Dr. Ellen Bakulina

Biography

Ellen Bakulina is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, specializing in music theory. Her areas of expertise include tonal music, theory of tonality, Schenkerian analysis, form analysis, meter studies, and studies of Russian music, with a particular focus on the works of Sergei Rachmaninoff. Ellen holds a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill University (2007), a Master’s degree (2010) from McGill, and a PhD from the CUNY Graduate Center (2015). Her doctoral dissertation investigated the tonal pairing theories in Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil and was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Throughout her academic career, Bakulina has taught at institutions such as Brooklyn College (CUNY), Yale University, and the University of North Texas, covering a broad range of undergraduate and graduate courses. She has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and edited collections, including the Journal of Music Theory and Music Theory Online, and regularly presents papers at conferences. In her service to the academic community, she has held various committee roles including chairing the Russian Music Theory Interest Group and serving on the Professional Development Committee of the Society for Music Theory. Outside her academic work, Ellen is a pianist and choral singer and enjoys historical sewing and playing the Celtic harp.

Research Interests