Musicology in the World
The Curious History of the “Caveau” Viols (1/20/2026)
The viols’ journey tells us about Canada’s musical past and how “ancient’” instruments are woven into new cultural fabrics. Read more.
Powering State-Level Progress: How Foundation Support Is Creating Advocacy Paths for Lasting Change in Arts Education Policy (1/26/2026)
Anyone who has spent time advocating for music education knows this truth well: Real progress doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly doesn’t happen alone. Read more.
Replica of Beethoven’s Last Piano to Be Constructed (1/27/2026)
The project commemorates the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death. Read more.
Grammys’ AI Rules Aim to Keep Music Human (1/30/2026)
AI is making it hard for the music industry to embrace innovation while keeping it real. Gray areas in the Grammys’ rules leave questions about authenticity and authorship. Read more.
Scoring History with Ken Burns (1/30/2026)
The composers and musicians who bring Ken Burns’s documentaries to life describe an inventive creative process that integrates music and history. Read more.
Happy 2026! The History of RILM on Its 60th Anniversary (2/1/2026)
RILM celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026 via articles about its history. Read more about how RILM began, RILM’s early days, and “RILM and the Computer.”
Researchers Find New J. S. Bach Documents in Leipzig Archive (2/4/2026)
Bernd Koska has found a testimony written by Bach in support of another musician, as well as Telemann’s application for Leipzig’s Thomaskantor position in 1740. Read more.
Interview with 2025 Dent Medallist Professor Bettina Varwig (2/8/2026)
Professor Varwig reflects on her academic journey, offers advice for modern musicians, and shares insights into interdisciplinary research. Read more.
Bad Bunny Gives Super Bowl Viewers Two Choices: Crash Out or Tap In (2/8/2026)
The claim that music sung in Spanish will alienate viewers ignores the fact that many people would rather join the fun than risk being left out of it. Read more.
Collegiate Early Music: You Forgot the Students (2/8/2026)
A soprano with a busy career asks about higher education: “As a graduate of two early-music programs, I frequently find myself questioning the value of my degrees.” Read more.
The Musical History of Wuthering Heights, From Brontë and Bush to Brat (2/9/2026)
Wuthering Heights is a landmark novel. While the story of an all-consuming love is timeless, the music that follows is as expansive as the Yorkshire moors. Read more.
Love in the Stacks (2/11/2026)
The Library of Congress offers a Valentine’s Day guest blog post sharing examples of love letters from the Music Division’s special collections. Read more.
Voicing Innocence: An Annotated Bibliography (2/12/2026)
RILM’s annotated bibliography of Kaija Saariaho’s Innocence documents, organizes, and makes accessible music scholarship about the composer and this opera. Read more.
New Books in Music Podcast (2/15/2026)
Listen to the latest from the New Books in Music podcast, featuring books on The Cure, K-Pop, Ballroom, and more.
Higher Ed News
Tackling Loneliness With the Arts (1/13/2026)
Art Pharmacy uses “social prescribing” to offer students nonclinical paths to better mental health and connection on campus. Read more.
University of Kentucky Flags Nearly 1,200 Organizations for Termination/Deeper Review (1/13/2026)
The university reviewed its external relationships at the behest of the US Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights. Read more.
The Next Era of Reference Management (1/23/2026)
Read more in this interview with William Gunn, an expert on the reference management industry.
The Trends, Policies, and Lawsuits That Will Shape Higher Ed in 2026 (1/30/2026)
Higher Ed Dive rounds up its outlooks for the year ahead, with expert insight on what college leaders should be watching. Read more.
How Higher Ed Staved Off a Research-Funding Bloodbath—For Now (2/5/2026)
Tucked into a slew of bills signed by President Trump this week was a rare win for research universities—one that aims to keep billions in taxpayer dollars flowing. Read more.
An AI Bot Is Making Podcasts With Scholars’ Research (2/5/2026)
Read more about AI-generated podcasts of scholars’ research, many of whom are not impressed.
Federal Judge Dismisses Antitrust Allegations Against Top Publishers (2/6/2026)
Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, Wiley, Sage Publications, Taylor & Francis, and Springer Nature scored a win for their peer-review and submission policies. Read more.
Designed for Someone Else’s Life: Balancing Academic Careers with Caregiving Responsibilities (2/9/2026)
Read more at The Scholarly Kitchen.
To Solve the Student-Attention Problem, Professors Turn to Pencils and Paper (2/10/2026)
Read more about how one professor has responded to student distraction in the classroom: No tech allowed.
