"Navigating the Politics of Music History; or, a Reflection on Two Years at Trivia Night" with Dr. Eric Saylor, Professor of Music

As a discipline, music history is inextricably bound up with political considerations. From ancient Greece to medieval France to contemporary America, politics have shaped who creates music and under what conditions, how listeners perceive and value it, and how historians present and preserve it.  In this year's lecture, Dr. Eric Saylor will consider some questions arising from the intersection of music and politics. Is "objectivity" possible in a musical-historical context? What did Plato get wrong about music (and why does it matter)? And most importantly, why doesn't the Music Department's faculty team do better at "Name That Tune" during Confluence Brewing Company's Trivia Nights?