Anna Morcom appointed as the Mohindar Brar Sambhi Endowed Chairholder in Indian Music
In a noteworthy event scheduled for Saturday, April 28, Schoenberg Hall will play host to a concert that marks the farewell of Professor Daniel Neuman from his position as the chair holder of the Mohindar Brar Sambhi Endowed Chair in Indian Music at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music's Department of Ethnomusicology.
The concert, set to begin at 8pm, serves as a tribute to the legacy of Ustad Sabri Khan, a pioneer of the sarangi in Indian music. This event is open to the public, with no admission charge, making it an opportunity for music enthusiasts to experience a celebration of a legendary figure.
The concert is particularly significant as it also marks the transition of the Sambhi Chair. Anna Morcom, a renowned academic musicologist and ethnomusicologist, will be taking over the position. Morcom specialises in the study of Indian and Tibetan musical cultures, with a focus on their social, cultural, and healing roles.
Professor Morcom, who holds a doctorate from SOAS, has conducted extensive ethnographic research on Himalayan music cultures, especially relating to Tibet and Indian Himalayan communities. Her scholarly books and articles explore the relationship between music, spirituality, and healing in these regions, and she has taught and lectured on the significance of Himalayan music traditions in academic settings.
Her most recent book, Illicit Words of Indian Dance: Cultures of Exclusion, has been awarded the Marcia Herndon Prize of the Gender and Sexualities section of the Society for Ethnomusicology. The prize committee described the book as "an outstanding work of mature scholarship...the breadth of this book is stunning."
While academic databases and university faculty pages would provide precise details about her publications, unfortunately, none of the provided search results mention her explicitly in relation to her accomplishments in Indian and Tibetan musical cultures.
Currently, Professor Morcom holds the position of Professor of Ethnomusicology at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her appointment as the next holder of the Mohindar Brar Sambhi Endowed Chair in Indian Music at UCLA is a testament to her significant research and contributions in the field.
The Sambhi Chair was established in 2005 to support the performance, study, and teaching of the music of India in the Department of Ethnomusicology at UCLA. This concert is a fitting farewell for Professor Neuman and a promising start for Professor Morcom in her new role.
The transition of the Sambhi Chair, as Professor Anna Morcom takes over, signifies a blend of education-and-self-development and entertainment, with Morcom's focus on Indian and Tibetan musical cultures. Meanwhile, the concert, in honor of Ustad Sabri Khan and Professor Daniel Neuman, offers an opportunity for learning about Indian music and its rich heritage through music and academic insights.
