Michael Gallope

Michael Gallope is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature at the University of Minnesota. He holds affiliate faculty positions in Music, Moving Image, Media & Sound, American Studies, and Religious Studies. As Vice-Chair of the CLA Assembly, he actively engages in academic governance and public advocacy for issues like academic freedom and shared governance.

Gallope's interdisciplinary work bridges philosophy, music, and critical theory. He earned a B.M./B.A. from Oberlin and advanced degrees in Historical Musicology from NYU. His research examines music's intersections with spirituality, social systems, and avant-garde practices. Key publications include Deep Refrains: Music, Philosophy, and the Ineffable (2017) and The Musician as Philosopher (2024), which explores New York's postwar avant-garde musicians' philosophical contributions.

His music career spans experimental, rock, and electronic genres. With the band IE, he released albums like Reverse Earth (2025). He collaborated with artists like Janka Nabay and performed globally at venues such as the Big Ears Festival and MoMA. Co-editing The Scores Project (2025), he digitized experimental postwar notation materials.

Gallope advocates for social justice through academic work, emphasizing anti-war advocacy and equitable curricula. His current projects include studies on music commodification and spirituality in late capitalism.