Academic Bio
PhD in Music, Ethnomusicology Assistant Lecturer, Indian Music Ensemble, Department of Music, University of Alberta
- SEM Northwest Chapter Best Paper Prize 2023 Winner
- ICTM Student Paper Prize 2022 Winner
- SEM 21st Century Fellowship Award 2021 Recipient
- Society for Asian Music (SAM) Graduate Student Small Grant Award 2021 Recipient
Dr. Subash Giri is an Assistant Lecturer of Indian Music Ensemble (IME) at the Department of Music, University of Alberta from May 2019 to present. He received his PhD in Music (Ethnomusicology) from the University of Alberta, Canada. He also holds degrees in Hindustani Classical Voice (M MUS) and Sociology (MA) from University of Nepal, and Music Management (M MUS MGMT) from University of Agder, Norway.
Dr. Giri’s research focuses on South Asian diaspora in North America, particularly Canada and the United States, and South Asia, particularly in Nepal and India. His research interests include music and minority; music, human rights, and social justice; music sustainability; music and community well-being; community-based and collaborative research; applied ethnomusicology; participatory ethnomusicology; music and diasporic identity; and music business, music industry, and copyright. His research articles have been published in several international journals.
- Academic CV -
Education
PhD in Music, Ethnomusicology 2023, University of Alberta, Canada
Master’s Degree in Music Management 2016, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
Master’s Degree in Music (M. Mus), Classical Music Performance 2010, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Bachelor’s Degree in Music (B. Mus), Classical Music Performance 2006, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Giri, Subash. 2022. “Homeland Echoes: Music, Sound, and Bhakti Among the South Asian Hindu Diaspora in Edmonton, Canada.” South Asian Diaspora. Submitted November 09.
Giri, Subash. 2022. “Participatory Ethnomusicology: An Epistemic Approach to Social Justice, Human Rights, and the Sustainability of the Traditional Arts of Minorities.” In “Social justice, human rights, and sustainability of traditional arts,” special issue, International Journal of Traditional Arts 4, no. 1: 1-23. https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk/index.php/ijta/article/view/54
Giri, Subash. 2022. “Engaging Communities in Research: Applied Ethnomusicology, Shared Knowledge Production, and Cultural Empowerment in the Nepalese Diaspora Community of Edmonton, Canada.” In Proceeding of Seventh Meeting of ICTM Study Group on Applied Ethnomusicology: Performing, Engaging, Knowing, Lucerne, August 26-29, 2020: 1-23. Lucerne: Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Zenodo (Forthcoming).
Giri, Subash. 2021. “Nepalese Diasporic Music in Canada: Representing, Reimagining, and Resonating Homeland.” Ethnomusicology Journal (Association of Ethnomusicology – Turkey) 4, no. 1: 60-82. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/etnomuzikoloji/issue/61985/928485
Giri, Subash. 2021. “Digital Technologies and Music Digitisation: Challenges and Opportunities for the Nepalese Music Industry.” International Journal of Music Business Research 10, no. 2 (September): 1-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijmbr-2021-0005
Book Review
Giri, Subash. 2021. Book Review of Music in the American Diasporic Wedding, Inna Naroditskaya (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2019). H-Celebration, H-Net Reviews: 2-4. https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=55659
Giri, Subash. 2020. Book Review of Singing Across Divides: Music and Intimate Politics in Nepal, Anna Marie Stirr (New York, Oxford University Press). Asian Music 51, No. 2 (summer/fall): 158-160. doi:10.1353/amu.2020.0028
Giri, Subash. 2020. Book Review of Recasting Folk in the Himalaya: Indian Music, Media, and Social Mobility, Stefan Fiol (Urbana: University of Illinois Press). Yearbook for Traditional Music 52: 221-223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ytm.2020.36
Translations
English to Hindi
Giri, Subash. 2022. Translation of ICTM Statement and Activities in View of Decolonization of Music and Dance Studies. International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM). https://www.ictmusic.org/documents/decolonization-music-dance-studies/hindi
English to Nepali
Giri, Subash. 2022. Translation of ICTM Statement and Activities in View of Decolonization of Music and Dance Studies. International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM). https://www.ictmusic.org/documents/decolonization-music-dance-studies/nepali
English to Nepali and Hindi
Giri, Subash 2021. Translation of CSTM’S CALL TO ACTION: Challenging Systemic Racism and Colonialism in Ethnomusicology in Canada, by Canadian Society for Traditional Music: 1-2.
English to Nepali
Giri, Subash 2021. Translation of Notes on the Musical Instruments of the Nepalese, by A. Campbell. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal VI, Part II: 286-290. Archived in Music Museum of Nepal
Other Publications
Giri, Subash. 2022. “Systematization of Non-Western Music Teaching in Canada: An Inquiry.” The Canadian Music Teacher 73, no. 3 (Spring): 22-25. https://www.cfmta.org/docs/magazines/73-3.pdf
Giri, Subash, 2021. “Non-Western (World) Music Teaching in Canada: Opening the Doors.” TEMPO, Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association (September): 11-12. https://armta.ca/prov18/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Tempo_2021_Aug12_WEBsmall-size.pdf
Giri, Subash and Anna Wright, 2021. “Writing: Approaches and Practices.” SEM Student News 16, No. 2 (Fall/Winter): 38-41.
Giri, Subash and Anna Wright, 2020. “Theories in the Field and Classroom.” SEM Student News 16, No. 1 (Spring/Summer): 48-52. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ethnomusicology.org/resource/group/dc75b7e7-47d7-4d59-a660-19c3e0f7c83e/publications/semsn16.1.pdf.
