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Alexander Nunes

PhD Candidate in Cross-Cultural Musicology

Alexander (Alec) Nunes is a Ph.D. candidate in cross-cultural musicology. Until recently, his research examined Japanese American traditional music practices in California as its participants navigated tradition, gender, sexuality, white supremacy, and the legacy of anti-Asian sentiment. As the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires have caused cancellations for every festival or event since it began in 2020, he is broadening his research to include ecomusicology to articulate better the pandemic's impact and ongoing climate disasters on his musical collaborators and for other traditional music practices. He received his B.A. in Music at UCSC, where he focused on the music of the American otaku subculture. In his free time, he enjoys video and board games, cooking, and gardening.

Research Interests: 

Alec's research interests include music of Japan, Asian American studies, affinity group music, gender and sexuality, critical race theory, nostalgia, video game music, and now ecomusicology.

Selected Publications: 

In press           “A Link Between Worlds: Nostalgia and Liminality in Musical Covers of the Legend of Zelda.” Nostalgia and Videogame Music: A Primer of Case Studies, Theories, and Analyses for the Player-Academic. Chicago: Intellect, 2022.

Selected Presentations: 

2019                “Japaneseness,” Whiteness, and the Shamisen: Learning from non-heritage performers in the California Bay Area.” Presented at the international annual meeting for the Society of Ethnomusicology, Bloomington, IN.

2019                “‘Unconsciously We Emphasize Visuals Alone:’ Recontextualizing Anime through Western Pop Music.” Presented at the annual meeting for the Northern California Chapter for the Society of Ethnomusicology, Merced, CA.