About

Eric Sunu Doe is an applied ethnomusicologist and performer who specializes in African music revival and sustainability and the performance practices of Ghanaian highlife and neo-traditional musics. His current research focuses on Burger highlife music in Ghana. His book-in-progress, “Akoo te brɔfo: exploring the socio-cultural context of Burger highlife music in Ghana” examines the emergence of a cross-cultural musical phenomenon within the context of a socio-cultural and political vulnerability of the late 1970s and early 1980s in Ghana and how its music-making shaped Ghanaian highlife music. Other research interests include meaning in African vocal performance, biographical research, and pedagogical issues in Ghanaian popular music.
Sunu leads the Legon Palmwine Band and curates Nsadwase Nkɔmɔ performance circle and Music festival (visit www.legonpalmwine.com). He is the Director of the Department’s Pop Ensemble and coordinates the Colloquium Series. Sunu holds a PhD in Music (Applied Ethnomusicology) from the University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa.