Hutchins Lecture: David Garcia

“Music of Latin@s and their Predecessors in the United States before 1900”

What was “Latin music” like in pre-twentieth century America? Was there a “Latin music” or even a Latino identity during this historical period? With the current heated political debates surrounding Latinos, immigration, and national identity, a critical exploration of possible answers to these questions is not merely timely but in fact overdue. This lecture will explore ways of understanding the music of Spanish-speaking communities in pre-twentieth century America and will explain why this history should inform our understanding of Latin@s and their place in American society today.

David Garcia is Associate Professor of Music at UNC-Chapel Hill. He studied music at California State University, Long Beach (B.M. in composition, 1995), UC-Santa Barbara (M.A. in ethnomusicology, 1997), and The City University of New York (Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, 2003). Published in MUSICultures, Journal of the Society for American Music, The Musical Quarterly, and other academic journals, Garcia’s research focuses on the music of the Americas with an emphasis on black music and Latin music of the United States. He is also musical director of UNC’s Charanga Carolina ensemble, which specializes in Cuban danzón and salsa music. Garcia’s current book project, The Logic of Black Music’s African Origins in the Mid-Twentieth Century, is under contract with Duke University Press.