Joseph S.C. Lam

Joseph S.C. Lam is a Professor of Musicology at the University of Michigan, specializing in Chinese music with interdisciplinary methods. He holds affiliations with multiple centers, including the Center for Chinese Studies, Center for Japanese Studies, Nam Center for Korean Studies, and the School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Education: PhD in Musicology from Harvard University (USA), MFA in Music from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (Japan), and BA in Music from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (China).

Research interests focus on the intersection of Chinese music with biography, culture, and history. Key areas include traditional Chinese and Japanese music, ethnomusicology, and music historiography. His work explores topics like Ming Dynasty ritual music, Song Dynasty ci songs, and contemporary Kunqu opera.

Publications highlight studies on imperial music, cultural memory, and opera traditions. Current projects include a monograph on Confucius’s Songs as a global music history of Chinese poetic music.

Affiliations extend to the Confucius Institute, Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, and the International Institute. His scholarship bridges historical and contemporary musical practices in Asia.