Appendix 6 - International Music Council

The general tendency in all European states is the strong support of classical music as well
as other kinds of "serious" musics, e.g. contemporary
classical music and medieval music.
In some countries jazz has reached the status or "respectability" and is supported by the
state. This consciousness of the importance of classical music is typically European
and
dates back to the 19 s
en as
n economical factor and thus less financially supported by public funding. All other nonmainstream
music forms like world music, non-European musics, and musical traditions of
ell as in some cases jazz are neither generously supported
enres, e.g.
rus.
th century. Today in some countries, about 80% of the state subsidie
flow into the "serious" music sector. Pop and rock music is, in general, much more se
a
minority groups or migrants as w
nor broadly represented. There is also a misbalance in the support within the g
mainstream forms of classical music are better subsidised that concerts of young
contemporary composers.
Especially endangered are the rural traditions in the CIS states Russia, Ukraine and Bela
There is no state support for the recovering of these
traditions and only minor efforts are
made for their documentation. Because the agricultural environment and rural life has
changed significantly, rural musical traditions are seriously endangered in some
other
European states.
Albania
Albania has lots of different regional musics. A lot of music groups consist of persons of
different religions. Albania's music market seems to be dominated
by real and quasi folk
music while the remaining shelves in the music stores and sidewalk stalls
are occupied by
Western popular music with dubious compliance with royalties and copyright licences.
The
most dominant genre appears to be a kind of nostalgic pseudo-national genre, which
had a
comparable extraordinary career throughout the Balkans – "turbofolk" in former Yugoslav
countries, "muzik qytetare" ( city music) in Albania. There seems to be no relationship
between music production and cultural policy of the government. Classical
music CDs are
not sold outside the capital Tirana, though interest is there and place is given to concerts
of
classical music in the media as well as smaller towns have their (amateur) symphony
orchestras. Albanian polyphony is recognised as cultural heritage and therefore
incorporated into
the school curricula.
Austria
In Austria, classical
music is intensively promoted, though the country has a legal
obligation to promote the diversity of forms of artistic expression. Subsidies on federal
level aim on artistic development and long-term
effects.
Belgium
Belgium is in a special situation: the country is split-up into three different communities
with their own governments: the French-speaking community of Wallonia, the Flemishspeaking
community of Flanders and the small German community. Due to its federal
structure, Belgium could be seen as a nation with inherent cultural diversity. Culture falls
within the competence of the communities' authorities and every community has its own
administrational and promotional structure.
Musical diversity seems to be ensured.
A broad range of musical genres is practised,
presented and broadcasted in Belgium. Exception: there is almost no original traditional
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