Bulletin Board 

There were some 'Open Forum' items at the 7th CIMA Biennial International Symposium and Festival. Following the conference, the items, presented by Uri Sharvit (Israel) and Robert Kwami (UK/Ghana), were discussed by email. Below are the items, followed by a summary of the discussion and other relevant matters.

First, I (Robert Kwami, UK/Ghana) have three questions for your consideration: (a) When would it be best to hold the 8th CIMA symposium and festival and where should it be held - Cambridge or London? (b) In what ways do you see CIMA developing in the next two years? (c) How can CIMA best involve (school) teachers in its activities? 

Secondly, Uri Sharvit (Israel) has suggested the following theme for the next symposium and as a permanent activity for CIMA: 

THE CULTIVATION OF ARTISTIC CREATIVITY BASED ON TRADITIONS (WITH FIVE STAGES OF INVESTIGATION) 

(A) Studying a tradition: 
- musical tradition; its forms and structures; 
- related arts of a selected tradition; 
- the role of music and its related arts in a specific culture. 
(B) Pedagogical application of the above. 
(C) The training of talented people to express their artistic desires by the inspiration of their studies of their own traditional arts. 
(D) Creating methods for training different ages, different populations, etc. 
(E) Comparisons of the different experiences, and the various results. 

Comments on the theme for the 8th CIMA Symposium & Festival

This (proposal) looks good but I think that there is scope for development on this topic. It is possible that the previous theme had outrun its usefulness and I was considering the idea of suggesting different main themes for each symposium. The idea is really good and, to get pedagogical issues included, very important. The fifth stage (E) listed may be less important. (Mike Wright, UK). 

The conference theme must deal with intercultural music as a primary focus. That is, "traditional music" must be treated within the context of intercultural music. (Cynthia Tse Kimberlin, USA) 

I just entered your web site by accident. I am a teacher in Norway (English and French). Will you come up with something like how to teach languages through music in the future? (Inger Langseth, Norway) 

On the location of the 8th CIMA Symposium & Festival 

As I have expressed in the Open Forum ... at Cambridge, it would be more convenient to hold the symposium during the off season of airline traffic for other overseas participants and me, as we get low airfares. It would be better [if the] CIMA symposium is held at London instead of Cambridge. (S. A. K. Durga, India)

From talking to some of the participants (at the 7th CIMA conference), most would opt for the University of London because the equipment is there; you have the infrastructure, and staff at hand. I too thought the prices at Cambridge were rather high e.g. accommodation and meals (not the snacks at the bar). [...] I personally found it fine to have the event at Cambridge. But the consensus appears to be -- on a continuing basis, opt for the locations to be the institution where the Director resides as it is more efficient and the basic infrastructure is already in place. Besides it is positive for the Departments participating. Also, London has easier access for non-UK participants and (is) less expensive. (Cynthia Tse Kimberlin, USA)

Location - what was the view of people about Cambridge? Personally, I am happy either way. However, I would like to consider the idea of a further (Saturday) event like I arranged for the 6th Symposium. This time, I am not thinking of an organ concert but, perhaps, an event with more popular appeal. (Mike Wright, UK) 

While we may not be able to attend the conference each year, London would be more convenient for us, and perhaps less expensive. Although the month of April is a wonderful month to travel, it is a critical time to be away from classes in a university setting. The month of March, the latter part of March would work better or in the Fall, the month of October, preferably the middle to the latter part of October. These are my recommendations. I will discuss the contents of this e-mail with my colleagues, and hope to get back to you soon. (Marva Cooper, USA) 

On getting more teacher involvement in CIMA's activities 

[...] I think that CIMA could provide important regular access to the kind of information and skills they [teachers] need. CIMA could develop a format for the delivery of the information targeting teachers and anyone invited to give workshops would be expected to provide information in that format. The teachers will have to be moulded so that they do not attend CIMA meetings expecting a quick fix but commit to say three meetings at the end of which they would be given an active teaching aid for a couple lessons and a piece of paper stating what they have learnt. Over several years they could develop reasonable expertise in the delivery of a group of lessons. With more and more teachers having this kind of expertise through sharing they will grow and the standard and depth of such lessons will improve over the years. I look forward to hearing what is decided. (Frances Shepherd, UK)

To get teachers more informed, an idea of producing relevant papers (e.g. yours of the 5th CIMA Symposium [Robert Kwami's research, to be published in Intercultural Music volume 5] plus others that directly relate to teaching) into a publication circulated to LEAs (Local Education Authorities], schools TES (Times Educational Supplement), etc. (Mike Wright, UK) 

On other related matters 

... We are most appreciative to you for all of your hard work in putting forth a conference of this magnitude... Dr. Hortense Kerr and Professor Nelda Ormond and I thoroughly enjoyed the conference. We regret that because of the nature of our schedules this year that we could not have seen more of the sessions. (Marva Cooper, USA) 

... [A]n event every two years needs to be augmented by other activities; publications ... (Mike Wright, UK) 

Other participants, including myself, wondered why other Faculty members from SOAS did not participate, such as Keith Howard, as they are well known in their respective fields and would add a lot to the overall symposium/festival. (Cynthia Tse Kimberlin, USA) 

One criticism voiced by some participants and I suspect the main reason other folks who attended previous CIMA events chose not to attend is that it appears to heavily favor Africa and gives little encouragement for those from other countries to participate. Two participants stated CIMA was not responsive enough in inviting individuals from non-African countries. Personally, as Akin has stated, CIMA invites all those interested. However, perhaps, more effort should be made in its announcements that this is an international event and participants worldwide are encouraged to participate... CIMA is different and needs more international representation. This issue should be discussed at the next (CIMA Council of Management) meeting. Personally, although my focus is Africa, I attend CIMA in order to hear what others from other countries are doing. In addition, it would be interesting to see more connections between Africa and Asia (instead of always looking at the Africa/West paradigm. I am currently beginning a study of African Musical influences in Asia and vice versa. (Cynthia Tse Kimberlin, USA) 

Thank you for inviting me to give workshops at the CIMA conference in April. It was very interesting having the opportunity to meet members of CIMA and to hear the various presentations. I am particularly interested in the fact that CIMA seems to span the areas of greatest interest to me and I like the suggestion for the theme for the next symposium and would welcome if it was made a permanent activity for CIMA. There is to my knowledge no other organisation that combines the five stages of investigation and I am engaged in each of the five stages. (Frances Shepherd, UK)

What are your plans now that the CIMA conference has concluded? (Robert Metil, USA) 

Intercultural Musicology could be geared more towards addressing the needs of teachers. I shall be writing to participants, once the dust is settled, to ask them to present their papers for possible publication in Intercultural Music Volume 7! Obviously, the papers will have to go through the review process. 

A summary of views expressed in the CIMA Online Forum will be presented in the next issue of Intercultural Musicology (Volume 4, Number 2). You can take part in the discussions by becoming a member of CIMA. 

Alternatively, you can email your views, comments, opinions, etc., on the subject of 'Intercultural Musicology', to me at: rkwami@hotmail.com (Robert Kwami, Editor).