From 16 – 19 April 2009, the Popular Music Studies unit at Liverpool John Moores University hosted the Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, which provided a platform for sharing our knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment towards the study of music and dance from all parts of the world. There were many reasons for why this year’s conference was very special indeed: it was held for the first time in the ‘Capital of Music’ Liverpool, and it attracted an extraordinary number of international delegates in the organisation’s history. Delegates came from all five continents, some of whom travelled from as far afield as Brazil, Thailand, Colombia, South Africa, Australia, the US, Japan, Peru, Israel, Taiwan and Hong Kong, to name but a few, who were officially welcomed on Thursday afternoon by Professor Roger Webster, Dean of Faculty of Media, Arts and Social Science. The conference thus brought together people from all over the world through a shared love and passion for music.

Two prominent keynote speakers, Professor John Tomlinson from Nottingham Trent University and Professor Timothy D. Taylor from the University of California, Los Angeles were invited to contribute a range of different theoretical perspectives on a more contemporary understanding of music and global culture. Held in the beautiful surroundings of the Lady Chapel in the Anglican Cathedral, Professor Tomlinson specifically addressed two emergent agendas of cultural globalisation, namely the global management of cultural diversity and the impact of ‘fast capitalism’ and globalising technologies on the common texture of everyday life. Professor Taylor, meanwhile, discussed the status of ‘world music today’ by charting the genre’s earlier developments and examining states’ responses to the proliferation of music and other media around the world, which was illustrated with reference to the cultural imperialism thesis.

The conference also featured Professor Tina K. Ramnarine from Royal Holloway University London, Dr Martin Stokes from St Johns College Oxford, and Prof. Dr. Britta Sweers from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock, Germany, who – together with Professor Taylor – joined a plenary, which was held in the historic Blackburne House on Hope Street, in order to debate some of the ways in which ethnomusicology has addressed the global flows of music and engaged with globalisation theories. Chaired by Professor Ramnarine, the panel speakers focused on questions of ethnographic scale, the generation of meta-theory and the theoretical modelling of music in large-scale economic processes.

Over 100 papers were presented by academics, teachers and musicians involved in the most diverse musics and fields of musical study. To provide just some examples, a range of papers focused on the ways in which globalisation has transformed music cultures across the globe, including Andean fusion music, Japanese dance culture, or English folk music. Some papers illustrated musical transmission in transformation, such as in the Japanese koto tradition, Gaelic singing, or Korean p’ungmul. Other popular themes emerged from papers that sought to explain the complex links between music, place and identity, whilst focusing, for instance, on the Karpathian diaspora in the USA, Palestinian popular songs, or the Romanian cyber-diaspora. Some presenters discussed the emergence of ‘new’ centres and peripheries by focussing on the world music business as well as local music industries in Taiwan, Belgium or Colombia. Also presented were papers on the themes of music, religion and globalisation; musical tourism, and newer research methods. The list of hugely interesting and varied presentations over the four days was endless. I was particularly excited about the fact that all these contributions enabled us truly to engage in interdisciplinary and intercultural theoretical dialogues so as to move beyond those conceptualisations on music, culture and globalisation that are already established in ethnomusicology and other music-related disciplines. The conference was thus a platform for generating new perspectives and understandings on the interrelatedness of music, culture and globalisation.

As the conference progressed, we moved around a number of magnificent venues in Liverpool, including LJMU’s Dean Walters Building, the Anglican Cathedral, Blackburne House and the Adelphi so as to showcase Liverpool’s rich cultural and musical heritage. Some of the highlights included a welcome reception in the Main Hall of the Anglican Cathedral with wine and classical guitar music by David Bridge and Richard Harding from Liverpool Guitar Studio. This was followed with a film screening in the Concert Room of the Anglican Cathedral, which presented leading British ethnomusicologist Professor John Baily’s film “Scenes of Afghan Music: London, Kabul, Hamburg, Dublin” (2007). A chance to visit the city centre occurred on Friday evening with a social in the renowned Hannah’s Bar on Hardman Street where delegates enjoyed a live performance by Sense of Sound, a Liverpool-based company that specialises in vocal coaching across the UK and internationally. In 2003, the company received a Pioneer for the Nation award from Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of its contribution to social change. Sense of Sound has also worked with some of the finest singers, songwriters and performers in the music industry today, including no less than Ringo Starr (The Beatles) and Damon Albarn (Blur). The support was presented by Barbieshop, a Liverpool-based female a'cappella trio who specialise in close-knit vocal harmonies inspired by the Barbershop tradition, which they deliver with cute choreography, sweet smiles and appealing attire.

