Wachsmann, Klaus, 1907-1984

Biography

Klaus Wachsmann was a pioneer in the study of African music. Wachsmann lived in Uganda from 1937 to 1957. He first served in several offices in the Office of the Protestant Missions in Uganda. Later, he served as Curator of the Uganda Museum. In 1949, the British government gave him a grant, which ultimately enabled him to produce over 1500 recordings. From 1958-63, Wachsmann was Scientific Officer in charge of Ethnological Collections at the Wellcome Foundation in London. In 1963, Wachsmann moved to California and from 1963-68 was Professor of Music at UCLA and the Institute of Ethnomusicology. When he left UCLA he taught at Northwestern University. In 1976-77, he was Distinguished Visiting Professor of the College of the Humanities at the University of Texas, Dallas. In 1978-79, he taught as Richard Merton Gast Professor in the Institute of Ethnomusicology at the University of Cologne. In 1958, he received the bronze medal for "Devoted Service to Africa" from the Royal African Society. He was elected President of the Society for Ethnomusicology and of the International Folk Music Council. In 1984, the President of the Federal Republic of Germany bestowed upon Wachsmann the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Wachsmann died on July 17, 1984.

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