Folk music’s anniversary symposium

Folk Music Researchers’ VI Symposium

Folk music, Memory Institutions and the Politics and Practices of Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

Studying, playing, and teaching folk music raises questions about the mediation, preservation, and transmission of national memory, cultural heritage, and tradition. The term ‘folk music’ and tradition are closely linked to the collections of various memory institutions, such as archives, libraries, and museums, and the mental images they provide about the past. Folk music is a crucial component in the creation of cultural memory and the transmission of the past to the present. It is also subject to the influence of new global cultural policies, such as the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. These new standards are shaping the interpretation and use of materials from various memory institutions in the field of folk music. The new Convention is increasingly focusing on community perspectives and the roles of communities in producing these materials.

Programme

9.2. Black Box

• 9:00 Registration
• 09.45 Opening words of the symposium: Kristiina Ilmonen (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki)

Session I

• 10–11 Keynote: Pauliina Syrjälä (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki): “The moment of composing is like a sea of freedom”: Improcomposing through playing as a folk musician’s creative practice
• 11-11.30 Susanne Rosenberg (Royal College of Music in Stockholm): Higher education in Folk Music as an ecosystem for today’s music development. The example of ‘Kulning’
•  11.30–12.30 lunch

Session II

• 12.30–13.00 David Hebert (Western Norway university of Applied Sciences): Visions of Music Decolonization in Three Recent Books
• 13–13.30 David Johnson (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences): The Singing Maps open online community: sharing knowledge, building networks, sustaining culture 
• 13.30–14 Timo Väänänen (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki): Tradition Happens Now 
• 14–14.30 Coffee

Session III

• 14.30–15.00 Vilma Timonen (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki): Heritage education and sustainable development. Paving the path for the next 40 years of Folk Music Education
• 15–15.30 Elina Seye (University of Helsinki):  Communities of traditional African musics in Finland
• 15.30–16 Joshua Dickson: (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland): Teaching bi-tonality as heritage in a conservatoire setting
• 16–16.30 Matti Hakamäki (Finnish Folk Music Institute): The implementation of the Unesco ICH convention and the Folk Music field in Finland

10.2. Black Box

Session IV

• 10.30 Keynote: Juniper Hill (University of Würzburg): Space for Your Music (or Not): Heritage Music and Musicians on the Move in Finland and Germany
• 11.30–12:30 Lunch and lunch concert in Musiikkitalo Cafeteria

Sessio V

• 12.30–13 Arja Kastinen (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki): Karjalaisen kanteleimprovisaation tutkimus ja tulevaisuus
• 13–13.30 Students of the Folk Music department: Kotve-kollektiivi & Aapo Nieminen
• 13.30–14 Maari Kallberg (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki): Kansanmusiikin aineryhmän aineistojen arkistointi
• 14–14.30 Coffee

Sessio VI

• 14.30–15 Kati Mikkola (Finnish Literature Society): Arkiston äänet ja hiljaisuudet – Näkökulmia SKS:n arkiston kansanmusiikkiaineistoihin
• 15–15.30 Pekka Suutari (University of Eastern Finland): Ylirajainen karjalainen näkökulma kansanmusiikkiin
• 15.30–16 Outi Valo (Finnish Folk Music Institute / University of The Arts Helsinki): Traktorilla Unescoon: Kaustislainen viulunsoitto ja maaseudun representaatiot
• 16–16.30 Kristiina Ilmonen (Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki): Symposium closing words 

Watch a free live stream of the symposium

Stream 9.2.

Stream 10.2.

Cel­e­bra­tion con­cert: 40 years of Folk mu­sic

Further information: Tiina Halonen, tiina.halonen@uniarts.fi, Eeva Hohti, eeva.hohti@uniarts.fi