معرفی
Marc Benamou is a Professor of Music and Director of the Javanese gamelan ensemble at Earlham College, located in Richmond, Indiana. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, alongside degrees from Oberlin College and Université de Paris X. His research focuses on ethnomusicology, with primary specialization in Javanese gamelan music and Peruvian saxophone orchestras. He has conducted fieldwork in Indonesia, Peru, and France, and his work explores aesthetics, musical meaning, and cross-cultural comparisons. Recent projects include a National Endowment for the Humanities-funded initiative to transcribe and analyze Javanese gamelan lyrics from cassette recordings.
Benamou’s teaching emphasizes global musical traditions beyond the Western canon, including courses on African, Japanese, and South American musics. He speaks French, Indonesian, and Spanish fluently, and has presented his research internationally in countries like Argentina, Italy, and Israel. His interdisciplinary interests span music and food, gender studies in music, and the intersection of musicology and linguistics. He has collaborated with institutions such as the Institut Seni Indonesia in Surakarta and participated in faculty research initiatives in Japan and the U.S.
Benamou’s career combines academic rigor with artistic practice, having performed as a singer of Javanese music and a classical trumpet player. His dedication to Earlham’s liberal arts mission is evident in his emphasis on student-centered learning and fostering cross-cultural connections among students. He has mentored students like Yasmine Lee and Tinisha Newland in research on African-American classical musicians, blending scholarly inquiry with community engagement.