BFE Delegates from all over the world enjoying the party on Saturday in the Adelphi Hotel...

Liverpool is well-known for its rich cultural and musical heritage, and delegates joined the Magical Mystery Tour to explore Liverpool’s musical past, followed with a visit to the world-famous Cavern Club. There was also a guided tour of the Anglican Cathedral. The social highlight was the conference dinner & party on Saturday evening in the legendary Adelphi Hotel where delegates could re-live the experiences of passengers from large cruise liners who stayed here, the most famous of which was the Titanic. The live music was provided by Paprika Balkanicus, a contemporary 4-strong folk band playing a fiery blend of traditional Gypsy music from the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Having just returned from an international tour in Australia and a concert in London’s Albert’s Hall, they are one of the hottest newcomers in world music!

 Paprika Balkanicus

This was followed by a world beat dance event with DJ Stuart Borthwick (Programme Leader in Popular Music Studies) whose DJ style takes in Jamaican reggae, Ghanaian high life, Congolese rumba, and South African kwaito, as well as other world beats. This was an unforgettable night for delegates! All these events not only showcased Liverpool’s rich cultural and musical heritage but also allow less known local talents to experience and contribute towards a prestigious international conference held in Liverpool. The performances encapsulated a range of musical styles, thereby making visible and audible the social realities of contemporary cultural life in the city of Liverpool.

 LJMU staff and delegates on Saturday night in the Adelphi...

I was also very delighted that conference members also took the stage and continued informal music and dance sessions into both Friday and Saturday nights, including performances on Armenian duduk, Japanese cowboy songs, classical Indian music by Ravi Shankar performed on flute and guitar, Trinidadian steelpans, English concertina, Chinese erhu, as well as sea shanties (shipboard worksongs) that are part of the legacy of the Liverpool-based shantyman Stan Hugill.

During the conference, I was supported by Dr Stuart Borthwick, Tim Dalton and Dr Siân Lincoln. Ten LJMU students conducted a one-year placement as BFE 2009 Conference Assistant in line with the university’s WoW initiative, which included Marieke Jarvis (head assistant), Rachel Dyer, Aaron Horner, Adele McClintock, Catherine Davey, Ashley Hopkins and Dominic Bridge (2nd and 3rd year undergraduates in popular music studies), as well as Amy Smith, Harriet Mould and Alexandra Mills (2nd and 3rd year undergraduates in media & cultural studies). The impact of students’ work-based learning experiences on their employability prospects is being researched by myself and Dr Siàn Lincoln during a PALATINE-funded research project.

LJMU students who worked as BFE 2009 Conference Assistants enjoying the final evening of the conference
 

Acknowledgements
I would like to express sincere thanks to: the local organizing committee, including Dr Stuart Borthwick, Tim Dalton and Dr Siân Lincoln; ten conference assistants; Ric Tyson (technician) and Nickianne Moody (Head of media & cultural studies); Szabina Abdool-Khader (photographer); Professor Roger Webster (Dean of Faculty of Media, Arts and Science); Dr Tamsin Spargo (Director of School of Media, Critical and Creative Arts); Mrs Irene Haworth (Finance Officer); Ms Andrea Coburn (Anglican Cathedral); Mr Kevin Carter (Adelphi); Mrs Pauline Jenkins (Blackburne House). Sincere thanks are also expressed to PALATINE, LJMU (UoA66 Committee) and Taylor & Francis for the grants and sponsorship that have enabled us to organise such a rich and varied event.

Dr Simone Krüger
BFE 2009 Conference Organiser/Senior Lecturer in Music
Popular Music Studies Unit
Liverpool John Moores University

Please note that photographs taken during the conference will be made available to delegates in a short while (we will send an email notification to all delegates). If you have any queries regarding photographs in the meantime, please contact the conference organiser.