Bruno NETTL (1930-2020)
Professor Emeritus of Musicology
Ph.D. (musicology, ethnomusicology, with minors in anthropology and folklore), Indiana University; A.B. (music), M.A. (library science), University of Michigan; M.A., Indiana University
Bruno Nettl (1930-2020) was one of the most influential figures in ethnomusicology worldwide.
His education included: A.B. in music, Indiana University, 1950, M.A. in musicology, Indiana University, 1951, M.A.L.S. (library science), University of Michigan, 1960, Ph.D. in musicology, with minors in anthropology and folklore, Indiana University, 1953 with the dissertation: American Indian Music North of Mexico: Its Styles and Areas.
He held the following academic positions: At Wayne State University: 1953-54, Instructor in Music; 1954-56, Assistant Professor of Music; 1959-64, Assistant Professor of Music and Music Librarian; 1956-58, at the University of Kiel, Germany: Visiting Lecturer in Musicology; and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: 1964-67, Associate Professor of Music; 1967-2020, Professor of Music and of Anthropology, 1966-68, 1969-72, 1975-77, 1982-85, and 1987-89, Chair, Division of Musicology, 1992-2020, Professor Emeritus of Music and Anthropology, continuing teaching part-time on a regular basis.
On many occasions Professor Nettl served as a visiting professor all around the USA, as well as in Canada, Spain and the Czech Republic. He gave keynote addresses to solemn meetings and conferences of ICTM and SEM.
He was a contributor to reference works, including the following: New Harvard Dictionary of Music; Encyclopedia Britannica; The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980 and2001 editions); The New Grove Dictionary of American Music; Encyclopedia Americana; The Grolier Encyclopedia; Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (original and revised editions).
For his outstanding achievements Bruno Nettl received numerous honors and awards as well as many honorary degrees.
He also contributed in professional capacities to: The Society for Ethnomusicology as the Editor of its journal, Ethnomusicology, as a member of Executive Board, President etc; The American Musicological Society as a member of the Executive Board, member of the Council, and member of the Editorial Board; International Folk Music Council as the Editor of
Yearbook, 1974-77, and many more.