early stages of their career. The recipient of the prize will be invited to deliver a keynote lecture on behalf of the BFE at the annual BFE-RMA Research Students’ Conference.

The first prize is awarded to Dr Tamara Turner (Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin) for her 2020 article “Affective Temporalities of Presence and Absence: Musical Haunting and Embodied Political Histories in an Algerian Religious Community,” Culture, Theory and Critique, 61(2–3), 169-86. Turner asks: what does it mean to be musically haunted, reflecting on the interdependency of music, affect and politics in the context of dīwān rituals in Algeria, where participants are haunted by melodies that summon spirits and unspeakable memories of the slave trade and colonial violence. The prize committee agreed that this was a truly outstanding article within a strong field, one that is positioned at the leading edge of ethnomusicology today. The article is beautifully written, encompassing evocative ethnography and clear discussion of its theoretical positioning.

A commendation goes to Dr Juan Diego Díaz (University of California, Davis) for his 2020 article, “The Musical Experience of Diasporas: The Return of a Ghanaian Tabom Master Drummer to Bahia,” Latin American Music Review, 41(2), 131-166. This article reflects on the construction of transatlantic diasporic identities and the ways in which idealized connections are underpinned by deeply felt experiences of musical performance. The committee enjoyed the way that Díaz used a specific case study to elucidate broader ideas, encompassing reflections on groove, spiritual guidance, geopolitics, and personal journeys.

Prize Committee:

Rachel Harris
Lonán Ó Briain
Richard Widdess

Deadline for Expressions of Interest: Friday 11 March 2022

The British Forum for Ethnomusicology seeks a part-time Membership Administrator. 

This role may suit someone who has administrative experience within academia and familiarity with the discipline of ethnomusicology. The successful applicant will work in conjunction with BFE Committee members and the current Membership Administrator to become familiar with the role.

The successful candidate will be confident with a range of IT applications and have excellent interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to work well independently and as part of a team. Experience in website management, administration, and/or customer service will be considered a plus.

Membership administration tasks include (but are not limited to):

• maintaining the membership lists on the BFE website, including monitoring and recording receipt of membership subscriptions (in collaboration with the Treasurer)
• communicating with the publisher of the society’s journal (Ethnomusicology Forum), including sending dispatch queries and updated lists of members
• communicating with BFE members, including scheduling membership renewal reminders and preparing email templates
• providing general support and advice to BFE members (e.g., answering queries about membership or the online renewal form)
• managing membership data and subscription campaigns via CiviCRM software (we will provide on-the-job training in using the software; tasks will be undertaken in collaboration with the Webmaster)
• assisting in the administration of grants and membership concessions in collaboration with the Administrator, the Treasurer, and the BFE Committee
• attending BFE Committee meetings, working on general membership administration, and developing membership-related initiatives (in conjunction with the Webmaster, Treasurer, Administrator and BFE Committee)
• assisting in the development of new sections of the BFE website in collaboration with the Webmaster, Treasurer, Administrator and the BFE Committee.

The successful applicant will commence work on 25 March or earlier if possible. The total amount of assistance to be contracted will initially average 3 hours per week, and the starting rate of pay is £14.70. This is a flexible arrangement on the understanding that some periods of the year will be more intensive than others (e.g., workload typically decreases during the summer). While most tasks are routine, there may be occasional urgent tasks requiring a rapid response.

Under the terms of a self-employed contract, persons providing these services are not entitled to sick pay, holiday pay or any form of employment protection, and will be responsible for paying their own tax and National Insurance.

Applicants are welcome to contact the current Membership Administrator (membershipbfe.org.uk) with questions about the job, training, and so on. Applicants should email an expression of interest and a short CV (not more than 2 pages in length) to BFE Chair Byron Dueck (chairbfe.org.uk) by 11 March 2022.

Interviews will take place as soon as possible following this deadline.

Frances Wilkins, senior lecturer in ethnomusicology at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, has been awarded a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship for her project, Seinn Coisrigte anns a' Ghàidhealtachd an Iar agus 'sna h-Eileanan Siar - Sacred Singing in the West Highlands and Western Isles.

The fellowship is for 24 months from January 2022-December 2023 and will enable the completion of a ground-breaking ethnographic study and the curating of a public-facing exhibition and website exploring sacred song traditions across Northern Scotland.

Scotland is home to an incredible wealth and variety of sacred song traditions with unique and multi-dimensional histories. In North-West Scotland, Gaelic psalmody is recognised as a highly stylised and unique vocal tradition, and is just one of numerous other practices making a profound contribution to the religious and cultural life of those living in the region. Frances Wilkins has been researching the subject since 2019 with the help of a Carnegie Trust Research Incentive Grant, and receiving this fellowship from the British Academy will enable her to focus on the completion and publication of the research, alongside significant public engagement activities related to the project. We wish Frances all the very best for this exciting new phase of her research!