Re-thinking ‘World Music’

Singer Mariana Sadovka Photo by Kluczenko

Last Friday I was in Cologne to hear a panel discussion on the topic of world music sponsored by the regional public radio station WDR 3. The speakers, key players in Cologne’s performing arts and cultural policy scene, traded comments about the changes taking place in the field of contemporary music and the need to provide training and exposure to young musicians that would build their global music sensitivity and fluency. At the forefront of the discussion was a proposed Center for World Music envisioned for Cologne. The initiative is being spearheaded by Alba Kultur, a Cologne-based nonprofit devoted to promoting global music productions whose founder spoke passionately about the project. Though some questions were raised about the feasibility of such a center, there was a general consensus among the panelists that the project was a worthy one.


The panel was made up of senior-level professionals presenting expert opinions framed within the context of their respective institutions (UNESCO National Commission, contemporary music and dance schools, nonprofit organization, radio station). Though interesting, the discussion lacked the voice of a professional musician, particularly one that plays the non-western music in question. This shortcoming was somewhat remedied by a lively Q&A session during which several musicians spoke up about their personal experiences. One musician insisted that cross-cultural and international music was happening on its own, without the help of formal institutions and cited his experience getting involved in klezmer music. Another musician, from Argentina but having lived and worked in Germany for much of his career, made a similar point, stressing the need for spaces to perform and reach audiences over the need for research, theories and institutions dedicated to world music.

 As these musicians were speaking I realized that I don’t find the category ‘world music’ very useful. My music collection is certainly international, and covers a diverse range of musical eras, styles, hybrids, etc. But I don’t need the term ‘world music’ to describe it. I can simply say, music from Luanda from the 60s, trios from Mexico, funk from Brazil, or better yet, simply use name the musician in question and direct the curious to their MySpace page. Much of the music out there today defies category and often has little to do with national boundaries. World Music seemed a way to simply say what is other, what lies outside the cannon of northern/western musical forms. (I'm sure lots of theorists have written extensively on this.)

I left the panel not at all convinced that institutions that enshrine an outdated, Eurocentric, and mostly meaningless category of music should be created. I do believe that musicians, particularly those that bring unusual, new, or hybrid sounds to audiences, need platforms, recognition, and training, while audiences need exposure and education about new forms. But do they need it under an umbrella that keeps certain musicians outside of the mainstream or does the mainstream need to simply open up? In this digital age, the world’s ever-evolving diversity of musical expressions grows more accessible by the day. And despite the many barriers to artist mobility, somehow musicians are getting around and bringing new musical ideas with them. 

This reality was illustrated beautifully by the performance from Ukrainian-born singer, composer, and musician Mariana Sadovska that followed the panel. The music she sang (accompanied by own playing of an Indian harmonium) was inspired by folk songs and vocal techniques she collected traveling through Ukrainian villages. I had never heard anything like it before. I won’t attempt to describe it when you can hear it for yourself here.

Postscript: Not long after I came to reject the term ‘world music’ for myself, I came across The Guardian’s Ian Birrell making the same point, only more eloquently and with a few really nice examples of musicians that have no need for the ‘world music’ classification. I wonder what others think about this term 'World Music'--maybe some of you will comment...

Friday’s panel will be broadcast on Sunday, March 25 at 19:05 GMT (in German). You can stream it live from WDR3’s website here.