Appendix 6 - International Music Council

musics into the open. Many musicians took an interest, both the immigrants, and
Australians who decided they wanted to learn to play these styles. The interest was
variously musical/aesthetic, or socially idealistic – wanting to bridge
cultural divides, or
political – wanting to give a voice to the underdog. Similarly, some
musicians
experimented with fusion or hybrid forms, because this was of interest musically and/or
because it represented a reconciliation between cultures. There was a lot of idealism.
The process continues. Ethnic musics can be heard in ethnic communities. But there
also
are attempts to bring them before broader audiences. This has never grown into a strong
movement. Nevertheless, there are venues in the major cities that are committed to
programming for a mainstream audience the musics of a variety of cultures. The best
known are Kulcha (Perth), Nexus (Adelaide), The Boite (Melbourne), Eastside Café (run
by Musica Viva, Sydney), BEMAC – Brisbane Ethnic Music and Arts Centre.
In Adelaide each year there is a large world music festival, Womadelaide (one of the
Womad festivals). Many folk music festivals that formerly would have programmed only
‘Australian’ folk music now include an enormous variety of traditional musics. Example:
Port Fairy Festival, Woodford Festival.
• Cite examples where they are averse to musical diversity.
RESPONSE. Individuals in Australia may be averse, but the society as a whole is inclusive
and tolerant.
Musical taste is of course very personal. For the most part, it probably is not dictated by
politics, one way or the other. People know what they like and what they like is probably
familiar rather than challenging. Most people (80% or so) choose to listen to pop music, the
Top 100. That’s how the Top 100 gets to be top. People do not necessarily choose to go
beyond the familiar, beyond their comfort zone. In this sense, they may be averse to
diversity.
Musicians probably are mostly similarly or even more intensely committed to the music
with which they identify.
• Cite examples where they support, or weaken, the practice of local traditional or
indigenous music.
RESPONSE. Aboriginal traditional music is regarded as the property of the Aborigines. It
probably is not very accessible to others, whether culturally, musically, or geographically.
Overall, it seems
unlikely to have a place commercially in the music world. If there is
support to its practice, it would come from Aboriginal funding bodies such as the
Aboriginal Arts Board.
This music is nevertheless used as an element or a colouring in the Aboriginal
performances in more contemporary forms such as rock or country. The music scores of the
Bangarra Dance Company, an Aboriginal dance company, typically set a traditional
Aboriginal song into an electronic music work, to striking effect.
Aboriginal musicians and bands have had some good commercial success in rock or
country. However, there is some racially related resistance by some venue managers to
some live performers. There are also impediments to commercial success faced by all
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