Global Music Archive at the Wilson Music Library (Vanderbilt University)

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., Global Music Archive’s (GMA) primary mission is to provide access to sound recordings and images of indigenous music from Africa and the America. It was founded in 2003 by Gregory Barz, an Associate Professor of Musicology (Ethnomusicology) at Vanderbilt University. The archive is housed at the Anne Potter Wilson Music Library at Vanderbilt University’s school of music. The library includes public study rooms, listening and viewing facilities for audio and video.

In addition to collecting music and dance performances, the archive collects contemporary and popular music and new compositions presented in a traditional style. The Digital Collection of East African Recordings was the first database launched by the GMA and consists of over 1 600 music performances recorded by ethnomusicologist, Centurio Balikoowa. Its holdings contain Ankole recordings and solo ndere flute players from Uganda. Printed collections of music materials and songs are together with their related dissertations on traditional music and handbooks of ethnomusicology.

In 2004, the archive implemented a program of active audio field recording which includes a network of recording sources throughout Uganda. The recordings that result from this program are transferred to the archive where they are catalogued and considered for inclusion in the GMA’s digitization project.

Global Music Archive is housed is to members of the public from Monday to Friday at 09h00am until 17h00pm and is closed on Saturday and Sunday.