Giri, Subash, 2018. “Music as an Identity: A Perspective on the Nepalese Community of Edmonton.” Connection: Voice of Nepalese Community. Nepalese Canadian society of Edmonton: 68-70.
Giri, Subash, 2018. “Music and Identity: Articulation of Nepalipan among the Nepalese Canadian Society of Edmonton.” Maple Ko Phed Bata. Nepali Literary Club of Alberta, Edmonton: 63-72.
Selected Conference Presentations (Published refereed abstracts)
2022. “Empowering the Disempowered: Applied Ethnomusicology, PAR, and Sustainability of Music Cultures of Minorities.” Paper presented at Joint Symposium 2022 – Applied Ethnomusicology and Music and Dance in Latin America and the Caribbean – Rio de Janerio (September 19 – 24).
2022. “Engaging Community in Creating an Ethnomusicology Archive: A Digital Community Archive Project in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.” Paper presented at 46th World Conference, International Council for Traditional Music, Lisbon, Portugal (July 21-27).
2022. “Traditional Music for Cultural Continuity, Sustainability and Community Well-Being: A Case Study of the Nepalese Diaspora Community in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.” Paper presented at the Twelfth International Doctoral Workshop in Ethnomusicology, Center for World Music (CWM) at the University of Hildesheim and Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media (HMTMH), Hildesheim, Germany (June 21-24).
2022. “Teaching, Learning, and Transmitting Music: A Community Collaborative Initiative for Building Cultural Resilience and Bridging Intergenerational Gap in Minority Communities.” Paper presented at 2022 Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK (April 7-10).
2022. “Community Musicking, Teaching, and Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Two Music Centered Intervention Projects in the Nepalese Minority Immigrant Community of Edmonton.” Paper presented at Graduate Colloquium “Musicking in Uncertain Times,” York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, (March 25).
2020. “Music for Culture: Community Participatory Approach for Cultural Continuity and Sustainability in the Nepalese Diaspora Community of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.” Paper presented at Performing, Engaging, Knowing: Seventh Meeting of the ICTM Study Group on Applied Ethnomusicology, Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Lucerne, Switzerland August 26-29).
2018. “‘Folk-Rock’ Music Scene of Kathmandu: The Issues of Transculturation and Youth Identity.” Paper presented at Legacies and Prospects: The Past and Futures in Music, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal, Canada (May 24-26).
2018. “Ambivalence, Parody, and Mockery: Embodying the Politics of Gender in Tij Songs of Nepal.” Paper presented at Joint Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Music and Minorities and Music and Gender, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Austria (July 23-30).
2018. “‘Folk-Rock’ Music Scene of Kathmandu: The Issues of Transculturation and Youth Identity.” Paper presented at NCOUNTERS Conference, Engaging Music Research and Practice, Department of Music, University of Alberta, Canada (March 16).
2018. “‘Folk-Rock’ Music Scene of Kathmandu: The Issues of Transculturation and Youth Identity.” Paper presented at 6th Biennial Yale Graduate Music Conference, Yale University, USA (March 2-3).
Selected Invited Talks, Lectures, Presentations
2022. Let’s Drum Together: Introduction to a Unique Hand Drum of South Asia.” Invited talk and workshop session, Music Conference Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (October 20-22).
2022. “Academic Research.” Invited talk and workshop session, Music Museum of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal (June 3-4).
2021. “Multi-cultural Music,” Invited presentation, Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association (ARMTA), Calgary Branch, Calgary Canada (March 10).
2021. “Hindustani Music System: An Introduction.” Invited presentation, Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association (ARMTA), Edmonton Branch, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (February 25).
2020. “Vedic Chant and Instrument of South Asia.” Invited talk, Nepalese Language and Heritage Centre (NLCC), Winnipeg, Canada (December 19).
2017. “Music of Nepal,” Music 102, Guest lecture, Introduction to World Music, University of AB, (November 1).
2017. “Madal: The most popular drum of Nepal.” Invited presentation, Noon Presentation, Sound Studies Initiatives, University of Alberta (January 18).
2015. “Music of Nepal.” Guest Lecture, World Music, undergraduate course, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway (September-December).
Fellowships, Awards, Scholarships & Grants
2022. ICTM Student Paper Prize 2022 Winner Bests Student Paper presented at the 46th ICTM World Conference in Lisbon. Paper title: “Engaging Community in Creating and Ethnomusicology Archive: A Digital Community Archive Project in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.”
2022. Barbara Barnard Smith Travel Award, International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM)
2022. J Gordon Kaplan Graduate Student Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR), University of Alberta
2022. President’s Fund Award, Department of Music, University of Alberta
2022. Department of Music Conference Travel Award, University of Alberta
2021-22, University of Alberta Graduate Completion Scholarship
2021, 21st Century Fellowship, Society for Ethnomusicology (For Doctoral Research Fieldwork)
2021, Society for Asian Music Small Grants Award (For Doctoral Research Fieldwork)
2021, Edmonton Consular Corps Award, University of Alberta International (For Doctoral Research Fieldwork)
2020-21, Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, University of Alberta
2020-21, ARMTA Continuing Education Scholarship, Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association
2019-20, Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, University of Alberta
2019, Graduate Students’ Academic Travel Award, GSA, University of Alberta
2019, Department of Music Conference Travel Award, University of Alberta
2018, Graduate Students’ Academic Travel Award, GSA, University of Alberta
2018-19, Alwaez Hasan and Rashida Nazarali Scholarship in Ethnomusicology for superior academic achievement, University of Alberta
2018, Department of Music Conference Travel Award, University of Alberta