Inna Naroditskaya

Inna Naroditskaya is a Professor of Musicology at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, where she has taught for 22 years. Her academic career spans ethnomusicology, music history, and cultural studies with a focus on Russian, Azerbaijani, and diasporic music cultures.

Her research interests include:

• Azerbaijani and Eastern music cultures, particularly mugham tradition
• Russian music and opera, with emphasis on gender and political dimensions
• Music and diasporas, especially wedding traditions across cultural boundaries
• Gender studies in music performance and creation
• The intersection of music, politics, and national identity

Naroditskaya's scholarly work demonstrates a consistent engagement with how music functions as both cultural expression and political force. Her research often crosses disciplinary boundaries, connecting historical analysis with contemporary ethnographic observation. She has developed particular expertise in Russian imperial opera, Azerbaijani musical traditions, and the musical expressions of diasporic communities.

Her publications reveal evolving scholarly interests from Soviet and post-Soviet musical cultures to broader explorations of music in diasporic contexts and gendered performance practices. Recent work shows increased attention to transnational musical connections, particularly in tango studies and Middle Eastern musical traditions.

Scientific Awards and Recognition

• Rockefeller Bellagio Scholarly Residency
• Harvard University Davis Senior Fellowship
• Center for the Education of Women prize
• Rackham research grant from the University of Michigan
• Funding from the International Institute and School of Music at the University of Michigan

Naroditskaya has been an active mentor, with several former students now established as scholars and performers in American academic institutions. Her teaching reflects her diverse research interests, including courses on Music and Islam, European pop culture, and Russian Modernism. She has presented her work internationally at institutions including UC Berkeley, The University of Michigan, The University of Chicago, The Ethnology Institute in Osaka, and Hebrew University.

Her scholarly collaborations span the globe, working with researchers in Austria, Israel, Japan, Wales, Portugal, and Azerbaijan. She has served in leadership roles for the International Council for Traditional Music and the Society for Ethnomusicology.