Music Conferences in November 2011

November is such a busy month for music-related conferences! Here are links to information regarding my participation in conferences either recently attended or that I plan to attend soon:

-- Commentator, Panelist and Session Chair, Nordic Network for Music Education seminar: “Challenges and possibilities of plurality and change in music education,” Ørebro University, [Sweden] (November 7-11, 2011).

-- Chair, Historical SIG meeting, Annual conference of the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM), Philadelphia [USA] (Nov. 17-20, 2011).

-- Senior Researcher presentation, "Patriotic Sound and Sentiment: Defining Nations through Music Performance in Schools" for Grieg Research School international seminar: Performing Sound and Sentiment, Self and Society, Bergen [Norway] (Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2011). Link to presentation abstracts: http://www.uib.no/filearchive/book-of-abstracts-performing-sound-and-sentiment-self-and-society_1.pdf

Musical Fingerprints

Here is a link to a video of a very interesting lecture by Professor David Hargreaves entitled “Musical Fingerprints”:

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/knowledge/themes/04/davidhargreaves/

Here is how the Warwick Knowledge Centre describes this lecture: “Do you have a song that can lift your mood? Or a song that reminds you of a certain event? Music has always been known for its power to alter our emotions and impact our memories, but why is this? Professor David Hargreaves, psychologist and keen musician, explains in his TEDxWarwick talk that developments in music psychology have begun to unlock the reasons and patterns behind our particular music tastes.”

. . .

“Music psychology is moving towards the idea of ‘musical fingerprints’. There are three kinds of associations:

1. Musical networks – we perceive the world of music in different ways according to our particular interests and preferred genres.

2. Cultural networks – the way we react to music will depend on the situation we are in. The ‘musical fit’ concept shows that certain music fits certain situations. Music played during an aerobics class will be very different from that played in an antique furniture store. Rather than Britney Spears or Lady Gaga, the store owner will play Vivaldi or Bach.

3. Personal musical network – we all have a personal inner music library (PIML) which develops throughout our lifetime. We recognise new pieces of music according to our PIMLs.”

Creativity in Education

Hooray for John Drummond! Here is some great Kiwi wisdom regarding the central role creativity should play in educational practices. Professor Drummond's 15-minute lecture briefly yet very effectively demonstrates some important educational problems and solutions relevant to teachers of all subjects:

Wind Bands and Cultural Identity in Japanese Schools

I very recently heard from the publisher that my book on music in Japan is now printed and being sent to book retailers and distributors.

Here is more information regarding this book:

“This well researched volume tells the story of music education in Japan and of the wind band contest organized by the All-Japan Band Association. Identified here for the first time as the world’s largest musical competition, it attracts 14,000 bands and well over 500,000 competitors. The book’s insightful contribution to our understanding of both music and education chronicles music learning in Japanese schools and communities. It examines the contest from a range of perspectives, including those of policy makers, adjudicators, conductors and young musicians. The book is an illuminating window on the world of Japanese wind bands, a unique hybrid tradition that comingles contemporary western idioms with traditional Japanese influences. In addition to its social history of Japanese school music programs, it shows how participation in Japanese school bands contributes to students’ sense of identity, and sheds new light on the process of learning to play European orchestral instruments.”

Here are links with information on how to obtain a copy:

http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/book/978-94-007-2177-7

http://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Identity-Japanese-Schools-Landscapes/dp/9400721773

RIME 9

Research and Issues in Music Education has recently released its 2011 issue (volume 9), edited by Prof. Bruce Gleason at University of St. Thomas (USA). RIME is an open-access refereed journal, and this issue contains a diverse selection of original research studies with the following titles:

“The Effects of Orchestration on Musicians’ and Nonmusicians’ Perception of Musical Tension”

“Identity Negotiation: An Intergenerational Examination of Lesbian and Gay Band Directors”

“Achievement Motivation and the Adolescent Musician: A Synthesis of the Literature”

“Backgrounds, Teaching Responsibilities, and Motivations of Music Education Candidates Enrolled in Alternative Certification Music Education Programs”

“The Identification of Conductor-Distinguished Functions of Conducting”

Here is a link to the main page of RIME 9:

http://www.stthomas.edu/rimeonline/vol9/index.htm

International Week in Bergen

International Week is very soon in Bergen, Norway (October 21-31).
It features music and films from many parts of the world, including several free events to celebrate multicultural Bergen, especially for international students and families. Here is how the event is described by its organizers:

Welcome to International Week
Focusing on the work of the United Nations in general, and especially the UN Millennium Development Goals, International Week is being arranged for the 8th time in Bergen. We invite you to participate in the many activities during the week: Debates, seminars, lectures, concerts, films and exhibitions.

Here are some highlights from the program:

-Official opening - Concert at Musikkpaviljongen on Friday, October 21st 16.00.

-Bergen International Culture Center (BIKS) presents Bergen International Music Festival. The music presented at the festival shows how Norwegian culture is enriched by immigration. The concerts take place at BIKS/Fensal, Kvarteret and Verftet.

-International Student Day- Friday, October 28th
Bergen is an international student town. The students are involved in international affairs both in their studies and through work in different student organisations. International Student Day is a meeting-place for foreign and Norwegian students. Welcome to International Student Day!

-A celebration of International Week at Torgallmenningen Saturday 29th of October. Come and meet different organizations in Bergen.


Links to more information:


http://www.internasjonaluke.org/


http://www.internasjonaluke.org/assets/ProgramIU2011.pdf


http://www.biks-bergen.no/

http://www.moussadiallo.com/

2011 British Ethnomusicology Conference

Here is a link to a very recent article on the 2011 British Forum for Ethnomusicology conference that I co-authored with Jonathan McCollum of Washington College, USA:

http://www.bfeconference.org.uk/3.html

Jonathan wrote most of the above article, which describes our experience of participating in the conference as representatives of the Historical Ethnomusicology special interest group of the Society for Ethnomusicology.