A Brief History of the Institute

The Institute of Ethnomusicology is the oldest institute of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. It was established on 15 October 1934 at the initiative of the Music Society (Glasbena matica) under the name Folklore Institute. Its first head was France Marolt, who oriented its work towards the systematic collection, research, and publication of musical materials and scholarly findings—an approach that continues to define the institute’s core activities today.

The post-war period was marked by organisational, spatial, and technical challenges and changes. In 1972, the institute was incorporated into the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts as a section of the Institute of Slovenian Ethnology. In 1994, it regained its status as an independent institute under its current name, the Institute of Ethnomusicology ZRC SAZU.

More about the institute's history:

• Golež Kaučič, M. (2014). Portret Glasbenonarodopisnega inštituta ZRC SAZU ob njegovi osemdesetletnici. Traditiones, 43(2), 6–8. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/traditiones/article/view/1318/1081
• Kovačič, M., in Serec Hodžar, A. (2024). Ob devetdesetletnici Glasbenonarodopisnega inštituta ZRC SAZU. Glasnik Slovenskega etnološkega društva, 64(2), 110–112. https://cdn2.domdesign.com/users/SEDDrustvo/Site/sites/seddrustvo.si/modules/Domino/Files/glasnik-slovenskega-etnoloskega-drustva-64-2-2024.pdf
• Kunej, D. (1998). Nastajanje zvočnega arhiva Glasbenonarodopisnega inštituta. Traditiones, 27, 175–185. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/traditiones/article/view/11740
• Kunej, R. (2014). Po osmih desetletjih Glasbenonarodopisnega inštituta ZRC SAZU: gostujoči uvodnik. Glasnik Slovenskega etnološkega društva, 54(3), 6–7. https://www.proquest.com/openview/2550327c12b828e7c64b6c421bb298c1/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1606353
• Ramovš, M. (2001). Sekcija za glasbeno narodopisje (1972–1994). Traditiones, 30(1), 49–56. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/traditiones/article/view/11466
• Sever Borovnik, V., Klobčar, M., & Kovačič, M. (2024). 90 let Glasbenonarodopisnega inštituta [zvočni posnetek]. Radio Ognjišče. https://avdio.ognjisce.si