Dr. Julia Byl

Biography

Julia Byl is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Alberta, where she has been a faculty member since 2015. She holds a doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of Michigan, where she studied under notable scholars such as Judith Becker and Richard Crawford. Prior to joining the University of Alberta, Byl was a post-doctoral fellow at King's College London, working on a European Research Council project titled 'Musical Transitions Colonialism Eastern Indian Ocean.' Julia's research has primarily focused on ethnographic fieldwork concerning Toba Batak music in North Sumatra, exploring themes such as the historical interactions within the Indian Ocean region and the implications of Sumatran manuscripts in understanding global music history. Her projects engage with the intersections of contemporary performances of musical pasts and advocacy for community archiving practices, demonstrating her commitment to education and public scholarship. Byl has contributed significantly to the field of ethnomusicology through her research, teaching, and as the President of the Canadian Society for Traditional Music (2021-2024). She welcomes graduate students interested in global music studies and has supervised research on diverse topics, including dance-drama in India and queer music festivals in Canada.

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