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Magazine #34 Apr’21 – The vision of Cosmopolis festival @Alkis Zopoglou, talk with Juliana Volož and + . By Mapamundi Música

Summary ? 

  • Results of the clinical research with the concert for 5000 attendants: no data yet
  • The vision of Alkis Zopoglou for Cosmopolis Festival
  • In depth Juliana Volož (J-V Promotion)
  • Brief news from the media, charts and sister projects
  • Open calls and professional events. WOMEX deadline for showcases call is soon.

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How are you? I hope well! It may not be easy to be well in these times. I have just received the news of the cancellation of the festival Poborina Folk (there is an interview with Sergio Zaera, from this festival, in a previous edition) for this next Summer. It is a multitudinous festival with activities all day long, with the public standing, moving, dancing, drinking and hugging and that is an essential part of the festival. I’m already looking forward to being able to do all that.

Nevertheless, it will end. Let’s look at the future through the eyes of two people I like a lot, Alkis Zopoglou and Juliana Volož ?. I hope you enjoy the interviews in this edition and find the other information useful. And if you have any suggestions for content, calls or useful information for our community, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Araceli Tzigane | Mapamundi Música

Do you want to share any useful experience you have had during this difficult time or another content relevant for our community of the world musics?

Contact me if you want to share some relevant information. And if you find this interesting, share it with your friends. You can read the previous editions here. 

Thanks for your attention and remember that you can check our website to learn about our offers and the artists we work with.

Araceli Tzigane | info@mundimapa.com | +34 676 30 28 82 

Subscription is available here.

NOT YET PUBLISHED, THE RESULTS OF THE CLINICAL RESEARCH ABOUT CONCERTS AND COVID, WITH 5000 ATTENDANTS

In the edition of March I explained about the clinical research that consisted in a concert that took place on March 27th at the Palau Sant Jordi, in Barcelona, with 5000 attendants (the place has capacity for 20 thousand), with no social distance, with masks FFP2 and with fast antigen test before entering the venue.

The results have not yet been published. I have phoned the chief of communication of one of the hospitals involved (this one) and he said it will be done probably at the beginning of the next week.

After the concert, a positive result was detected 3 days after the concert (this is the reference of this info), so it is believed that he was infected prior to the concert and the antigen test did not detect it. I’ll keep an eye on it anyway and as soon as I find any new news, I’ll post it on Mapamundi Música’s Facebook page.

INTERVIEW WITH ALKIS ZOPOGLOU ABOUT HIS VISION FOR COSMOPOLIS FESTIVAL 

In issue 17 (November 2019) I mentioned that Alkis Zopoglou, qanunist of the Rodopi Ensemble and director of the Mediterranean Music Festival in Switzerland, had been appointed artistic director of the Cosmopolis festival, the flagship festival of his city, Kavala, two hours east of Thessaloniki on the Aegean coast.

Many things have happened since then, which have meant that the vision Alkis had for the festival could not be fully realized in 2020. Over the last few months, however, I have had the opportunity to talk to him and share his thoughts and it is a pleasure to share his insights again. Hopefully the plans for Cosmopolis can be realized as he wishes. In the meantime, let’s share some words with Alkis.

Mapamundi Música: One of the features I like most about your vision for Cosmopolis is that it is not just a series of concerts, but rather a series of activities that contribute to a better understanding of the culture behind the band or artist. Now – I have a theory about your vision: You come from the world of traditional music, you have grown up in the environment in which this music is performed and which is still strong in everyday life. And you have performed in many other countries around the world.

This traditional music is beautiful on its own, even out of context, and of course, in its own context it has an even deeper dimension. I’ve met you at several festivals playing the music of Greece in front of foreign audiences. For example, the last time we met in Lublin, Poland in 2019, or in Mallorca further ahead, and that’s really wonderful. Teaching to dance, in the workshop you did, makes the audience the protagonist. And these artistic expressions also provide a worldview that can be seen in cinema, in folk games, in handicrafts, in a typical gastronomy… I think the Cosmopolis Festival complements your experience of life in all these dimensions. It is like bringing the music as well as its context into the Kavala program. Apologies – this is more of a reflection than a question (hehehe). Let me know if you agree with my suggestion or if you would like to add something else 🙂

Alkis Zopoglou: It is true that when we refer to the tradition of a place, we do not only refer to its songs or its dances. It is rather a combination of elements and we should not exclude one from the other for the sake of impressiveness. All these things happen in a unified environment and are a continuation of one another.

