Dr. Michael Veal

Professor

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Biography

Michael Veal is the Henry L. Lucy G. Moses Professor of Music at Yale University and a member of the Yale faculty since 1998. He possesses an extensive background in ethnomusicology, with degrees from Berklee College of Music (B.M., 1986) and Wesleyan University (M.A., 1994; Ph.D., 2001). Veal's research primarily focuses on the musical topics within the black Atlantic cultural sphere, including Africa and the African diaspora. He authored the 2000 biography of Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, exploring post-colonial themes and the political implications of music in Africa. His 2007 book, 'Dub: Soundscapes Shattered Songs Jamaican Reggae,' investigates how studio-based innovations influenced post-WWII popular music's structure and conceptual realization. Veal's forthcoming work, 'Living Space,' will analyze under-documented periods in the careers of John Coltrane and Miles Davis. He leads groups such as Michael Veal & Aqua Ife and Michael Veal’s Armillary Sphere, while teaching courses on Music Cultures, Ethnomusicology, and Jazz at multiple educational levels.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

— Present

Yale University • New Haven, CT

Henry L. Lucy G. Moses Professor of Music.

Visiting Instructor

— Present

Mount Holyoke College •

Taught undergraduate courses in music.

Visiting Instructor

— Present

New York University •

Taught undergraduate courses in music.

Courses

Music Cultures of the World Theory & Practice of Ethnomusicology Traditional and Contemporary Musics of Sub-Saharan Africa Jazz Transition 1960 - 2020 Jazz & Architecture Music Post-Colonial Popular Music: Experimental Tradition Music Africa Recording Studio from a Sonic Cultural Perspective Topics in Jazz Studies Recalibrating the Ethnographic Radar (History of Ethnographic Recording) African Counterpoint Musical Afro-Futurisms Proseminar in Ethnomusicology

Requirements for Yale University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
TOEFL
Listening
Required:25
Speaking
Required:26
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Speaking
Required:7.5
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, or Mathematics
Application Checklist
  • Statement of academic purpose
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Application fee ($105)
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

Administered via the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). GRE General is optional for PhD.