Lecture series on transculturality
Winter semester 2014/15
Lectures - Artistic Contributions - Discussions
Dates: Wednesdays 17:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Fanny Hensel-hall
3, Anton-Von-Webern-Platz 1
The events are open to the public with free admission.
15.10.2014 Music Theory and Composition
Paradoxes, Dead Ends and the “Historical Reality” of Intercultural Reception
Hugo Riemann’s Involvement with East Asian Music
Lecture: Christian Utz / discussant: Marie–Agnes Dittrich
In the context of the controversial discussion in Japan in the 1930s and 40s about “Japanese harmony”, elements of Hugo Riemann’s universalist late theory, which was summarised above all in the Folkloristic Tonality Studies (1916), surprisingly took on a strongly nationalist flavour in part. On the basis of a description of Riemann’s increasing association with Chinese and Japanese music within the broader context of music theory and musicology around 1900 and a discussion of examples of Japanese modernism between 1900 and 1945, an attempt is made in the lecture to shed light on the complexity of cultural reception at the level of music theory and composition practice which subsequently became 'historical reality' for Japanese and Chinese music. The diverse re-interpretations of the fundamentals of East Asian music which took place in this process provide lasting evidence of "invented traditions" (Eric Hobsbawm) and for the constructivist character of cultural (musical) identities.
The Own and the Other in the Process of Composition
Artistic contribution: Johannes Kretz with Min Kyong Kim, Yong Beom Lee, Wei-Ya Lin and Judit Varga
In the context of cultural and economic globalisation, occupying oneself with one's own culturality and with that of others in history and the present is an important element in the development of cultural identity and therefore also in the training of composers. This process is portrayed and reflected upon using the example of several generations of students, alumni and teachers at the Institute of Composition and Electroacoustics.
12.11.2014 Ethnomusicology
Transcultural Dynamics and the Cultural Diversity of Music-Related Action
Lecture: Max Peter Baumann / discussant: Ursula Hemetek
The ‘culture of transitions’ long since replaced the old essentialist cult of the 'genuine' or ‘authentic' in the theoretical discourse, which, however, does not mean that individuals, groups and organisations do not continue to represent these concepts in what tends to be a normatively defined musical action. The variety of perspectives is not only shown in their forms of musical expression, but above all in the differentiated practice of communicating by means of music as well as in theoretical reflection on the basis of the "permanent revolution of concepts" (Robert Menasse). The coexistence and simultaneity of a wide range of music-related narratives and communication practices are currently based on the conceptualisation of local and global sounds with their nuances of inter-, trans- and hyperculturality. In the conglomerate of differences and trans-differences, the fluid character of each cultural dynamic is revealed, which is ultimately related to characteristics which provide identity such as the 'own’, the 'other', 'others' or 'new' music and styles of music and which – in the execution of the performance – audibly marks out these borders while at the same time transcending them.
Sound Theses – Play your PhD
Artistic contribution: Christiane Baumann, Lorenz Beyer, Marko Kölbl, Wei-Ya Lin and Javier Silvestrini
Doctoral candidates of the Institute of Folk Music Research and Ethnomusicology comment on and perform the music of their thesis projects and cover a range of topics from theoretical reflection to artistic expression.
28.01.2015 Music education
Listen to what you are?! – On the construction of musical identities between racism and transculturality
Lecture: Dorothee Barth / Discussant: Isolde Malmberg
In the migration history of every fifth person in German or Austria there is a story of successful or failed integration into the society which was the destination of migration. Could the concept of transculturality help to overcome contradictory constructions of identity here, or does a concept of culture which has not been clarified tend to strengthen exclusion and racism? In the lecture, theory-related positions are developed and are transferred into practice-related situations in music lessons at schools providing a general education.
Move the way you listen: Transculturality at the interface between the individual and the group
Artistic contribution: Angelika Hauser-Dellefant
A field for improvisation is created by music and movement/rhythm education This field enables us to make music together, communicate non-verbally, express ourselves individually and increase our musical competence. The demonstration of lessons with choreographic interludes provides an insight into this education process.
Summer semester 2015
18.03.2015 Gender Studies
Transcultural encounters – materiality, psychological affect and housework
Lecture: Encarnación Gutiérrez Rodríguez / discussant: Doris Ingrisch
Using the example of two films – La Nana (The Maid, 2009) and Cama Adentro (Live-In Maid, 2004), this lecture deals with transcultural encounters between household staff and their employers. The main focus will be on questions about the materiality of culture based on the topics of psychological affect and housework. On this basis, transculturality will be considered here as a methodological approach.
Ciao Chérie (documentary, 2014)
Artistic contribution: Nina Kusturica
The semi-documentary film Ciao Chérie tells the story of people in a call shop in Vienna, looks at issues of origins and borders and the search for closeness and the need of these people for a connection to others. Transferring money home, long-distance telephone calls from booths in call shops and the struggle for financial survival keep the protagonists of Ciao Chérie on their toes.
27.05.2014 The history of music
About Foreign Countries and People – Transculturality and the History of Music
Lecture: Melanie Unseld / discussant: Cornelia Szabo Knotik
The question of how music history deal with alterities is always a question of one's own position or point of view. The recording of music history therefore deals in very different ways with the idea of 'other’ music cultures: Where are the borders to the ‘other’ drawn? Which arguments are used to justify these borders? And are these arguments intrinsic to music? This lecture investigates these questions in a review of around 150 years of the writing of music history, and not without questions about how music history is currently being written.
“About strangers…”?
Artistic contribution: Marialena Fernandes
Interaction and participation = living and sharing experience, animating and participating, limitless freedom for the courage to carry out well though-out or spontaneous experiments, freedom for the courage to do new things and for change. Diversity through personal commitment without a loss of identity.
10.06.2015 Pop music research
Popular Sounds and Transculturality. The Challenges of Relational Cultural Analyses
Lecture: Susanne Binas-Preisendörfer /discussant: Harald Huber
Starting out from observations, classifications and (subjective) interpretations of specific pop music productions, the lecture questions the functions and meanings of the tonal/aesthetic materiality of popular sounds and the signifying practices of the various actors involved in these processes (musicians, producers, users, listeners, dancers etc.). The practices of pop culture from the past and present suggest that relational analyses should be carried out; i.e. questioning and declaring one's own angle of view and listening perspectives. To this end, theoretical concepts in the field of musicology (transculturality, praxeological concepts) which are suited to these challenges should be considered.
Madame Baheux
Artistic contribution: four musicians born in Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Austria combine rock and world music, classical virtuosity and fresh humour: Lina Neuner (double bass), Jelena Popržan (viola, vocals), Ljubinka Jokić (electric guitar, vocals), Maria Petrova (drums, percussion)
17.06.2015 Music sociology
Political Circulations: Globalization of African–American Popular Culture in the 21st century
Lecture: Tricia Rose / discussant: Rosa Reitsamer
African-American youth culture has a remarkably powerful influence and extensive visibility around the world. How did this come to pass? What are some of the issues generated by these extensive cross–cultural exchanges? Do these exchanges generate mutual understanding, greater racial and international understanding or only the potential for such? Can cultural exchange deeply shaped by stereotype, racial fantasy and the culture industry create oppositional political possibilities and if so how?
Wiener Blond and guests
Artistic contribution:
Verena Doublier and Sebastian Radon brush aside all the clichés about ‘blonde’ off the table with their singing and beatboxing and demonstrate how intelligent, socially-critical and cheeky a Viennese variation of hip hop can be. To do so, they only need a microphone, a loop station, a cajon and a guitar.