For instance, if you are called to represent your tradition in front of a foreign audience far from the place where this tradition origins, it is ideal, if possible, to present song and dance as a unity. In this way, the audience gains a more rounded impression. I’m telling you this because I also have the experience of living abroad for several years. Accordingly, when you simply show a dance to a foreigner without the necessary framing, that includes elements of the space in which that dance lives in, an observer will see it more like a gymnastic exercise than an expression of tradition. However, this is not the desired effect.

On the other hand, one could argue that no one can convey the social activity of a traditional event entirely outside of its actual environment. I do agree but, in any case, it is crucial that the audience receives the most accurate depiction of reality. Thus, by presenting a variety of local activities (dance, music, folk games, people’s stories, food tastes) we motivate people to accept and understand diversity. This also aims to soften the social differences, that are nowadays one of the biggest problems in our world. We all must learn to live together and understand each other wherever we come from, and this is, after all, the profound duty of a cultural institution that deals with culture.

MM: What are you looking for when choosing artists for a program?

AK: First of all, I look for artistic ethos and passion for what they’re doing. I appreciate the authenticity in the cultural product that each artist chooses to present. Additionally, artists must artistically support what they are called upon to project and have studied it in depth, not just superficially. It is not my intention to give space to artists whose only dream is to get on a stage and gain a brief moment of fame.

MM: The festival also highlights the multicultural background of the city, with the presence of Armenians, Jews, Muslims, Roman Catholics… Thus, the festival is also a speaker of local culture and history. Do you usually have an audience from other regions of Greece or other countries? 

AK: Kavala, my city, really is a magical place, that I highly recommend you to visit.
No matter which way you look at it, it will be love at first sight. A city where its past is inseparably linked to its future. A crossroad of cultures that has hosted a multitude of people (Italians, Franks, Hungarians, Austrians, Jews, Turks, etc.) whose cultures have wandered its streets and have been assimilated by its inhabitants. A city with its own history, its stone-paved streets, its beautiful corners and its former tobacco factories “planted” all over Kavala to remind us of its vibrant past.The Cosmopolis Festival is essentially a contemporary way of connecting the city’s history with its future. Its aim is to attract people of all ages and interests by presenting a variety of activities throughout the year. During the festival, the city invites both locals and visitors to stroll around and experience its beauty and traditions. Certainly, not only people from neighboring regions, but also people from nearby countries are frequent visitors of the festival. Cosmopolis Festival provides attractive opportunities to spend a few pleasant days in our city and the people of Kavala are happy to welcome people from all over the world.

MM: In a previous edition (#17) I announced that you had become the new director of the Cosmopolis festival. That was in November 2019. So, your first edition as director was in 2020, the year of the pandemic. The international program was moved to the following year and you adapted the program to this situation. What was the 2020 edition like?

AK: It was not completely postponed. We worked hard and I think we finally succeeded to organize and carry out as many activities as were allowed by the health protocols. It was a desire of both the Mayor of the city, and me, as artistic director, that the festival was not entirely cancelled for one or two years, because this would have made it much more difficult to restart it again. We also wanted to support our local artists during these difficult times, who were hit hard by the pandemic and in the end, we managed to make the most out of the situation. I think that we also had the opportunity and time to develop a different vision of the festival which, after about 15 years of life, needed a refreshment. Now we are prepared and ready to move on to a new model, with much greater public appeal, due to the numerous new activities the festival has to offer.

MM: At the time of this interview, the pandemic situation is still complicated and there is a bit of uncertainty. Let’s assume that the festival will take place as planned, from 26 to 29 August. What will happen in Kavala during those days?  

AK: The festival now, as I mentioned in my previous answer, has been modified altogether. One of the most important changes for which a special effort has been made, is that the festival lasts much longer and it is split into different themes during the year. Its first section, the CosmoHome, begins in late spring in the yards and homes of the residents of the old town. The second section is called CosmoWorld and constitutes the peak of the festival during late August. Lastly, the third section, CosmoClasssical, focuses more on classical music and is planned for November and December. Hence, there are various activities and if you would like to learn more about the different sections, visit the website which will be fully updated by end of April. Hopefully, despite the pandemic situation, we will be able to carry out as many activities as possible.

MM: The programme includes a number of professional conferences, of which I am part of and I am very proud! Could you briefly explain what the objectives of this section of the programme are? 

