Susan McClary

Susan McClary is the Fynette H. Kulas Professor of Music at Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Music (College of Arts and Sciences). A globally influential scholar, she has held professorships at the University of Minnesota, McGill University, UCLA, and the University of Oslo. Her work redefines music analysis by addressing its cultural, social, and gendered dimensions, challenging traditional aesthetic frameworks.

Education: PhD in Music (Harvard University, 1976). Earlier degrees include a B.Mus. from Southern Illinois University (SIU).

Research Focus: McClary’s interdisciplinary research spans the European classical canon and contemporary popular music. Key themes include gender in music, musical form’s socio-political content, and the intersection of music with identity, particularly in Renaissance and Baroque eras. Her approach emphasizes music as a dynamic social practice rather than an abstract art form.

Publications & Impact: She authored landmark books such as Feminine Endings (1991) and Conventional Wisdom (2000), translated into 20+ languages. Her writings bridge musicology with feminist theory, cultural studies, and critical social analysis.

• Awards: 1995 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship
• Advising: Oversaw over 50 doctoral dissertations
• Courses Taught: Music History, Music Theory, Early-Music Performance Practices

Her work remains foundational in redefining music’s role in sociocultural contexts.