Kristin McGee

Kristin McGee is a Senior Lecturer in Popular Music Studies at the University of Groningen’s Faculty of Arts, affiliated with the Arts, Culture and Media Department. She holds a PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Chicago and a Master’s in Saxophone Performance from Northwestern University. Her work bridges academia and practice, with expertise in popular music theory, gender studies, jazz history, and audiovisual media.

• Research focuses on transnational music cultures, gender dynamics in the music industry, and the role of music in socio-political contexts.
• Initiated the University of Groningen’s Popular Music program (2004) and the Groningen Student Big Band (2013).
• Leads projects like Music4Change (PhD education innovation) and Listen Here Now! (soundscapes and urban sustainability).

Research Interests: Popular music theory, gender and race in media, jazz history, transnational cultural studies, and music’s environmental impact.
Recent projects include Beyoncé in the World (analyzing feminist cultural impact) and studies on gender equity in European jazz festivals.

Awards: Honorable Mention for Ellen Koskoff Best Edited Volume Prize (2023), nominations for TLA Richard Wall Memorial Award (2009) and Lewis Lockwood Award (2009).
Teaching: Coordinates BA/MA courses on global popular music, music ethnography, and gender studies. Co-supervises PhD research in music industry dynamics and cultural mediation.

Labs/Teams: Director of Groningen Student Big Band, collaborator with mixed-media collective Hora Est, and former Chair of the Centre for Gender Studies (2020–2024).