| |  |  | | | Editorial Dear Reader, autumn is always a busy time of the year, the summer break is a distant memory, opera houses and concert halls have resumed their work, and new university terms are now well underway. On top of that, this autumn also brings important changes at EU level. A new period of EU policies has begun with the unveiling of Jean-Claude Juncker's new team of Commissioners. Furthermore, the results of the first calls of the Creative Europe programme have now also been published. In a sense, these are a first glimpse of the next phase of cultural policy at EU level. At the same time, this has also been a time of change for the EMC. Alongside a new team, it also has a new board which was elected in Bern in June and which will meet for the first time at the end of October to discuss the implementation of the new EMC strategy adopted by its membership in June. Music and culture as drivers for the development of a peaceful and integrative Europe have always been at the core of the EMC's work, and it is now important to find ways to further foster these beliefs within the upcoming legislative period.
In addition to information on these important events, this newsletter includes greetings from our new chairperson Ian Smith, an update on the work of the European and International Music Councils, recent developments in the music sector in Europe and, as always, the latest news from our members.
We hope you will enjoy reading our newsletter.
All the best,
Your EMC Team
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Table of contents
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| | | | | | | EMC News
Greetings from the President!
As Britain elects its first UKIP MP and Scotland misses independence by just 5%, Europe has never been a more divided entity politically. We have seen the frightening advance of extreme right-wing politics in France and Greece and the influence of separatist politicians growing throughout Europe.
In Scotland, where I am based, we sought independence in order to remain in Europe and not, as would appear to be the case in the UK now, to leave Europe, which is being publicised by the Westminster ruling coalition to reduce the growing advance of UKIP who, of course, want complete separation from all things European, which would be a disaster for our country.
Fortunately, the cultural picture is somewhat different. Julia Osada and I attended the Culture Action Europe conference last weekend in Newcastle/Gateshead where it was clear that, whilst separatism was a growing concern within European member states, culture, creativity and, of course, music were critical activities and pursuits that bind us together as one nation.
We saw in our own conference in Bern, where I was honoured to be elected President, the need for European unity and how that dimension was celebrated in music, from both the Croatian President and the former President of the European Parliament. We thank our Swiss hosts, themselves representing the diverse nature of Europe through language and culture, for their inspiring agenda.
As we look towards the future, the European Music Council plays a key role in ensuring that through the medium and language of music, we speak with one voice, knowing that music can inspire, encourage, develop and sustain life-long activities that make us all the better citizen for its influence and through the enjoyment of music ensure that we speak as a united Europe.
Ian Smith
New Team Member
In October 2014, Laura Mettke joined the EMC team as a volunteer through the 'social year in culture' scheme (German: Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr in der Kultur). With a particular interest in communication, Laura will work with the EMC team on our various publications and printed material, help supervise the EMC website and social media accounts, and also assist with preparations for the 5th European Forum on Music in Riga next year. We wish Laura an inspiring and enjoyable year with us in Bonn!
Make Music! Be Heard! placement scheme reports online
In the frame of the Make Music! Be Heard! (MM!BH!) project, 7 young people from across Europe where given the opportunity to undertake a week long work experience placement with one of the MM!BH! project partner organisations. The scheme was designed for students, young music professionals, or simply lovers of all things music related aged 18-30. They were given an insight into the reality of working in the music sector, with opportunities at the host organisations including PR and communication, music education, event management, office administration, cultural policy, project management, etc. Read about their experiences here.
MM!BH! was funded by the EU's Youth in Action programme. Partners in the project were: European Music Council (Germany), International Music Council (France), Flanders Music Centre (Belgium), Jeunesses Musicales International (Belgium), Scottish Music Centre (UK), Zebrock (France), European Choral Association - Europa Cantat (Germany) and Superact (UK).
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| | | | | | | Save the date
The 5th European Forum on Music, hosted by the Latvian Music Council, will take place on 11-14 June 2014 in Riga, Latvia.
More information will be available soon.
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| | | | | | | IMC News
African Music Development Programme (AMDP)
The International Music Council left its mark on the latest edition of the Festival Feux de Brazza by organising a series of activities under the banner of the AMDP in cooperation with its local festival partner. 10 young African music festival organisers from 6 different countries participated in a training session hosted by Luc Mayitoukou (Zhu Culture, Senegal) and Luc Yatchokeu (Le Kolatier, Cameroon). The main aim was to share the necessary skills and techniques needed to organise a successful music festival.
The AMDP also assisted in reviving the African Music Rostrum, a competition for African musicians initiated years ago by the African Music Council.
Lastly, the General Assembly of the African Music Council also took place during the festival with the support of AMDP and made “Feux de Brazza” a rich and successful experience.
