![Amanda Villepastour PhD](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/2802?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Amanda Villepastour
PhD
Reader
- VillepastourAV@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 76226
- 33-37 Corbett Road, Room Room 2.03, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EB
- Media commentator
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
Overview
While I have wide interests in the music of Africa, my research interests are concentrated on Yorùbá music in Nigeria and Afro-Cuban religious (Santería) music and their transatlantic connections. In particular, I have researched Nigerian and Cuban bàtá drumming of the Yorùbá deities, the orishas. Of particular interest to me is the relationship between language and music, including speech surrogacy in drumming and the technicalities of speech tone in song melody. My broader research interests include gender and music and organology.
Until the mid-1990s, I was a keyboardist in the popular music industry, writing, recording and touring with British artists including Boy George, Billy Bragg, and The Gang of Four. Coming from this performance background, I have set up the first world music ensembles in MUSIC, Lanyi (West African Ensemble) and Nogo Abang (Javanese gamelan), which spent three weeks in Java in June 2018.
Publication
2021
- Villepastour, A. V. 2021. The legacy of Ortiz’s Yorubization of Lucumí: translation as transculturation. HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory 11(1), pp. 153-173. (10.1086/714380)
2019
- Villepastour, A. 2019. The Cuban lexicon Lucumí and African language Yorùbá: musical and historical connections. In: Brunn, S. D. and Kehrein, R. eds. Handbook of the Changing World Language Map., Vol. 4. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 2575-2602., (10.1007/978-3-030-02438-3_183)
2017
- Villepastour, A. 2017. Speaking with the body in Nigerian and Cuban Orisha music: musical movements in song, dance and trance.. In: Post, J. C. ed. Ethnomusicology: A Contemporary Reader, Volume II., Vol. 2. Abingdon and New York: Routledge
- Villepastour, A. and Bran, L. 2017. Transmisión en la Eritá Meta: Ilú Keké,. [CD]. 15 July 2017.
- Villepastour, A. 2017. Two heads of the same drum? Musical narratives within a transatlantic religion. In: Kenney, E. T., Salenius, S. and Womack Smith, W. eds. Race and Transatlantic Identities. Routledge, pp. 56-75.
- Villepastour, A. and Bran, L. 2017. Transmisión en la Eritá Meta. Music Works NYC.
2015
- Villepastour, A. 2015. Anthropomorphizing Ayan in transatlantic gender narratives. In: Villepastour, A. ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks. University Press of Mississippi, pp. 125-146.
- Villepastour, A. 2015. "Orin Ibeji": (songs for the twins): sounding the sacred twins of the Yorùbá. In: Harris, R. and Pease, R. eds. Pieces of the Musical World: Sounds and Cultures. Routledge, pp. 169-188.
- Villepastour, A. ed. 2015. The Yorùbá god of drumming: Transatlantic perspectives on the wood that talks. University Press of Mississippi.
- Villepastour, A. 2015. Introduction: Asoro Igi (Wood That Talks). In: Villepastour, A. ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks. University Press of Mississippi, pp. 3-32.
- Ayangbekun, K. and Villepastour, A. 2015. Divining Ayan: an Orisa priest from Ogbomoso speaks. In: Villepastour, A. ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks. University Press of Mississippi, pp. 51-73.
2014
- Villepastour, A. 2014. Afro-Cuban music: a bibliographic guide by John Gray [Book Review]. Latin American Music Review 35(2), pp. 315-318.
- Villepastour, A. 2014. Talking tones and singing speech among the Yorùbá of Southwest Nigeria. Jahrbuch des Phonogrammarchivs der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 44, pp. 29-47.
2013
- Villepastour, A. 2013. Amelia Pedroso: The voice of a Cuban priestess leading from the inside. In: Hellier, R. ed. Women Singers in Global Contexts: Music, Biography, Identity. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, pp. 54-72.
2012
- Villepastour, A. 2012. Theory of African Music by Gerhard Kubik [Book Review]. Ethnomusicology 56(2), pp. 334-340. (10.5406/ethnomusicology.56.2.0334)
2010
- Villepastour, A. 2010. Ancient text messages of the Yorùbá bàtá drum : cracking the code. SOAS Musicology Series. Farnham: Ashgate.
2009
- Villepastour, A. 2009. Two heads of the same drum? Musical narratives within a transatlantic religion. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 7(3), pp. 343-362. (10.1080/14794010903069185)
- Villepastour, A. 2009. Fiddling in West Africa: Touching the spirit in Fulbe, Hausa, and Dagbamba cultures [Book Review]. Notes 66(2), pp. 284-286.
Articles
- Villepastour, A. V. 2021. The legacy of Ortiz’s Yorubization of Lucumí: translation as transculturation. HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory 11(1), pp. 153-173. (10.1086/714380)
- Villepastour, A. 2014. Afro-Cuban music: a bibliographic guide by John Gray [Book Review]. Latin American Music Review 35(2), pp. 315-318.
