Melanie Lowe

Melanie Lowe is an Associate Professor of Musicology at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music. She holds a Ph.D. and M.F.A. from Princeton University and an A.B. from Smith College. Her research bridges historical and contemporary music studies, focusing on musical meaning across eras and media.

Education: A.B. in Music (Smith College); M.F.A. and Ph.D. in Musicology (Princeton University).

Research Interests: Lowe explores topics including 18th-century symphonic structures, classical music in modern media, and intersections of pop culture with music. Her work emphasizes listener perspectives over traditional composer-centric approaches. Recent projects include analyzing 'tween' sexuality in teen pop and ironic masculinity in electropop.

Awards: Recipient of Vanderbilt’s Madison Sarratt Prize for Teaching, Blair Faculty Excellence Award, and Princeton Alumnae Teaching Award. Delivered Vanderbilt’s 3rd Annual Lawson Lecture.

Pedagogy: Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Musicology Pedagogy, with publications on teaching methods in Norton Guide to Teaching Music History and American Suzuki Journal.