Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is an interdisciplinary field of study that analyzes the relation between music and culture. Some of the other fields that an ethnomusicologist may find useful in unraveling the roles music plays in different cultures is cultural anthropology (the study of human evolution from a physiological and biological perspective as it relates to culture), folklore (this encompasses stories, customs, and beliefs held by a particular culture), ethnic studies, and many other fields of social sciences.
Ethnomusicology is a field of study that has technically been around since at least the 18th century, existing under a different name. This field of study was once referred to as “comparative musicology” until sometime around the 1950’s. As time progressed so did the field. Today many of those working in the field of ethnomusicology have slowly shifted their focus from a detailed study of music to primarily focusing on cultural aspects. Despite this, there are still multiple angles an ethnomusicologist can take when it comes to understanding, interpreting, and analyzing the information they have gathered (for example looking at it more from an anthropological perspective as opposed to a musicological one, or vice versa).
How you choose to view this field depends on your own thoughts and perspectives. For example, some ethnomusicologists consider it closely related musicology (the study of music – more closely related to study and research as opposed to performance) while others think of it as more of a branch of anthropology.
So, if you love music and culture the field of ethnomusicology may be for you! An ethnomusicologist can make anywhere from $30,000 to $ 90,000 or more per year. If this is a field you are interested in, chances are you’ll find employment by a college or university, performing the role of a professor (giving lectures and conducting research). You’ll not only work with students but musicians and music librarians as well.