- Villepastour, A. 2014. Talking tones and singing speech among the Yorùbá of Southwest Nigeria. Jahrbuch des Phonogrammarchivs der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 44, pp. 29-47.
- Villepastour, A. 2012. Theory of African Music by Gerhard Kubik [Book Review]. Ethnomusicology 56(2), pp. 334-340. (10.5406/ethnomusicology.56.2.0334)
- Villepastour, A. 2009. Two heads of the same drum? Musical narratives within a transatlantic religion. Journal of Transatlantic Studies 7(3), pp. 343-362. (10.1080/14794010903069185)
- Villepastour, A. 2009. Fiddling in West Africa: Touching the spirit in Fulbe, Hausa, and Dagbamba cultures [Book Review]. Notes 66(2), pp. 284-286.
Audio
- Villepastour, A. and Bran, L. 2017. Transmisión en la Eritá Meta: Ilú Keké,. [CD]. 15 July 2017.
Book sections
- Villepastour, A. 2019. The Cuban lexicon Lucumí and African language Yorùbá: musical and historical connections. In: Brunn, S. D. and Kehrein, R. eds. Handbook of the Changing World Language Map., Vol. 4. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 2575-2602., (10.1007/978-3-030-02438-3_183)
- Villepastour, A. 2017. Speaking with the body in Nigerian and Cuban Orisha music: musical movements in song, dance and trance.. In: Post, J. C. ed. Ethnomusicology: A Contemporary Reader, Volume II., Vol. 2. Abingdon and New York: Routledge
- Villepastour, A. 2017. Two heads of the same drum? Musical narratives within a transatlantic religion. In: Kenney, E. T., Salenius, S. and Womack Smith, W. eds. Race and Transatlantic Identities. Routledge, pp. 56-75.
- Villepastour, A. 2015. Anthropomorphizing Ayan in transatlantic gender narratives. In: Villepastour, A. ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks. University Press of Mississippi, pp. 125-146.
- Villepastour, A. 2015. "Orin Ibeji": (songs for the twins): sounding the sacred twins of the Yorùbá. In: Harris, R. and Pease, R. eds. Pieces of the Musical World: Sounds and Cultures. Routledge, pp. 169-188.
- Villepastour, A. 2015. Introduction: Asoro Igi (Wood That Talks). In: Villepastour, A. ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks. University Press of Mississippi, pp. 3-32.
- Ayangbekun, K. and Villepastour, A. 2015. Divining Ayan: an Orisa priest from Ogbomoso speaks. In: Villepastour, A. ed. The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks. University Press of Mississippi, pp. 51-73.
- Villepastour, A. 2013. Amelia Pedroso: The voice of a Cuban priestess leading from the inside. In: Hellier, R. ed. Women Singers in Global Contexts: Music, Biography, Identity. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, pp. 54-72.
Books
- Villepastour, A. ed. 2015. The Yorùbá god of drumming: Transatlantic perspectives on the wood that talks. University Press of Mississippi.
- Villepastour, A. 2010. Ancient text messages of the Yorùbá bàtá drum : cracking the code. SOAS Musicology Series. Farnham: Ashgate.
Other
- Villepastour, A. and Bran, L. 2017. Transmisión en la Eritá Meta. Music Works NYC.
Research
Research interests
I have travelled widely in Africa, but my research interests are concentrated on music of the Yorùbá people in southwest Nigeria and their descendants in Cuba. My primary interest is the music of the deities of pre-Islamic and pre-Christian spirituality called the orishas. At the heart of this research is the bàtá drums, which have parallel traditions in Nigeria and Cuba, and how these drums communicate with linguistic technologies. I am also interested in how the tonal language, Yoruba, is set to song, and how this sacred repertoire manifests in Cuba, where devotees no longer speak the language.
Current Projects
In February 2018 I conducted a case study (funded by a British Academy/Leverhulme grant) about Cuba's sacred lexicon, Lucumí. This was conducted in partnership with Nigerian priestess and linguist, Adedoyin Faniyi (Villepastour 2021). I am currently developing this research.
2014-2020, I conducted an impact study in Matanzas Province, Cuba. My research about the provenance of a little-known set of consecrated batá drums in the province was documented in a CD titled called Ilú Keké: Transmisión en la eritá meta (Music Works, New York City). Co-produced with Luis Bran, this was the first production of the first label and production company in Matanzas, Sendero and the first commercial recording to be generated by Matanceros. The disc, which includes 6,000-word liner notes, won the Special Award for Musicological Research in Cuba Disco, "The Cuban Grammys" in October 2018. (See https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/music/research/impact/a-rediscovered-drum-reviving-musical-heritage-and-empowering-communities )
Teaching
I am currently supervising PhD candidates researching the kamalengoni harp in Mali and Burkina Faso, and representation of transnational identity and multiple belonging in contemporary Italian cultural production.