In September, IMC and AMDP-associate partner OCPA organised a panel on a research agenda on the contribution of culture to poverty alleviation in the framework of the 8th International Conference on Cultural Policy Research, hosted by another AMDP associate partner, the University of Hildesheim. The African Music Development Programme benefits from the financial contribution of the European Union and the assistance of the ACP Group of States.
International Rostrum of Composers
The 61st International Rostrum of Composers (IRC) took place at Yleisradio in Helsinki, from 6 to 9 May 2014, organised by the International Music Council and Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle). The 2014 Rostrum brought together representatives from 27 national radio networks from four continents, which presented 50 works composed within the five years preceding the Rostrum. After the listening sessions, the assembly of delegates selected and recommended the most important works in two categories: general and "young composers". These and other works will be presented in concerts and broadcast after the Rostrum by the participating and other interested radio stations. Works presented at the 2013 session received well over 500 broadcasts. Read more here.
Brisbane and beyond…
As mandated by the IMC General Assembly, the Executive Board conducted consultations with the Regional Music Councils on the draft outcome text of the 5th IMC World Forum on Music in Brisbane, November 2013. In late June, the final text of the Brisbane Declaration was disseminated across the world, as the contribution of both the Forum and the IMC constituency to a sustainable, vibrant and diverse musical life on the planet. The declaration incorporates seven key domains: community, education, institutions and public authorities, technology, the music industry, musicians' rights and the media. These seven domains strongly align with the IMC's Five Musical Rights. The Brisbane Declaration links these to an updated overview of the state of affairs – progress made and challenges remaining – of music in the world today. Read more here.
IMC at NGO Forum on youth and heritage safeguarding
Over the past 9 months, IMC had been actively participating in the core preparation group for the 3rd Forum of NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO, which was held in Sofia and Sozopol, Bulgaria, from 28 to 30 September 2014, under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and in cooperation with the Sozopol Foundation. Under the topic “The role of youth for the safeguarding of tangible and intangible cultural heritage”, the forum participants listened to keynotes and best practice presentations, and shared their views on four sub-questions in a “world café” setup and during coffee breaks. IMC was honoured by the invitation extended to Ahmad Sarmast, head of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, one of the recipients of the Inaugural IMC Musical Rights Awards in 2009, to address the forum as keynote speaker. We were happy to see some IMC members in attendance such as CIOFF, Live Music Now Scotland and also the NCCA (Philippines), not to forget the chair of the IMC Youth Committee, Jesse Boere.
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| | | | | | | Cultural Policy
For the location of its 2014 annual conference “Beyond the obvious : from producing things to nurturing social capital”, Culture Action Europe chose the cities of Gateshead and Newcastle, united in their beliefs on the role culture can play in the regeneration of urban environments. Over three days, 180 participants, consisting of arts practitioners from across Europe and beyond, explored how culture develops social capital, and in particular the benefits of social exchange for the productivity of individuals and groups. Delegates addressed the critical questions: How can the cultural sector in Europe: i) measure the impact of cultural activity? ii) enable the cultural transformation of cities? iii) devise new economic models for culture?; and also explored the role of networks in not only supporting but also shaping the arguments for arts and culture today. For a full summary and photos from the conference, visit the conference website.
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| | | | | | | EU News
Who will be Commissioner responsible for Culture?
On 10 September 2014, President-elect of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled his team and the new shape of the next European Commission. The role of the new Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Citizenship (whose portfolio includes providing political leadership for DG EAC to which the management of the Europe for Citizens Programme has been moved) was assigned to Tibor Navracsics, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian government under the controversial Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. This decision raised concern amongst some European cultural networks and led to protest against the appointment. Tibor Navracsics’ hearing before the Committee on Culture and Education took place on 1 October 2014. The MEPs voted against Navracsics taking on the designated portfolio, however decided that he was suitable of being a Commissioner. While a second round of hearings took place on Monday, 20 October for the roles of Vice-President for Energy Union and Commissioner for Transport & Space, it is not yet clear who the next Commissioner for Culture will be. One speculated scenario is that Tibor Navracsics may take on this role, but be stripped of the citizenship portfolio. Juncker will present the final composition of his team and its work programme as a college on 22 October 2014, which will be followed by a broader debate on the allocation of portfolios and priorities for the Commission’s work. The Parliament will then vote a resolution on the proposed Commission, before voting on the college as a whole.
First Creative Europe results
In August the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), responsible for the implementation of the Creative Europe programme, announced the results of the first round of calls.