AK: Our region in northern Greece is an endless source from which new artistic concerns and personalities are constantly rising. Perhaps, due to the fact that, this part of Greece borders 4 other countries and is, at the same time, connected to the Aegean Sea. In this way, there are many different stimuli and influences for the people, which probably shapes the way they see life and their overall mentality.

The aim of this action is to inform young artists already at the beginning of their careers in order for them to be best prepared for the “market” and be able to overcome every obstacle in the most effective way. This knowledge-transfer from professionals in the field to the new uprising generation will not only allow them to get in contact with the global market and hear real-life experiences, but also broaden up their horizons and shape their attitude regarding various issues so that, they can choose their own artistic path.Therefore, I hope that this program will be a very important tool for the growing of their career in the artistic scene, both in Greece but also in the global market. The local artists deserve it and I am convinced that it will prove very useful to them.

Credits:

IN DEPTH WITH JULIANA VOLOŽ

In recent months I have also had the opportunity to exchange many reflections with this colleague, a wise and passionate woman, and it is an honour now to share her thoughts on this peculiar “business” of being an agent for artists of roots music.

In preparation for this interview, I had access to Christian Pliefke‘s previous interview with him in his magazine FolkGalore. Christian is the owner of CPL Music and of Nordic Notes too. Thank you, Christian!!

 

This is a very brief summary of the interview with Christian:

Juliana graduated in chemistry in Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia). After that, she worked for 10 years in marine chemistry and marine biology at the Institute of Oceanography in Tallinn. This work gave her the opportunity to travel through different cities of the Baltic States at the Soviet times. In 1989 she moved with her family to Stockholm and started to be an active photographer. In 1998, they moved to Germany. The chance to become an agent came when the Georgian band The Shin asked her for support to play in Russia. After some encouraging experiences, Juliana opened her own agency in 2007. 
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Mapamundi Música – Dear Juliana, it is my pleasure to share your insights. You are one of the referential agents from Europe in the world music circuit and, despite our background is a bit different, I feel identified with some of the events of your life, like the fact of developing an initiative related to music, in an organic way, not from a conscious project of entrepreneurship but because a passion that aroused and found a way to grow into something that would become a profession. With these questions, I will try to delve in your personality, as well as to highlight relevant info for artists searching for agents and inspiring infos for our colleagues.

You graduated in chemistry from Tallinn University of Technology and have worked for 10 years in marine chemistry and marine biology at the Institute of Oceanography in Tallinn. Which or which ones of the skills or knowledge you got from those experiences have been the most useful for your career as an agent of musicians?

Juliana Volož – I am used  to structuring and organizing things. It helps me to have an overview and see the entire process “from above” so to say. Also, during my work as a marine chemist, I was communicating with my international colleagues from all countries around the Baltic sea. It was my first experience of international networking 🙂

MM – Apart from that or those skills, which other do you think are essential to succeed in this field of work? 

JV – First of all one should like music, he is representing :). I think one very essential skill is to like to communicate and do it sincerely.

MM – Any particular advice for a fellow newcomer or someone who wants to get started in this field?

JV – Be passionate about the bands you represent, as if you have a spark, you can ignite others.
Be honest in accounting. It is much easier to have it clear and transparent, that to hide something.
Keep your reputation spotless: the bad news spreads much faster and sticks stronger than the good one 😉 Be quick in communication. It creates trust with your partners.

MM – And now, for the artists. I’m sure you get requests from artists every day to be their manager. I am sure because it happens to me too, and many colleagues tell me the same thing. Do you have any recommendations for the artists, so that they can improve the way they communicate when they do it for this purpose? 

JV – I like when the artists really check to whom they write and what kind of music this person represents to avoid confusion. Sometimes I get proposals from classical musicians, or cover pop singers saying I checked your website and I am sure my music perfectly suits your roster… I always ask them which roster they mean 🙂

Anyways, the mail should be short, with the photo of the band, short description, a couple of links to good quality videos, links to a streaming platform and social media.

MM – Do you think it makes sense for the artists to try to find an agent? 

JV – Definitely! As the agent work is very time consuming and based on the experience and personal contacts, a good agent could save a lot of creative time for the artist.

MM – Have you ever started a stable collaboration with a band or artist that approached you in their search of an agent? 

