Center
launched Project:
Brass Orchestras of the Balkans on the East -West crossroads
Interethnic tensions in the
Balkans, especially in Yugoslavia, could be resolved by strengthening the
consciousness of belonging to the common cultural space as one of the conditions
for understanding the need for establishing a civil multiethnic and a
multicultural society. Brass bands are a music phenomenon attracting more and
more publicity. An important circumstance is that all Balkan peoples participate
in developing this kind of music. That phenomenon is a result of the mixture of
western European and eastern European cultural models, enriched by local
tradition. Multileveled Project concept implies short-term and long-term
educative aspects and generates the groundwork for future projects, which could
comprehend a wider area.
Ethnomusicologists from Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and
Austria are to establish the framework of Balkan brass band ethnomusicologist's network
and brass band database. In all the mentioned countries local brass band concerts
will be organized. During the field researches, various possibilities and plans
for organizing education for brass band playing will be explored. At the end of
the year an international Symposium and a Balkan brass band festival
will be organized in Yugoslavia as the start event of a future biennial
festival. The final publication will be accompanied with 2 CD discs,
containing the best Balkan brass band records and CD-ROM. An Internet site will
be organized at the beginning of the Project realization and will follow its
progress. The site will remain as the backbone for all future follow-ups.
General goals:
Preservation and revitalization of the tradition of amateur brass playing in the
function of strengthening Balkan multicultural and multiethnic cohesion.
Bettering the quality of cultural ties in the Balkans entirely. Affirmation of
brass playing in the function of better recognition among different coexistent
cultures in the Balkan area. Identifying the origins and the territorial
expansion of brass bands in the Balkans. Defining similarities and differences
within brass band playing in the Balkans and in other parts of Europe. Recording
and preserving the tradition of brass band music in its best forms.
The Project, on the same basis
and methodology, will be continued in two additional phases: as a European
project (one year), and, finally, as a global project which will
comprehend the global tradition of world brass band playing (one year).
The expected long term results are: establishing a global brass band network, a world encyclopedia about brass
band music, an edition of CD discs, CD-ROMs, global data base accessible on the
Internet and published as a CD ROM, a permanent Internet site of brass band
music, a biennial Balkan brass band music festival and an Institute of Brass
Band Music, which would permanently be engaged in the research of all aspects of
this phenomenon.
Culture of Peace Center needs support for this Project
