In 2022, Susdorf defended his dissertation "Musicolonialism in Suriname. Sonic Contributions to the Construction of the Category of the Human and Its Others" at the University of Oslo. His research combines critical archival work with a theoretical framework of cultural materiality and postcolonial music analysis. His work has been published in Ethnomusicology and Popular Music and Society, among other media, and was awarded the IASPM-Norden Early Career Scholar Prize.
As part of the fellowship, he will use the collections of the Allard Pierson to investigate how music functioned within the broader power structures of Dutch colonialism. His focus will not only be on Helstone’s compositions and personal archives, but also on broader socio-economic transformations in Suriname in the period 1863–1945. His research will lead to a manuscript that will result in a concise, richly illustrated, and theoretically grounded publication on Johannes Nicolaas Helstone, situating his life and work within a wider colonial and musical context.
With his expertise at the intersection of music, colonialism, and archival research, Susdorf contributes to a deeper historical and cultural understanding of the role of music in Surinamese society. We look forward to his contribution to the exploration and interpretation of these exceptional collections.
This fellowship is funded through the recently established Named Fund of Astrid Helstone and Diederik Burgersdijk at the Allard Pierson. The Fund aims to stimulate research into the unique Helstone and Surinamica collections and to contribute to the exploration of underrepresented musical and cultural histories.
The archives concerning Johannes Nicolaas Helstone, including sheet music, manuscripts, postcards, and letters, was transferred to the Allard Pierson in 2023. Part of the archive was on display until September 2024 in the exhibition Johannes N. Helstone – Suriname in Motion.