Research Highlights Alumni Success: Dr. Cristina Magaldi '94 Achievements
Cristina Magaldi, a renowned musicologist, has made significant contributions to the field of music, particularly in the areas of Latin American music, Brazilian music, music and globalization, music and nationalism, popular music, and music and gender.
Magaldi's academic journey began at the University of Brasilia, where she earned her B.A., before moving on to Reading University for her M.M. Under the guidance of her advisor, Dr. Jonathan Dunsby, Magaldi found her passion for musicology. This early influence set the stage for her future work.
At UCLA, where she earned her Ph.D., Magaldi's research interests expanded further, thanks in part to the influence of Dr. Susan McClary, whose focus on the social and cultural aspects of music making helped Magaldi broaden her research horizons.
Throughout her career, Magaldi has been recognised for her scholarly work. In 2005, her book "Music in Imperial Rio de Janeiro: European Culture in a Tropical Milieu" received the Robert M. Stevenson Award. Five years later, she was awarded the Irving Lowens Article Award for her article "Cosmopolitanism and World Music in Rio de Janeiro at the Turn of the Twentieth Century," which was published in "Musical Quarterly: Volume 92."
As a professor at Towson University, Magaldi continues to inspire students with her unique perspective on music. Balancing teaching and research, she focuses more on teaching during the academic year, pushing her research into the summer and school recesses. With the advent of online research tools, Magaldi's approach to teaching has evolved, now centred on helping students make sense of available information and develop their own line of thought.
Magaldi's career success can be attributed in part to her time at UCLA, where she had the opportunity to learn from top scholars, interact with a range of ideas, and receive institutional support. She encourages current students and young alumni of The Herb Alpert School of Music to love what they do, find their own path, and use their knowledge for the betterment of the world.
For those interested in learning more about Magaldi's work or seeking advice, she can be reached via email at alumni@our website. Her contributions to the field of musicology continue to resonate, inspiring a new generation of scholars to explore the rich tapestry of music from a global perspective.
Cristina Magaldi's academic and research interests extend beyond music history to include the realm of education-and-self-development, especially personal-growth and learning. Her experiences at UCLA, where she was exposed to diverse ideas and top scholars, fueled her passion for broadening her research horizons and fostering a unique perspective on music for her students at Towson University.
