Note: This page explores musicians with Indigenous/Native American heritage.
Much of the music by indigenous composers is unpublished, but we are actively looking to find more works and add them to the library! Here are just a few indigenous composers with content you can access through the library and the open web.
Louis W. Ballard (1931-2007)
Listen to recordings in Naxos
Watch our YouTube playlist of selected works
Watch a short video about his ballet, Four Moons
Brent Michael Davids (b. 1959):
See scores and recordings in the library
See his website for selected recordings and score samples
Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (b. 1968):
See scores and recordings in the library
See his website for recordings of some works
View a perusal score of his choral work, We Are the Storm
Raven Chacon (b. 1977):
See a score in the library
See his website for selected scores and recordings.
Listen to recordings in Naxos
Use the resources below to discover additional Indigenous composers. Then, search their name in our catalog to find their music in the library.
If we don't own a piece you want, search for it in WorldCat and click "ILL this with ILLiad" to borrow a copy from another library. Or, contact Tracey Rudnick (rudnick@hartford.edu, 860.768.4404) to suggest we buy a copy.
Most books discuss indigenous/native peoples' folk music, rather than their participation in classical music (the focus of this guide). Please tell us if you know of more books on this topic!
Click to see the newest Indigenous studies books in the Allen Library
Search subjects in the catalog:
Note in most cases the official subject term from the Library of Congress is still "Indian" rather than Native American or Indigenous.
Indian musicians
Indians of North America > Music
Native peoples > Music
Search one of the following databases for specific names, work titles, tribes, or keywords such as indigenous, Native American, tribal, etc. Note that older research may use outdated terms such as Indian.
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