At postgraduate level, I teach The World of Music (regional studies through theoretical themes) and at undergraduate level, ethnomusicology and team-taught modules including Music as Culture, Music in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Ethnomusicology Project, and Music Sounded Out.
I advise postgraduate and undergraduate dissertation students.
I am the academic advisor for Lanyi (West African Ensemble) and Nogo Abang (Javanese Gamelan Ensemble)
Biography
Education
- 2006: PhD (Ethnomusicology) School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- 1998: MMus (Ethnomusicology) School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- 1997 Certificate in Music Teaching to Adults (Goldsmiths, University of London)
- 1981 BMus (Composition) University of Western Australia
Career overview
- 2011-present: School of Music, Cardiff University
- 2008-2010: Curator for Africa and Latin America, The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), Phoenix Arizona, USA
- 2007-2008: Ethnomusicology Instructor/Director of Afro-Caribbean Ensemble, Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA
- 2008: Research Fellow, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
- 2007: Research Fellow, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- 2001-2008: Course Director of Certificate in Music Teaching to Adults, Goldsmiths, University of London
- Previous career as a popular music performer, studio musician, arranger and songwriter.
Honours and awards
Honours
- 2018: Ilú Keké: Transmisión en la Erita won the Special Award for Musicological Research in Cuba Disco ("The Cuban Grammy's").
- 2016: Commendation for The Yorùbá God of Drumming: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Wood That Talks, British Forum for Ethnomusicology Book Prize
Academic Leadership
- 2015-present: Chair, Study Group for African Music (UK Branch), International Council for Traditional Music
- 2015-present: Vice-Chair, Study Group for African Music (Central Group), International Council for Traditional Music
- 2012-2015: Chair, British Forum for Ethnomusicology
Grants
- 2016: ESRC Initiator Grant for Cuban Impact Study
- 2012: British Academy/Leverhulme Grant for research on batá drumming in Cuba
- 2008: Smithsonian Institution Fellowship (The Latino Centre) for a research on female musicians in Afrocuban religious music in the USA
- 2007: AHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London to research the linguistic structures of Nigerian bàtá drumming
- 2003: Central Research Fund, University of London, PhD Fieldwork Award
- 2002: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, PhD Fieldwork Award
- 2001: Central Research Fund, University of London, PhD Fieldwork Award
- 2000-2005: Arts and Humanities Research Board (now the AHRC) PhD Scholarship
Professional memberships
- International Council for Traditional Music
- Royal Anthropological Institute (fellow)
- The Society for Ethnomusicology
- British Forum for Ethnomusicology
Academic positions
- 2011-present: Senior Lecturer, School of Music, Cardiff University
- 2008-2010: Curator for Africa and Latin America, The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), Phoenix Arizona, USA
- 2007-2008: Ethnomusicology Instructor/Director of Afro-Caribbean Ensemble, Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA
- 2008: Research Fellow, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
- 2007: Research Fellow, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- 2001-2008: Course Director of Certificate in Music Teaching to Adults, Goldsmiths, University of London
Committees and reviewing
Cardiff University Committees
- 2014-present: Steering Group for developing Collaborations with The National Museum Wales/Amgueddfa Cymru
- 2014-present: Heritage MA Workgroup (Collaboratively developing MA with CU and NMW.)
- 2014-2017: Board Member for The Phoenix Project, Cardiff University. (Development project in partnership with University of Namibia.)
Subject Associations
- 2013-present: Royal Anthropological Institute Ethnomusicology Committee (founding member)
- 2015-present: Study Group for African Music (Central Group) International Council for Traditional Music
- 2015-present: Study Group for African Music (UK Branch) International Council for Traditional Music (founding Chair)
- 2011-2016: British Forum for Ethnomusicology
- 2012-15: Research Consortium-UK (founding member).
Conference Organisation
- 2017: African Musics Study Group, UK branch (ICTM) Study Day. “Filming African Music.” Bath Spa University.
- 2016: African Musics Study Group, UK branch (ICTM) Study Day, Senate House, University of London
- 2015: British Forum for Ethnomusicology annual conference jointly with Société française d’ethnomusicologie, Quai Branley, Paris.
- 2014: British Forum for Ethnomusicology annual conference jointly with Analytical Approaches to World Music, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
- 2013: British Forum for Ethnomusicology annual conference jointly with ICTM Ireland, Queens University, Belfast.
- 2013: British Forum for Ethnomusicology one-day conference “Music around the Atlantic Rim” The School of Music, Cardiff University.
- 2013: Society for Ethnomusicology annual conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Prize committees
- 2015: Society for Ethnomusicology, Nettl Prize for outstanding publication in ethnomusicology.
- 2013: British Forum for Ethnomusicology, Best Student Paper at annual conference.
Supervisions
- Yoruba music in Nigeria and Cuba
- African music
- Batá
- Drumming
- Music and language
- Speech surrogacy
- Maloya music in Reunión