Of the 411 cooperation project applications, 58 were chosen for funding. In category 1 (smaller scale cooperation projects), 37 out of 337 have been chosen and in category 2 (larger scale cooperation projects), 21 out of 74 have been chosen.
Under the Platform projects strand, only 5 out of 24 applications were selected. This strand was created to help aspiring young European talents in the different cultural disciplines gain access to the European culture and creative industry. Find more details on one of the platforms chosen for funding and with a focus on music below.
Finally, 22 networks (of 58 that applied) were selected for funding under the ‘support to European networks’ strand, and the EMC is pleased to announce that it is one of those selected. This is extremely encouraging for us as it confirms the strength of our network and the need for its work. The stark reduction in the number of networks funded compared to the predecessor Culture Programme has however resulted in less support being awarded to music networks than in previous years, with a number of EMC members being directly affected.
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| | | | | | | Sector News
Liveurope - Live venues united for the circulation of emerging artists
One of the initiatives to secure funding under the platform strand of the Creative Europe programme is Liveurope, which gathers popular concert venues across the continent and supports them in their efforts to foster cross-border circulation of emerging European musicians. The 'Liveurope label' will identify European concert halls which are active in the promotion of upcoming European talent, in order to create lasting programming effects. Furthermore, thanks to an incentive financial support mechanism, these concert halls will be encouraged to carry out a sustained collective effort with the view of increasing the share of upcoming European music acts in their artistic programmes.
Watch a vidcast of the launch press conference and find out more here.
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| | | | | | | Member News
The annual conference of the European Association for Music in Schools will take place in Rostock, Germany, from 25 to 28 March 2015. The Call for Papers is open now. You are warmly invited to submit research papers, good practice or educational experience papers, project reports, workshops or posters. Submissions will be accepted until 31 October 2014. The theme of the conference is "Open Ears - Open Minds: Listening and Understanding Music". Read more about the conference theme here. Please find the submission form and details about the submission and review process here. Travel information and hotels in Rostock with special conference rates are listed on the website.
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| | | | | | | Inscriptions are now open for the European Chamber Music Teachers Association's Autumn Gathering at St Patrick's College in Dublin, on 5-7 December 2014, hosted by the St Patrick's Music department and their Artist ensemble-in-residence, the Fidelio Trio. The Autumn Gathering will coincide with the Fidelio Trio and Friends Winter Chamber Music Festival: ECMTA members are cordially invited to attend all events of the festival. The ECMTA event will feature a round-table encounter on chamber music instruction and performance in Ireland, with an exceptional line-up of specialists offering insights into innovations and challenges on local and national levels from multiple perspectives. The keynote speaker will be noted composer Raymond Deane, who will discuss his work Seachanges. The Gathering will include as usual a Members' Forum, thematic work groups, and masterclasses with students. Inscription for the Autumn Gathering is free for ECMTA members. For more information contact: info@emcta.eu
Save the date: The next ECMTA annual meeting will take place at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music in Riga, 9-12 April 2015.
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| | | | | | | The second conference of the European Cooperation project VOICE - Vision on Innovation for Choral Music in Europe “Reach Out!” will take place in Barcelona on 21-22 November 2014. The project’s progress will be presented, and the conference will look ahead to the next cooperation project. In parallel sessions a wide range of topics will be covered: Open Singing as tool for audience development, methods to reach out beyond the choral world – with examples of good practice. The evolution of Eurochoir from VOICE to the new project will be presented, and discussions will be held on how to launch an inclusion strategy, the needs and challenges of National and Regional Youth Choirs as well as the economy of choral organisations and many other stimulating topics for whoever is interested in collective singing. There will be more to do in Barcelona than to just talk and listen - you'll have a chance to discover the town through city visits and "walking groups", and enjoy carefully selected concerts. The participation fees cover food and accommodation (from 80€ to 250€ per person). The ECA-EC General Assembly will take place on the Saturday morning. See you in Barcelona! Find all the information you need here. Register online here.
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| | | | | | | The 14th International Choir Festival "Tallinn 2015" will take place on 23-26 April 2015 in Tallinn, Estonia, and is open to all categories of choirs, The main festival location is the beautiful Estonia Concert Hall. The festival boasts an international jury and monetary prizes. Register until 31 October 2014. More information available here.
The Sacred Song Festival "Mary's Land - Father's Land" will take place on 3-5 July 2015 in Tartu, Estonia, and will include a joint concert at the Tartu Song Festival grounds and separate concert in Tartu and nearby churches, and feature masterpieces of Estonian and international sacred music. More information available here.
