Loren Ludwig

Loren Ludwig is a performer-scholar and Lecturer in Johns Hopkins University’s Medicine, Science, and Humanities Major at the School of Medicine, where he teaches “Music as Medicine,” exploring intersections of music and healthcare history. He also serves as Program Coordinator for the School of Medicine’s Program in Arts, Humanities, & Health, developing arts-in-health initiatives. Previously, he held musicology faculty roles at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, Grinnell College, and the New Zealand School of Music.

Ludwig’s research focuses on early modern musical culture, particularly the viola da gamba, polyphonic intimacy, and alchemical music connections. His work includes reconstructing 18th-century New England string traditions, uncovering African American contributions to colonial music, and analyzing Michael Maier’s alchemical fugues. He performs with ensembles like LeStrange Viols and ACRONYM, blending scholarship with performance.

Recent articles explore Bayard Rustin’s early music activism, post-war minimalism and early music revivalism, and Bach’s use of temperament. His research bridges musicology with interdisciplinary fields like medicine, history, and cultural studies. Though no formal awards are listed, his innovative work has been featured by the BBC and Early Music America.