Paul Berliner
Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2016
- Professor Emeritus of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2016
Contact Information
- 105 Mary Duke Biddle, Durham, NC 27708
- Box 90665, Durham, NC 27708-0665
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paul.berliner@duke.edu
(919) 660-3322
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Wesleyan University 1974
- M.A., Wesleyan University 1970
- B.A., Antioch College 1969
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Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Professor of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2005 - 2016
- Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2006 - 2016
- Recognition
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In the News
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Awards & Honors
- Fellow. National Humanities Center. 2010
- Fellows. American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 2004
- Fellowships for University Teachers. National Endowment for the Humanities. 2002
- External Faculty Fellowship. Stanford Humanities Center. 2001
- Fellow. National Humanities Center. 1996
- Fellowship. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. 1996
- Alan Merriam Prize. Society for Ethnomusicology. 1995
- Expertise
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Global Scholarship
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Expertise
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Research
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- Publications & Artistic Works
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Selected Publications
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Books
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Berliner, P. F. Thinking In Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation. The University of Chicago Press, 1994.
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Berliner, P. F. The Soul of Mbira: Music and Traditions of the Shona People of Zimbabwe. The University of Chicago Press, 1993.
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Berliner, P. F. The Soul of Mbira: Music and Traditions of the Shona People of Zimbabwe. University of California Press, 1981.
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Berliner, P. F. The Soul of Mbira: Music and Traditions of the Shona People of Zimbabwe. The University of Chicago Press, 1978.
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Academic Articles
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Berliner, P. F. ““Art Farmer on Jazz Learning and Improvisation”.” Jazzforschung / Jazz Research Volume 39 (December 2007).
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Berliner, P. F. “Afropop Worldwide Interview [Improvisation in Jazz and Zimbabwean Music],” 2007.
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Berliner, P. F. “Thinking in Jazz.” Jazz Changes 1, no. 2 (1994): 16–27.
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Berliner, P. F. “Composing in the moment.” Jazz Educators Journal 26, no. 4 (1994): 28–36.
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Berliner, P. F. “Crips, Licks and Jamming: The Implications of Traditional Jazz Learning for the University.” Fanfare Magazine, March 1982, 6–10.
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Berliner, P. F. “The Artistry of John Kunaka, Master Mbira Maker.” African Arts 14, no. 1 (November 1980): 61–67.Link to Item
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Berliner, P. F. “Political Sentiment in Shona Song and Oral Literature.” Essays in Arts and Science 6, no. 3 (March 1977): 1–29.
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Berliner, P. F. “The Poetic Song Texts Accompanying The Mbira Dza Vadzimu.” Ethnomusicology 20, no. 3 (September 1976): 451–81.
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Berliner, P. F. “Vocal Styles Accompanying the Mbira Dza Vadzimu.” Zambezia, March 1975, 103–4.
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Berliner, P. F. “Music and Spirit Possession At a Shona Bira.” African Music 5, no. 4 (1975): 130–39.
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Berliner, P. F. “Soda Bottles, Whale Bones, Sitars and Shells--A World Music Perspective.” Music Educators Journal 59, no. 7 (March 1973).
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Book Sections
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Berliner, P. F. “photograph of mbira performance techique.” In Appears in Christine Lucia’s Book, Music Notation: A South African Guide. Unisa Press, 2010.
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Berliner, P. F. “Grasping Shona Artworks: A Case Study of Zimbabwean Mbira Music.” In Art from Start to Finish: Jazz, Painting, Writing and Other Improvisations, edited by Howard Becker, Robert Faulkner, and Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, 126–34. The University of Chicago Press, 2006.
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Berliner, P. F. “Thinking in Jazz: Improvisation as Composition.” In Challenges in Norwegian Jazz Research, 65–73. Trondheim, Norway: Institututt for Musikk, NTNU, 2002.
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Berliner, P. F. “Las Vicisitudes del Solista/Les Viciissittudes du Doliste.” In Doce/Notas Preliminares, 10:91–108, 2002.
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Berliner, P. F. “The Collective Aspects of Jazz Improvisation.” In Creativity in Performance, edited by Keith Sawyer, 1996.
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Berliner, P. F. “The Relationship Between the Mbira and the Mbira Player.” In Art in Small Scale Societies: Contemporary Readings, edited by Karen L. Field and Richard L. Anderson. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1993.
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Other Articles
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Berliner, P. F. “Victory and Sorrow: The Life and Music of Jazz Prodigy Booker T. Little,” 2007.
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Berliner, P. F. “The Heart that Remembers: A Tale of Zimbabwe’s Musicians in a Time of War,” 2007.
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Berliner, P. F. “Playing it forward.” Duke Magazine, January 2007.
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Berliner, P. F. “Sound the trumpet,” 2005.
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Berliner, P. “Zimbabwe: In time and tines,” May 2004.
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Berliner, P. F. “Music and Civil War in Zimbabwe,” 2003.
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Berliner, P. F. “Zimbabwe: The Soul of Mbira and Zimbabwe: Shona Mbira Music,” 2002.
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“White doctor, black music: what Goldberg’s mbira taught me - reflection on racism and African culture.” Commonweal, June 1994.
