World of Music / Cultural Diversity in Music Education

Worlds of Music conference

"Cultural diversity is strongest in meeting places. This is where something new comes into existence, new initiatives are born or transmitted. These meeting places of cultural exchange form the growing centres of pluriformity" (from: Erasmus 2001 policy paper)

Rotterdam Conservatory was identified as one of these meeting places by R2001 Cultural Capital of Europe. The present setting of Rotterdam Conservatory – as an institution for higher music education, in a society consisting of various cultures – is not unique in- or outside Europe. Increasingly, conservatories are adjusting their programmes and approaches to a changing environment. However, with high level education in a number of specific traditions grouped in a separate department for World Music, Rotterdam Conservatory is unique. Throughout the years, Rotterdam has been the only one successful in developing this kind of professional education. But it has also encountered a number of challenges, some of which still exist. A number of these were discussed during Worlds of Music, a working conference organised by Rotterdam Conservatory in co-operation with Project Erasmus 2001. With this report we look back on an inspiring event that created positive feedback within the institution, the city and a growing international network.

Themes and format

The conference concentrated on three themes, based on dynamic developments: because music moves from one place to another, it gains a new context. Such a move has consequences for the way music (and its surrounding context) is presented, taught and explained.

Side programme

The conference programme was accompanied by a photo exhibition and publication, and public lessons by world music teachers of Rotterdam Conservatory.

Theme 1: Musical Encounters

In the course of history, musical encounters have taken place that were illustrative for encounters between cultures. Colonists and missionaries brought European music to peoples all over the world, the Beatles were students of Ravi Shankar and Ry Cooder made a search for old Cuban music. What do these musical encounters mean in terms of cultural exchange? Is it one-way traffic or mutual exchange? What relations between countries and cultures underlie these meetings, and how does this relate to present day society?

Theme 2: Perceptions of many truths

For centuries, the subject of music history has focused almost exclusively on western classical music. Nowadays, non-western music and pop music are slowly gaining ground in receiving attention in music histories within music education. How do conservatories and universities deal with this matter? Are there ways to treat music history as a global subject?

Theme 3: Methods of teaching

... in an intercultural environment. Traditionally, there are certain ways of transferring musical styles from one generation to the next. There are educational methods that have been in place for hundreds of years. But the world is changing, and with it the societies in which music is taught and learned. And music is travelling more than ever: djembe and dundun are not only learned in West Africa, but also in the Netherlands and Japan. As a consequence, methodologies need to be re-examined.

Follow-up

This report will form the basis for four concrete follow-up activities within Rotterdam Conservatory, the city of Rotterdam, and the extensive network that was formed partly by this meeting.