Musical Cultures of the Gulf South
As we all know, there is no place like New Orleans. The city moves to a musical beat that defines its soul. Students are drawn here for its extraordinary culture; faculty find the region rich in materials for teaching and research. Beginning in the fall of 2012, these threads will come together in a new interdisciplinary major that explores the heart of the region: the Musical Cultures of the Gulf South (MCGS). Drawing on courses throughout the school of liberal arts, although open to all in the university, the coordinate major will explore the area’s cultural identity; it will examine its global influences, it historical roots, and its artistic expressions. Through the lens of its dynamic musical cultures, it will offer a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the region. Through innovative service learning classes, it will provide opportunities to engage, document, and preserve New Orleans’s heritage. Ultimately, we are confident that, whether students remain in the city or leave upon graduation, their knowledge and appreciation of this rich culture will remain a part of who they are and how they see their world.
On Wednesday, April 4, from 12-2 at the LBC, we will be hosting a celebration for this new coordinate major. As befitting the Musical Cultures of the Gulf South, we will welcome it with abundant barbeque and extraordinary music. We hope that you will join us and pick up a tee shirt marking this auspicious occasion.
Here you will learn of the new introductory course on the Musical Cultures of the Gulf South, the classes throughout SLA that make up MCGS and the requirements for completing the co-ordinate major. For further information, please contact Joel Dinerstein -- jdinerst@tulane.edu -- at SLA’s New Orleans Center for the Gulf South.
We are extremely excited about the creation of this new field of study and grateful for a grant from Music Rising and support from the Fredman Family Foundation that have made this possible. As they say, “Only in New Orleans, Only at Tulane.”