The Balkan History Association (BHA) and the Institut für Musikwissenschaft (Department for Musicology) at the University of Leipzig signed a cooperation agreement. The BHA thus expands its collaboration with organizations and researchers from East and Southeastern Europe.
The agreement aims at deepening the understanding of music in the Balkans and its connection with the world. Together, we aspire to facilitate the formation of a scholarly community specializing in the study of the region and commit to the professional development of early-career researchers. Furthermore, the agreement wants to establish a platform for cooperation between researchers and the general audience, facilitating the dialogue on musicological research beyond purely academic circles.
To achieve these goals, the two organizations will organize events in various formats, promote exchanges between their members and carry out joint research programs. Furthermore, the Department’s International Study Group for Middle and East European Music History’s Bulletin as well as the BHA’s peer-reviewed Hiperboreea journal provide opportunities for joint publications.
Originally founded in 1908 by Hugo Riemann, the Department has a track record of research and teaching with the chair for historical musicology focusing on cultural transfer, identities, and political contexts, repertoire and reception research, as well as music analysis and interpretation. The Institute regularly collaborates with concert venues such as the Gewandhaus and the Leipzig Opera House. Besides the Edvard Grieg Research Center, the Bach Archive, and the German Music Archive, the Institute also frequently cooperates with the local State Archive—holding the collections of eminent institutions such as the Bärenreiter, Breitkopf & Härtel, and Peters publishing houses. For those interested in organology and music automata, the University runs the Museum of Musical Instruments. Finally, the Institute has partnered with the University of Music and Theater Leipzig since 2016.
The cooperation agreement will remain in effect for four years and is subject to a possible extension.