Draft:South African Society for Research in Music

The South African Society for Research in Music (SASRIM) is a scholarly organization that fosters research in all fields of music in Southern Africa, including musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and music education. It was established in 2005 through the merging of the Musicological Society of Southern Africa and the Ethnomusicology Symposium, providing a platform for researchers and educators to share knowledge and promote interdisciplinary dialogue.

Founding and Origins

The formation of SASRIM marked a significant moment in the history of music research in South Africa. Prior to SASRIM, the Musicological Society of Southern Africa and the Ethnomusicology Symposium operated as separate entities, each catering to different branches of music scholarship. In the past, this divide manifested in both disciplinary and ideological tensions between the two forums.

South African Musicological Society

The South African Musicological Society was established on 20 October 1979 following earlier efforts by the Committee of Heads of University Music Departments (CHUM) to create a governing body for musicological activities in the country. The idea of a musicological society had been discussed at CHUM meetings since the mid-1970s, driven by a growing awareness of the need for such a body to oversee and advance the discipline of musicology in South Africa. However, initial attempts to finalize a constitution for the society were delayed several times due to disagreements and amendments proposed by CHUM members.

In 1979, a group of individuals led by Marianne Becker, Bernard van der Linde, Albert Troskie, and others, took over the task of drafting a constitution. This culminated in a meeting attended by 35 people, where the constitution was ratified, and the South African Musicological Society was officially founded. The Society aimed to advance music research, organize meetings, and publish scholarly works on musicology. Its first executive committee included Douglas Reid as President, George King as Treasurer, Marianne Becker as Secretary, and Mary Rörich as an additional member.

In its early years, the Society held regular meetings and began organizing smaller scholarly events, including lecture recitals and academic talks. Membership grew quickly, reaching 80 members by the end of 1980. One of the Society’s major achievements was the founding of the South African Journal of Musicology (SAMUS) in 1980, which became a key platform for the dissemination of South African musicological research. In 1989, the Society adopted a new constitution and was renamed the Musicological Society of Southern Africa.

Ethnomusicology Symposium

The Symposium on Ethnomusicology was first held in 1980 at Rhodes University by Andrew Tracey, with support from Rupert Mayr of the Rhodes University Music Department (featuring, amongst others, Andrew Tracey and well-known South African artist and academic Johnny Clegg as speakers). The symposium provided an alternative forum for scholars interested in the ethnomusicological study of South African and African music. Hosted annually except for one or two exceptions, the symposium grew in both scope and significance throughout the 1980s. Proceedings of the symposiums were published by the International Library of African Music (ILAM).

Whereas the Musicological Society focused largely on Western art music, the Ethnomusicology Symposium considered the diverse musical traditions of the majority of South Africans. This disciplinary divide reflected a broader politics of exclusion skewed on race, suppositions of racial difference and white supremacy. The symposium also attracted a more diverse group of participants, including postgraduate students, independent researchers, missionaries, and scholars of colour, many of whom were previously excluded from mainstream musicological spaces. There were thus both disciplinary and ideological tensions between the two forums.

Merger

The push for greater unity in music research, driven by a growing desire to overcome disciplinary divides, culminated in a historic joint congress held at the University of Cape Town in 2005. At this congress, delegates voted for the formation of a single, inclusive society for music research in the region. Music scholar Barbara Titus has commented on the symbolic importance of this move, noting that this “initiative to surpass the various musicological factions” can be seen as emerging “from the need to come to terms with a far more destructive form of segregation”.

Aims and Objectives

SASRIM supports and disseminates research across all musical traditions in Southern Africa and encourages collaboration between various music disciplines. It prioritizes research that engages with South Africa's complex cultural and historical context, especially the legacy of apartheid. SASRIM is also focused on “encouraging historically disadvantaged South African researchers who are currently underrepresented in academia to participate in the activities and opportunities”.

Publications and Activities

SASRIM publishes the journal South African Music Studies (SAMUS), which serves as an important outlet for scholarly articles on African and South African music. Previously known as the South African Journal of Musicology, Christine Lucia took over as editor in 2005, guiding the journal into a new era aligned with SASRIM’s broader mission of fostering inclusive, interdisciplinary music research.

SASRIM also hosts yearly conferences, where researchers and students meet to discuss their research. The 2024 conference was held at the University of Witwatersrand, co-hosted by the Black Opera Research Network (BORN), and had opera as its special interest topic.

External Links

• Official SASRIM website
• Profile on Music in Africa
• Profile on Music.org

References

• Muller, S. (2005). ‘Chronicle’, South African Journal of Musicology, 25, 159-175.
• South African Society for Research in Music. (n.d.). Home.
• South African Society for Research in Music. (n.d.). About.
• South African Society for Research in Music. (2024). 18th Annual Conference.
• Struwig, M. (2024) An Intellectual History of Institutionalised Music Studies in South Africa. PhD Dissertation. Stellenbosch University.
• Titus, B. (2008). ‘Report: The First Congress of the South African Society for Research in Music – ‘Musics, theories, practices: Focus on South Africa’, An “outsider’s view”’. South African Music Studies, 26/27, 172-173.

Citations

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