Maureen Russell's blog

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of United States citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.  National Hispanic Heritage Month had its origins in 1968 when Congress passed

Mantle Hood (1918-2005) was a pioneer in the field of ethnomusicology and the Founder and Director of the UCLA Institute (now Department) of Ethnomusicology.  Hood was on the UCLA Faculty from 1956 to 1975.  "Mantle Hood was a seminal figure in the field of ethnomusicology and his influence was

UCLA Ethnomusicology alumna Carol Merrill-Mirsky (Ph.D. 1988, M.A.

Los Angeles-based impresario Irwin Parnes (1917-1994) was best known for pioneering the staging of multicultural, multiethnic productions.  Parnes was the longtime managing director of the International Concerts Exchange Foundation.  He was also the manager of the Performing Arts series at the University of Judaism (now American Jewish University, Los Angeles).  From 1947 to 1992, Parnes presented 45 International Folk Dance Fes

The UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive is pleased to announce that more recordings from the Archive's collections are now available as part of the

The legendary Francisco Aguabella (1925-2010) was an Afro-Cuban percussionist and master sacred drummer of the Santeria religion.  Aguabella  was born in Matanzas, Cuba, but immigrated to California in 1953 to work with dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham on the movie Mambo.  He went on to

Arts in Corrections was a unit within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that contracted with independent community service organizations and professional artists to provide arts programs within correctional institutions.

By guest columnist Carol Merrill-Mirsky, Ph.D.

Jeff Richmond, Jacqueline DjeDje, and Carol Merrill-Mirsky at the "Peace Cave" where the 1738-39 Peace Treaty was signed.  Photo courtesy Jeff Richmond.

In October 2009, the U.S.

Bette Yarbrough Cox (1921-2017) was a music educator in Los Angeles for more than 30 years, the founder of the BEEM (Black Experience as Expressed through Music) Foundation for the Advancement of Music, a Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of Los Angeles, and a longtime friend of former Mayor Tom Bradley.