معرفی
Karin Lagergren is Associate Professor in Musicology at the Department of Music and Art, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Linnaeus University, and a Research Associate at the Alamire Foundation, Leuven University. Her academic career spans teaching and research in music history, ethnomusicology, and early music, with particular expertise in Gregorian chant and the musical traditions of the Birgittine Order from the 14th century to the present day.
Dr. Lagergren's research primarily focuses on early music and Gregorian chant, with special attention to the musical traditions of the Birgittine Order founded by Saint Birgitta of Sweden. She examines how these traditions have evolved through centuries, challenging the notion that Gregorian chant is solely a medieval phenomenon. Her work combines music historical and musicological approaches with field studies to understand the transmission and adaptation of liturgical music across time.
Her publication record demonstrates sustained scholarly engagement with Birgittine liturgical music, particularly chant repertoires and manuscript sources. Recent work increasingly incorporates interdisciplinary methods, including acoustic analysis and multisensory studies of medieval religious spaces. This scholarly trajectory reflects both deep historical inquiry and contemporary relevance, showing how medieval traditions continue to inform modern religious music practice.
Dr. Lagergren was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 2024 (member 1056), recognizing her significant contributions to musicology and Swedish musical culture, particularly her work on the Birgittine Order's musical traditions.
She has supervised numerous theses and degree projects focusing on music historical questions, field studies, and interviews. Her research has been supported by major grants including a Swedish Research Council international postdoc (2013-2015) on 'The Transmission of the Cantus Sororoum in the Low Countries,' a Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences project (2016-2020) on 'The Musical World of the Birgittine Order,' and participation in the Swedish Research Council's interdisciplinary project 'Multisensory Vadstena in the Late Middle Ages' (2017-2020).
Dr. Lagergren co-founded Medeltidsforum Linné, a multidisciplinary network connecting researchers and students interested in the medieval period. She serves on the board of Cantus Planus, a study group within the International Musicological Society dedicated to sacred song research. Additionally, she founded the vocal ensemble Gemma in 2006, which specializes in performing medieval church music from Scandinavian sources, including the album 'Maria! Maria! 400 Years of Chant in the Birgittine Order' (2018).
