[FA Worldmusic] Fw: CMS Announces Institute on the Pedagogies of World Music Theories

[Dmitri Vietze]

> Thanks for drawing my attention to this. I'll be signing up, and first in
> line for the seminar on "the concept of periodicity as a theoretical
> construct".

Thanks for the chuckle, David. (more below)

> I recently met an American ethnomusicologist at a Tinariwen show [SNIP] 
> She was
> rather sheepish about her field of work, though loved the show, and told 
> me
> that her crowd all hate what we know as world music as basically you're 
> not
> supposed to dance and have fun because this shows you are entirely missing
> the point of the 'tradition' in front of you.

I think effective culture-crossing requires some flexibility on the part of 
the voyeur (and, yes, we are all--global music fans and academics 
alike--voyeurs to some extent). I think some academics think that if their 
exploration is either (A) clothed in scholarly lingo and "serious 
methodology" or (B) places "authenticity" as the highest value, that their 
exploration will be void of exploitation and exoticization. I think those 
two criteria have been critiqued to some extent. A third criterion is to try 
to place the music in its "original context." I think it is legit to 
understand the original contexts of musical forms, but a rigid framework 
about original contexts does not acknowledge the changing nature of the 
world and how music and cultural values have been transmitted from culture 
to culture for centuries. Yes, performing ghazals on stage or desert trance 
music at a festival in Europe is not the traditional context... but is it so 
bad to take a tradition out of its context so that others may appreciate it? 
Especially if the musicians do it in a consenting way (as opposed to doing 
it because of some colonial power). Tinariwen, for example, WANT to be 
playing for the world in stage settings so that people will understand the 
plight of the Kel Tamashek/Tuareg/Saharan people.

> I've tried to read some of that stuff but it's impossible. In the end it's
> hidebound by its own methodology and style (obligatory 15 footnotes a 
> page).

But what I think you have hit upon with your comment that some books are 
accessible is that people can get some of the context and background on a 
music form and culture through good story-telling... Probably more people 
than if it was just hidden away in the Ivory Tower of academic jargon.

I used to tell everyone that everything I learned about music was from liner 
notes. They're just a better match for my learning style and attention span. 
A lot of times
academics have been the first to "get to" a particular culture or music 
form/style... Sometimes I think our role in the music biz is to take some of 
what they have come across and translate it to a broader audience. I think 
there does need to be more dialogue between the two camps though. That could 
accelerate the speed at which musical forms get revealed to the larger 
public. And some potentially cool collaborations could emerge. Anyone who 
has ever dug an elaborate CD package from some place like Smithsonian can 
imagine the type of thing I mean. And I do think not only is it possible to 
present intriguing background on intl/roots music, it is often effective in 
developing new audiences.

Much respect,

Dmitri Vietze
rock paper scissors, inc.
216 W. Allen St., Suite 137
Bloomington, IN 47403
TEL +1-812-339-1195
FAX +1-801-729-4911
music at rockpaperscissors.biz
www.rockpaperscissors.biz

{{music of global significance}}

p u b l i c i t y   f o r   t h e   w o r l d



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sasa Music" <rab at sasa.demon.co.uk>
To: "Dmitri Vietze" <music at rockpaperscissors.biz>; <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2007 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] Fw: CMS Announces Institute on the Pedagogies 
of World Music Theories


> Hi
>
> Thanks for drawing my attention to this. I'll be signing up, and first in
> line for the seminar on "the concept of periodicity as a theoretical
> construct".
>
> I recently met an American ethnomusicologist at a Tinariwen show in
> Scotland, who was on her way to 6 months fieldwork in Bangladesh. She was
> rather sheepish about her field of work, though loved the show, and told 
> me
> that her crowd all hate what we know as world music as basically you're 
> not
> supposed to dance and have fun because this shows you are entirely missing
> the point of the 'tradition' in front of you. What a po-faced bunch they
> seem, with the most pretentious jargon I've come across in a long-time.
> Academics breed academics breed academics breed academics breed academics
>
> I've tried to read some of that stuff but it's impossible. In the end it's
> hidebound by its own methodology and style (obligatory 15 footnotes a 
> page).
> The nearest I got is Robert Farris Thompson who I doubt would have much
> truck with them even if he does teach at Harvard. And Ned Sublette on 
> Cuba,
> now there's a great book. But they make it pretty entertaining if you can
> take on board all the info. Can anyone recommend any other serious books 
> on
> music like theirs?
>
> David Flower
>
>
> > Hmmm...
>>
>>>
>>>> From: The College Music Society <cms at music.org>
>>>> To: <horn_in_b at yahoo.com>
>>>> Subject: CMS Announces Institute on the Pedagogies
>>>> of World Music Theories
>>>> Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:27:37 -0600
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The College Music Society
>>>> Institute on the Pedagogies of World Music Theories
>>>> May 29 - June 2 2007
>>>> University of Colorado - Boulder
>>>> Boulder, Colorado
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ****************************************
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The University of Colorado at Boulder will host for
>>>> the second time the
>>>> "Institute on the Pedagogies of World Music
>>>> Theories" May 29-June 2,
>>>> 2007. This cutting-edge institute introduces
>>>> theoretical musical
>>>> constructs that operate in different world cultures,
>>>> responding to a
>>>> growing interest among instructors of
>>>> university-level music theory
>>>> courses in drawing upon concepts and pedagogies from
>>>> a variety of world
>>>> traditions. The value of teaching music theory from
>>>> a global perspective
>>>> becomes increasingly self-evident in an era during
>>>> which composers and
>>>> performers from West and South Africa, South and
>>>> East Asia, and the Near
>>>> East are creating works that engage new listeners
>>>> and suggest new
>>>> compositional possibilities. For further information
>>>> regarding this
>>>> institute, including faculty, course content,
>>>> lodging, and registration,
>>>> please visit www.music.org/PWMT.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ******************************************
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The College Music Society
>>>> 312 East Pine Street
>>>> Missoula, Montana 59802
>>>> cms at music.org
>>>> www.music.org
>>>>
>>>> .
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