Lives in Musicology: My Life in Writings

Abstract

Responding to an invitation from the editors of Acta Musicologica to tell the story of his “life in musicology,” Kofi Agawu describes his upbringing and early education in Ghana and his university studies in the UK and the US. In a career focused on teaching, research, and writing, he outlines a number of intellectual projects involving the analysis of African and European music. He ends by acknowledging renewed discussions of race and identity in the musical academy today, and hints at his own growing interest in African art music.