Dr. Leslie Tilley

Associate Professor

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Biography

Leslie Tilley is an Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in Music with a focus on world music and ethnomusicology. She earned her Bachelor of Music in 2000 from Acadia University, followed by a Master’s degree in 2003 and a Ph.D. in 2013 from the University of British Columbia. Her research delves into analytical approaches to non-canonical musics, with particular emphasis on musical transformation. Tilley published her book 'Making Together: Art Collective Improvisation in Balinese Music' with the University of Chicago Press in 2019, which offers a sweeping study of collectively improvised practices. Her work examines the intricacies of Balinese music, especially the interplay between melodic reyong and kendang arja drumming traditions. She received the Emerging Scholar Award from the Society for Music Theory in 2022. Tilley has contributed to various articles and chapters that explore ethnography and the nuances of analysis within her field. She is also involved in pedagogical innovations for teaching gamelan music in Indonesia and has critically assessed the analytical methods utilized by ethnomusicologists over the past 140 years. Leslie actively presents her work at national and international conferences and teaches several courses including 'Rhythms of the World' and 'Introduction to World Music.'

Research Interests

Courses

Rhythms of the World Musics of Bali Fundamentals (Tonal) Music Introduction to World Music Analyzing Popular Music