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Berliner, P. F. “Earth: Voices of A Planet (The Paul Winter Consort).” Living Music LD0019, 1989.
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Berliner, P. F. “Claudia Schmidt.” Flying Fish Records FF 066, 1979.
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Berliner, P. F., and P. F. KUDU. “The Sun Rises Late Here.” Flying Fish Records FF092, 1979.
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Berliner, P. F. “Common Ground (The Paul Winter Consort).” A & M Records SP 4698, 1978.
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Berliner, P. F. “Shona Mbira Music,” 1977.
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Berliner, P. F. “The Soul of Mbira,” 1973.
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Exhibitions, Screenings, & Performances
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | University of North Carolina Ethnomusicology Seminar 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | at University of Trondheim, Norway 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | Unnamed event 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | "African Music" and "History of Jazz Guitar" 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | Jungel Music with Sigbjorn Nedland 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | University of Trondheim Program in Cultural Translation 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | University of Trondheim Program in Cultural Translation 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | Norwegian Church Aid Food and Trade Conference at . 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | at University of Trondheim 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | at University of Oslo, Norway 2007
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007 | at University of Bergen (Greig Academy of Music), Norway 2007
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | at “Café L.A.” with Tom Schnabel, KCRW 89.8 FM 1999
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | NPR show Morning Edition with Rene Montagne 1999
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | at Christopher Lyden's show The Connection, WBUR [NPR], 90.9 FM 1999
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | Continental Drift, WNUR, 89.3 FM 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | Chicago's World Music Festival at Chicago Cultural Center 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | The Lotus Festival at Bloomington, IN 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at African Museum, New York City, NY 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Bates College, Lewiston, ME 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Duke University, Durham, NC 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Emory University, Atlanta, GA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Hot House night club, Chicago 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Makor Cultural Center, New York City, NY 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston MA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Northwestern University , Evanston IL 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, MD 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Residency Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Rowan College, Glassboro, New Jersey 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Smith College, North Hampton, MA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Swarthmore College, Philadelphia, PA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at The Fowler Museum, Los Angeles 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at The Painted Bride Cultural Center, Philadelphia, PA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at The Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at The University of California at Los Angeles 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Tufts University, Medford, MA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 1999
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble | at Washington Square Church, New York City, NY 1999
- Paul F. Berliner: Solo Performances, 1994 - 1995 | at The National Museum of African Art, Washington, DC 1995
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | Unnamed event 1995
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival 1995
- Paul F. Berliner: Solo Performances, 1994 - 1995 | Annual Dean's Symposium, Division of Social Sciences at University of Chicago 1994
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | at Millsaps College 1993
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | at College of Dupage 1991
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999 | University of Wisconsin Faculty Jazz Concert Series at Madison, WI 1991
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Artistic Works & Non-Print Media
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Audio Recordings
- The Soul of Mbira and Zimbabwe: Shona Mbira Music. Musician. 2002
- Earth: Voices of A Planet (The Paul Winter Consort). Musician. 1989
- Claudia Schmidt. Musician. 1979
- The Sun Rises Late Here. Musician. 1979
- Common Ground (The Paul Winter Consort). Musician. 1978
- Shona Mbira Music. Musician. 1977
- The Soul of Mbira. Musician. 1973
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Musical Performances
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 2000 - 2009. Musician. 2009
- Paul Berliner: Commissions, 2007. Musician. 2007
- National USA "Soul of Mbira" Tour featuring the Zimbabwe Group Leaders Mbira Ensemble. Musician. 1999
- Paul F. Berliner: Performances, 1991 - 1999. Musician. 1999
- Paul F. Berliner: Solo Performances, 1994 - 1995. Musician. 1995
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- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Presentations & Appearances
- Representing Zimbabwean Mbira Music: A Multi-media Presentation. December 3, 2012 2012
- Cross Cultural Collaborative Research on Shona Mbira Music. September 6, 2012 2012
- Keynote Lecture, National Collegiate Honors Council Annual Conference. October 21, 2010 2010
- Music Department, University of Maryland University College. April 23, 2010 2010
- Keynote, Leeds International Jazz Conference, Leeds College of Music. March 26, 2010 2010
- University of Bergen, 4-day scholar's residency. September 4, 2009 2009
- University of London (SOAS); Keynote lecture. May 8, 2009 2009
- University of Bergen, 4-day scholar's residency. May 2, 2009 2009
- Keynote Lecture:University of California, Dept of Performance Studies, Dance and Theatre Series. February 17, 2009 2009
- Keynote address; Cultural Studies Conference. February 6, 2009 2009
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Service to the Profession
- Musiké International Advisory Board. November 27, 2012 2012
- Editorial Board, South African Journal of Musicology (SAMUS). December 1, 2009 2009
- University of Oregon, Eugene; produced and contributed video demonstrating mbira playing techniques for Musical Instrument Exhibition. December 1, 2009 2009
- Annual Review of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University : Editorial Board. September 1, 2009 2009
- Performance-lecture for Duke University Nicholas School Leaf Award Ceremony (for Robert Redford). April 18, 2009 2009
- Outside Tenure Review Committee, Columbia University. March 9, 2009 2009
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