The distinguished Imsoda 2026 prize of the International Musicological Society awarded to musicologist Elena Murarotto

Elena Murarotto, a researcher in Musicology at the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padua, is the winner of the IMS Outstanding Dissertation Award 2026 (IMSODA), the prize of the International Musicological Society (IMS) awarded to the best PhD thesis in a language other than English in the field of musicology.

Her study analyses the travel diaries of Venetian explorers between 1492 and 1860, reconstructing soundscapes and cultural practices of the Nile, taking into account subjective perceptions and cultural contexts. The diaries contain descriptions of sounds such as the noise of water, wind and animals, document ritual vocal expressions, religious songs, songs performed during weddings and funerals, and other forms of both sacred and secular vocality. Instruments such as drums, flutes, lyres and traditional wind instruments are also mentioned. All these elements contribute to reconstructing the natural soundscape of the regions travelled through.

Elena Murarotto uses tools from musicology, ethnomusicology and sound studies, developing the digital platform Echos to archive and compare sound testimonies and ethnographic materials, promoting the preservation and study of musical and performative traditions.

The research reconstructs the sound heritage of Egypt and the Nile basin through the accounts of Venetian travellers of the early modern age, offering an innovative contribution to studies in historical musicology and to the enhancement of intangible cultural heritage.

The 2026 edition received 25 applications from 12 countries and written in 8 different languages. The international committee decided to award a single prize and an honourable mention, declaring the Paduan scholar the winner. The awarded thesis, "Echi dal Nilo. Musiche, suoni e danze dai racconti di viaggiatori veneti in Età moderna", was defended at the Università degli Studi di Padova within the PhD in History, Criticism and Conservation of Cultural Heritage of the Department of Cultural Heritage. 
Elena Murarotto's academic path is marked by an intense international research activity dedicated to world musics, historical sound ecosystems and travel writing (latest monograph: La collezione etnografica di Giovanni Miani, strumenti musicali del continente africano, 2026).