Irving Lowens Book Award Grant

The Irving Lowens Book Award, presented by the Society for American Music, honors exceptional scholarship in American music. This prestigious award recognizes books published in the previous year that contribute to the understanding of American musical culture. Named after Irving Lowens, a pioneer in American music scholarship, this award emphasizes the Society's commitment to fostering research and appreciation for all forms of music in the Americas, celebrating diverse voices and perspectives.

holding collegial annual conferences that feature scholarly presentations, musical performances, and opportunities for social interaction and professional development of its members;disseminating high-quality research and thoughtful articles and reviews through the peer reviewed Journal and the online Bulletin;offering financial support for research at libraries, archives, and other venues in the United States and abroadpresenting annual awards that recognize outstanding scholarship, dedicated service to the Society, lifetime professional achievement, and significant contributions to the American musical culture;partnering with other local and national organizations to sponsor outreach initiatives designed to engage the general public with innovative programming;furnishing creative curriculum support for K–12 and university educators interested in integrating American music into their classrooms;advocating for the sustained support of humanities research, music librarianship, and musical composition, as well as greater access to the resources of American music; andserving as a resource for media outlets and the general public.
The Lowens Book Award represents one of our most prestigious honors and carries with it a monetary prize as well as a citation that will be presented at the annual national conference each spring.

Eligibility

The Society for American Music invites scholars to submit books published in the previous year for consideration for the Irving Lowens Book Award. The Society annually awards this prize to the book judged as the best in the field of American music. Any book on American music with last year's imprint is eligible.