Alexandra Yaralian, Doctorate of Musicology, 2029
What made you feel like this was the right program for your graduate studies?
The ethnomusicology program at the University of Illinois School of Music is one of the oldest and most respected in the country. I really wanted to work with my current advisor, Dr. Donna Buchanan, whose knowledge and enthusiasm has supported my research on Armenian music. In addition to my research, I have been able to further develop my skills as a performing musician through my participation in Balkanalia, the University of Illinois Balkan Music Ensemble.
What has been a highlight of your grad school experience so far?
A highlight of my grad school experience so far has been the friendships I’ve built with people from all over the world. The U of I is such an internationally diverse campus, and I have treasured getting to know people from different academic and cultural backgrounds. I feel very grateful to be able to build relationships with and learn from friends and classmates whose lives and perspectives are so different from my own.
Where do you go on campus when you need to reset or get inspired?
Caffe Paradiso! I always run into my friends there, which always makes my day.
What would you tell your past self before starting grad school?
I would tell her to take every opportunity she is given.
Tell us about a project or idea you’ve become really passionate about here?
My twin sister (who is also a student in the same program) and I conducted a research project last summer in Yerevan, Armenia, to learn more about the instrument that we play. It is a 72-stringed instrument called the kanon (kanun, qanun) and is played throughout the Middle East!