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| | | | | | | Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica announces forthcoming annual concert season "Natale in Musica" (New music for Christmas) in Lazio Region, Italy, a week before Christmas in Churches and Basilicas with new works from: Laura Pettigrew and Kye Marshall, Canada, Marina Romani, Bianca Maria Furgeri, Erika Zoi, Roberta Silvestrini, Annie Fontana and Antonella Barbarossa (Italy). The music will be published in a special Anthology of the same name "Natale in Musica 2014" by Sillabe srl, Livorno.
The annual "Women in Jazz" series in Frascati, Italy, beginning on 9 November 2014 includes works by 57 women composers and featured performer/composers Giuliana Soscia, Titta Nesti, Lucia Iannello and Diana Torti, Italy. Liron Meyuhas, Israel,Paola Samonte, USA, Cecilia Wennerstrom and Maria Kvist, Sweden. Proposals for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons are currently being accepted.
Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica and European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) announce a European Symposium which will take place on 5 November 2014 at the Office of Lazio Representation in Brussels, at which a Recommendation for Directive to European Institutions on the Status of Composers, Songwriters, Authors and Creators of music (increasingly difficult working conditions, lack of recognition of role in culture and society, discrimination, harassment, coercion...) will be presented.
Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica has a library with over 43 thousand scores by women composers from all over the world. In January 2014 they contacted 1012 European Orchestras, Choirs and Festivals, received requests and passed on scores: to date over 70 new works have been programmed. Please contact them at forum@donneinmusica.org or via their website to let them know what you are looking for and they will send you PDF scores for your perusal. http://www.donneinmusica.org/
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| | | | | | | GEDOK Federation of Women Artists and Patrons of the Arts: In September 2014, representatives of GEDOK groups from all over Germany met in Heidelberg, Germany to elect a new board. In parallel to the conference, GEDOK awarded two prizes for literature, and celebrated musicians from different GEDOK groups in a concert entitled “from time….to time”. They performed recently discovered music by German women composers from the first half of the 20th century, as well as contemporary chamber music. The concert is the biennial highlight of GEDOK’s important activities in supporting women musicians, bringing their professional work to the public.
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| | | | | | | The music charity Live Music Now Scotland was delighted to take part in a cultural exchange programme in October with their Dutch branch, Live Music Now Netherlands. As part of Live Music Now's ongoing European exchange programme, Joukeline Sizoo (harp) and Sophie Gourlet (flute) - aka Duo Ivoire - visited from the Netherlands, and played a series of concerts, including a free concert at Edinburgh's prestigious National Galleries of Scotland. Later in October, the traditional Scottish trio, Aonach Mor (featuring Grant McFarlane, Marianne Fraser and Ron Jappy on accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano and voice) will return the favour when they visit the Netherlands to take part in concerts over there.
September saw big changes in the career of concert cellist, Julian Lloyd Webber. Following a neck injury that has stopped him performing, he has decided to join Live Music Now as a spokesperson and will be helping raise awareness of what they do. "Live Music Now is doing the most incredible work which should be much better known. Its two and a half thousand participatory concerts every year benefit both listeners and young musicians. It was an inspirational idea from my dear friend and colleague Yehudi Menuhin, and I will be doing all I can to help further Live Music Now's wonderful and invaluable work." - Julian Lloyd Webber. Click here for more information.
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| | | | | | | Founded by Miso Music Portugal, O'culto da Ajuda is a new venue for research, experimentation and promotion of projects dedicated to creation, and stimulating the relations between music and theatre, as well as music and space. It is a new venue for Free Art in Lisbon whose focus is new opera allied with technological means, and which will also host new and inspiring projects on the fringes of various artistic areas – music, theatre, dance and visual arts. The inauguration of O’culto da Ajuda will take place in Lisbon (Travessa das Zebras no. 25) on 30-31 October 2014 with two concerts. Learn more and find the concert programme here.
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| | | | | | | LEO Sings 3/5 - Diversity of singing practices in Europe: Management of Collective vocal practices session is currently taking place in Tours, France, the Voice Capital of Europe, from 18 -22 October 2014. A unique professional meeting, it is a place to exchange ideas and discover new pathways dealing with vocal practices: Repertories; Innovative performance forms (singing without a leader, performance design); Audience diversity; Presentation of projects mixing musical and social practices (singing in hospitals, prisons etc.). The programme stems from the first two sessions of the project (February in Spain and May in Denmark) and the projects led by the Regional Voice Missions, as well as the actions of CEPRAVOI in the field of teaching and of jazz and pop music. This is a unique occasion for participants to share experiences and competencies, to build bridges and nourish new projects. LEO sings! is supported by the Leonardo da Vinci programme. For more information contact: contact@pfi-culture.org or visit the project website.
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