Australian Indigenous music is a research field grounded in the unique worldviews expressed through the music cultures of Australia’s First Peoples. It explores the centrality of music to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ceremonial traditions and popular cultures, and the fundamental interrelatedness of Indigenous musical forms to cultural expression in other media including dance, festivals, theatre, film, visual arts and the web. Student opportunities in this field include potential research placements with Indigenous community organisations, arts companies, festivals, and peak bodies such as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).

ANU School of Music is an internationally renowned centre for research on Australian Indigenous music. This work has been supported by major grants from the Australian Research Council, and is led by eminent Indigenous thinkers such as the acclaimed central Australian musician and festival director, Steven Wanta Patrick.