Appendix 6 - International Music Council

this promotes essentialist and nationalist reasoning. The EU seeks to promote the inclusion
of diversity into the national public spheres themselves as well as the questioning of the
concept of "national culture" in itself. Diversity, in the EU's perspectives, is to be
understood
as a matter of continuous processes of intersection, mutual exchange and
differentiation. Diversity as opposed to homogeneity implies promotion of the idea of
dynamic differences, which are under constant exchange and negotiation. Diversity then
should be enacted as a precondition of equality, access to culture and cultural participation
rather than as a value itself.
France
The French musical landscape is a very diverse and rich one, also due to major efforts
being made by the authorities to promote French music industry and musical life by radio
quotas for French language music as well as subsidies and incentive programmes and
activities concerning all musical genres and the process of administrative decentralisation.
Special efforts are made concerning traditional music. France has a strong world music
scene, which also relates to it's colonial past.
Germany
Classical music is of major importance for the self-perception of Germany as a
"Kulturnation" (nation of culture). Church music builds a major part of musical life as well
as public cultural life, especially in smaller towns and communities. Popular
music as well
as folklore and world music are an important part of musical life. Amateur music plays a
major role in the musical landscape of Germany, about 6.869.257 citizens play music in
orchestras, ensembles, choirs, fanfares and music schools. There are about 140 orchestras
playing classical music at least 10 of which belong to the top orchestras worldwide. One
can say, that musical diversity in Germany is very high and the musical life is very well
organised. World music and minority musics have their place in the German media world,
the existence of foreign language programmes and whole radio stations like Radio
multikulti and Funkhaus Europa that focus on musics of the world, are a creditable
exception throughout Europe. Festivals on all types of music particularly on lesser known
genres like "Alte Musik" led to an upswing of these sectors of the music industry and
musical education. The festival life in the summer season is very vital and often beats the
normal "concert" business. Germany is an important centre of the international music scene
concerning classical and contemporary classical music
Greece
Greece is characterized by musical richness consisting above all out of the traditional
regional styles of music and modern hybrid forms, like variations of Western classical
music, blendings with jazz, rock, hip hop etc. that employ musical elements of traditional
music or the Greek language. A transregional Ethno-Jazz-Scene developed through the
collaboration of Greek musicians with colleagues from other Balkan countries. There are
several regional folk music traditions including urban musical traditions like rebetiko and
urban folk from Osmanian times. There is increasing interest and conscience of the
existence of autonomous ethno-linguistical musical traditions with a fashion of
conferences. Imported international musical genres like rock, blues, jazz, classical music,
reggae or world music are performed by Greek ensembles, but not to an extensive amount.
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