Staff profile

Get in touch with the Department to contact Dr Laura Leante

Laura Leante is Professor of Ethnomusicology at Durham University. She studied ethnomusicology at the University of Rome "La Sapienza", where she was awarded both her first degree (1999) and her PhD (2003). Her doctoral research focussed on the issues of meaning and crosscultural reception of music in British Asian repertories.

Her research interests range over Indian classical and folk music, music of the South Asian diaspora, performance analysis, music and globalisation, popular music, and music semiotics.

Before joining Durham University, Laura worked as AHRC Fellow and Lecturer in Music at the Open University. Other past appointments include a Visiting Fellowship at the International Study Centre of Queen's University (Canada) at Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex (2005) and a Lectureship at S.S.I.S., University of Rome, Italy (2003-2005).

Prof Leante is CORD (coordinating committee member) of ESEM (European Seminar in Ethnomusicology), for which she also served as Secretary General from 2014 until 2021.

In 2005-2009 Laura Leante was team member working on the AHRC-funded research project "Experience and meaning in music performance", researching processes of meaning construction in music through the analysis of performance in Hindustani classical music. In 2009-2012 she directed the AHRC-funded project "The Reception of Performance in North Indian Classical Music" and in 2016 she lead the AHRC-funded project "Khyal: Music and Imagination".

Chapter in book

• Leante, L. (2018). The Cuckoo’s Song: Imagery and Movement in Monsoon Ragas. In I. Rajamani, M. Pernau, & K. R. Butler Schofield (Eds.), Monsoon feelings : a history of emotions in the rain. Niyogi Books
• Leante, L. (2016). Observing musicians/audience interaction in North Indian classical music performance. In I. Tsioulakis, & E. Hytönen-Ng (Eds.), Musicians and their audiences : performance, speech and mediation (34-43). Routledge
• Leante, L. (2014). Gesture and Imagery in Music Performance: Perspectives from North Indian Classical Music. In T. Shephard, & A. Leonard (Eds.), The Routledge companion to music and visual culture (145-152). Routledge
• Clayton, M., & Leante, L. (2013). Embodiment in Music Performance. In M. Clayton, B. Dueck, & L. Leante (Eds.), Experience and meaning in music performance (188-207). Oxford University Press
• Leante, L. (2013). Imagery, Movement and Listeners’ Construction of Meaning in North Indian Classical Music. In M. Clayton, B. Dueck, & L. Leante (Eds.), Experience and meaning in music performance (161-187). Oxford University Press
• Fatone, G. A., Clayton, M., Leante, L., & Rahaim, M. (2011). Imagery, melody and gesture in cross-cultural perspective. In A. Gritten, & E. King (Eds.), New perspectives on music and gesture (203-220). Ashgate Publishing
• Dahl, S., Bevilacqua, F., Bresin, R., Clayton, M., Leante, L., Poggi, I., & Rasamimanana, N. (2010). Gesture in Performance. In R. I. Godøy, & M. Leman (Eds.), Musical Gestures (36-68). Routledge
• Leante, L. (2009). Urban Myth: bhangra and the dhol craze in the UK. In B. Clausen, U. Hemetek, & E. Saether (Eds.), Music in motion : diversity and dialogue in Europe (191-207). Transcript Verlag
• Leante, L. (2007). L’incontro tra popular music e tradizione indiana: processi e modalità di appropriazione. In L. Leante (Ed.), Etnomusicologia e studi di popular music: quale possibile convergenza?. Fondazione Giorgio Cini
• Leante, L. (2005). Transcultural reception and meaning in world music: the case of British-Asian musics. In R. Astrauskas (Ed.), New approaches in ethnomusicology (122-130). Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
• Leante, L. (2003). L’isola che non c’è. Madonna e la World Music. In C. Fiore (Ed.), Madonna (65-84). L’Epos

Edited book

• Clayton, M., Dueck, B., & Leante, L. (Eds.). (2013). Experience and Meaning in Music Performance. Oxford University Press

Journal Article

• Leante, L., & Clayton, M. (2020). Making the most of circumstances: Reflecting on the experience of two ethnomusicologist parents. Ethnomusicology Forum, 29(3), 307-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/17411912.2020.1873566
• Clayton, M., & Leante, L. (2015). Role, status and hierarchy in the performance of North Indian classical music. Ethnomusicology Forum, 24(3), 414-442. https://doi.org/10.1080/17411912.2015.1091272
• Will, U., Clayton, M., Wertheim, I., Leante, L., & Berg, E. (2015). Pulse and Entrainment to Non-Isochronous Auditory Stimuli: The case of North Indian Alap. PLoS ONE, 10(4), Article e0123247. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123247
• Lucas, G., Clayton, M., & Leante, L. (2011). Inter-group Entrainment in Afro-Brazilian Congado Ritual. Empirical Musicology Review, 6(2), 75-102
• Leante, L. (2010). Contesti e pratiche di performance del bhangra in Punjab e nella diaspora
• Leante, L. (2009). The Lotus and the King: Imagery, Gesture and Meaning in a Hindustani Rāg. Ethnomusicology Forum, 18(2), 185-206. https://doi.org/10.1080/17411910903141874
• Leante, L. (2007). Multimedia aspects of progressive rock shows: Analysis of the performance of The Musical Box
• Leante, L. (2004). Shaping diasporic sounds: Identity as meaning in bhangra
• Leante, L. (2003). 'Primo contributo ad una bibliografia su Etnomusicologia e World Music’
• Leante, L. (2000). Love You To. Un exemple de rencontre entre musique indienne et musique pop dans la production des Beatles. Cahiers de musiques traditionnelles (Imprimé), 13, 103-118. https://doi.org/10.2307/40240375