David Pier

David Pier is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina, affiliated with the Department of Music. His research focuses on African music, cultural politics, and the history and culture of Uganda. He specializes in ethnomusicology, the music of African diasporas, and jazz. Pier's recent work includes an ethnographic study of contemporary Ugandan music and arts, as well as research on the Ugandan guitar-based genre 'kadongo kamu' and modern dance development. He serves on the editorial board of African Arts and UNC's Process Series advisory board. As a jazz pianist, he has collaborated with renowned artists like Clark Terry and Roswell Rudd.

• Education: B.A./B.Mus., Oberlin College/Oberlin Conservatory; M.A. and Ph.D. in Music (Ethnomusicology), CUNY Graduate Center
• Teaching: Courses include Introduction to Africa, Music of Africa, Politics of Cultural Production, and Afrofuturism seminars.

Pier's research bridges academic and artistic realms, emphasizing the intersection of creativity, cultural identity, and socio-political dynamics in Africa and its diasporas. His current projects explore Uganda's cultural entrepreneurship and modern dance evolution.