Q&A with Featured DAAAS Faculty Member, Dr. Matthew D. Morrison
The Department is pleased to spotlight the newest member of our faculty, Professor Matthew D. Morrison! Read on to learn more about him and discover which classes he will be teaching.
1. Who are you?
I am Matthew Morrison, of Charlotte, NC, son of Charmayne Morrison, grandson of Rev. David L. (Fayetteville) and Phyllis Morrison (Farmville, VA). I'm a musicologist, violinist, and teacher. That sounded very formal, but that is who I am.
2. What inspires you? What makes you do what you do?
I am inspired by my ancestors who have paved the way for me to live the life that I live and to do the work I was brought on this earth to do, by my family (blood and chosen) and community, by music, love, the pursuit and experience of joy, and the continued quest for justice and equity among people—especially the most marginalized.
3. What sparked your interest in Musicology and Music?
I come from a musical family — my mom was a music major in college, and I came along during that time. My great Aunt Douglasena got a master's in music from Queens College in the '70s, and she's always been a musical inspiration. I started violin at a very young age (maybe 6?) and kept at it (even though I didn't have lessons until senior year of HS) and I sang in choirs from church all the way until I joined the Morehouse glee club for a year in college. The music teachers I have had along the way are some of the most encouraging instigators of my gifts, from Ms. Doris Jones (my home church music director who is now in her mid 80s who I will get to perform with again in early fall), to my college history and theory teacher at Morehouse, Dr. Robert Tanner, to my doctoral advisors, Professors Ellie Hisama and George Lewis. Music is in my bones and both performing and studying music are germane to my being.
4. Was there a specific “aha” moment when you knew you wanted to dedicate your life to Musicology?
I'm not sure that I've dedicated my life to musicology—the field, though I have invested quite a bit of time and energy into the profession and training. But I've always been curious, and since music is the thing I've spent the longest time doing, it came about organically. After I taught middle and high-school orchestra post college for three years, I applied to two music master's programs, one in conducting, and one in musicology — I didn't get into the conducting program, but I got into musicology. In the end, I feel I am where I am supposed to be and where I can contribute the most.
5. “Blacksound” is a Rolling Stone Best Music Book of 2024. “No book from this past year better explains American popular music than Matthew Morrison’s Blacksound.” What a great honor! Tell us about Blacksound.
Blacksound is my first book that was published in 2024 by the University of California Press. It began with my dissertation abstract at Columbia around 2010, turned into a dissertation, and took more time to develop into a book. The book itself traces the legacy of blackface minstrelsy and slavery in the making of American popular music and its industry, how these performances shaped musical and political developments throughout the nation, as well as racial identity making, racism, and the ways that we assume Intellectual Property functions in music within copyright law. I am very grateful for its reception, including winning the Prose Book Award for Excellence in the Humanities.
6. What will you be teaching at Stanford?
This quarter I'm teaching a class called "Black Arts in Theory and Practice" — I'm really excited about this course. In addition to a robust bibliography of literature on topics ranging from Black experimental practices to Blackness in movement to Black musical aesthetics, I have several brilliant and amazing artists and scholars as class guests—from Imani Uzuri, to Courtney Bryan, to amara tabor-smith, to International Mother of the House of Garcon Twiggy Garcon. We're going to engage in theory and practice in real time across fields of the (Black arts), and there will also be a special screening of the ballroom documentary "KiKi" with a talkback with its producer, Twiggy Garcon (Oct. 27th). In the winter, I'm teaching a Froshsem titled "The Foundations of American Popular Music" that will be based heavily on my book, Blacksound, and I'm proposing a graduate/upper division course called "Writing about (Black) Music and Performance) for this quarter.
7. What can students expect in a typical class with you? Is it more lecture based, discussion-heavy or hands on?
Students can expect rigorous, thoughtful, and critical engagement with music, culture, and other forms of texts/objects of analysis that considers history, performance, sound, politics, and their relation through deep readings, writing, discussion, and creative practices. That was a bit of a run-on sentence that I would edit on a paper, but that's also what students can expect in class :)
8. What is the best advice you received as a student?
I'm not great at advice, because I feel as though I am always learning and I don't always follow my own. But one thing I would say is be who you are and do what you think is important to you and that you are passionate about.
9. What is one skill you think is essential for success both in college and after?
Being kind and gentle with yourself as you put your best foot forward when you are able to do so and seek help/support when needed. There is a lot going on in this world of ours.
10. What are you looking forward to this upcoming year?
Getting to know and become integrated into the Stanford community of thinkers, students, and practitioners. Learning, teaching, collaborating, sharing resources and information. Working on new research and writing projects. I'm also looking forward to being in conversation with Hanif Abdurraqib on Oct. 8 on the topic of "What is a Public Intellectual Today" from 6-9 PM as part of the Public Humanities series.
11. What do you do for fun when you’re not teaching, writing or researching?
I'm an only child and a Libra, so I easily keep myself entertained, but I also enjoy the company of others. As one might expect, I love attending live music and theater performances (from Opera to Pop), I enjoy playing chamber music and performing in orchestras, I love to dance, I enjoy hiking and bouldering. Spending time with my friends, family, and godchildren and chosen family. The older I get, the more I appreciate the things that are most important to me, which are really quite simple. Especially in these times.
To connect, please contact Dr. Matthew D. Morrison at mdmorr [at] stanford.edu (mdmorr[at]stanford[dot]edu).