JV – Mostly I choose bands myself, but in some cases I also start working with the bands that approach me. The cooperation could work if several conditions coincide: I like the music, I see that this band is ready for cooperation and export. One example of successful cooperation is Tuvan band Khoomei Beat. They have approached me in 2018. I liked their music and saw the potential in it. At the same time I could tell that this band has some work to do before we could talk about cooperation. I told them what I am expecting from them and suggested they come back when they are ready. They approached me in one year and proved that they fulfilled my requirements :). I was really impressed and we started to cooperate. It was right before the pandemic hit…

MM – I think there will be still, at least for many years, a lot of artists and a much smaller number of agents, that is the current situation. This makes me think that we are not in a very interesting business, otherwise there would be many more agents working in world music. Nevertheless, it seems the artists require us. Something seems to be wrong, what is it?

JV – The business itself is interesting, but the type of music we are representing is niche music with a relatively small audience. The target group in many big and established countries, is not particularly young and dynamic. In small countries, on the contrary, rooted music is getting more and more popular among young people as part of their identity.

MM – Especially in the last year, many of us, independent agents or micro-companies, have felt a bit alone and misunderstood. I have heard claims from colleagues from different countries arguing they have not been considered in the support for the arts after the ravages of the pandemic. My experience in Spain has not been exactly like that (I have got support because I am an independent worker in a field with loss of income, not because I worked with art, and the support in Spain depends a lot on the region, so the situation is a bit complex), but yes other countries colleague’s. With this in mind, I have several questions:
We are required by the artists but, at the same time, it seems we are a bit invisible. Do you feel that? 

JV – Most of the agents and managers are invisible, because our task is to help the artists to become more visible, not to become visible ourselves :).  What makes me and many of my colleagues frustrated is that since spring 2020 with few exceptions we can not book live concerts.

MM – How could we explain briefly which is the value we, the agents, provide to the value chain? 

JV – We are part of a team, where each member does what he knows best. We use our experience and network to bring bands to different markets and let them to concentrate on what they do best – making music

MM – My last question. Explain in one or two sentences, to the wider culture community, the reasons to book musicians from around the world that give a relevant presence to their roots. 

JV – I like to compare music with trees.  The music, inspired by tradition, has stronger roots, it is more stable and gives more power to its leaves, blossoms and fruits. This music gives something which makes us rich – the cultural treasure passed by generations.

Credits:

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Do you have a world music festival and you want to be included in our mini interviews? Contact us.

BRIEF NEWS FROM THE MEDIA, CHARTS AND SISTER PROJECTS

  • About Mundofonías, our monthly favourites are the albums: In transition, by Scott Stobbe Collection, Maasai footsteps, by Anuang’a Fernando & Maasai Vocals and El fabuloso sonido de Andrés Vargas Pinedo, by Andrés Vargas Pinedo and bands. This is the edition in which we announced them.

OPEN CALLS AND PROFESSIONAL EVENTS

  • WOMEX:

The call for proposals is open until Friday 16th April. This is the website for the application. And, wow, I am so happy! In 2022, it will take place in Lisbon, one of my favourite cities in the world! 

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  • European Folk Network:

Saturday, April 24th. It will take place the second session of the European Folk Network virtual meeting, “Spring Forward #2”. You can register for the second and third editions, here. The second edition will include a round table with several personalities from the folk and the traditional music scene in Europe.

I am proudly part of the board for the last months and I really encourage you to join us for this session as well as to follow the page on Facebook and to sing up for the announcements here. The speakers have made a little video to tease you to join! Watch them by clicking their name: Alistair Anderson, Svetlana Spajic, Linda Dyrnes, Janusz Prusinowski and there will also talk Alban Cogrel, president of FAMDT (France’s traditional music association).

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  • Canadian Music Week:

Artist submissions for CMV virtual festival are now open. Deadline: April 18th, at Midnight EST.

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  • Mundial Montreal – job opportunity for event producer!:

Artist submissions period will be open soon. This is their latest newsletter. Note they are searching for an event producer.

 

WHO WE ARE AND SISTER PROJECTS 

Mapamundi Música is an agency of management and booking. Learn more here. Check our proposals at our website.

We also offer you our Mundofonías radio show, probably the leader about world music in Spanish language (on 50 stations in 18 countries). We produce the Transglobal World Music Chart with our partner Ángel Romero from WorldMusicCentral.com.

Feel free to request info if you wish. For further information about us, get in touch by email, telephone (+34 676 30 28 82), our website or at our Facebook.

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This newsletter is open to sponsorship. Feel free to ask for details.

Magazine #33 Mar’21 – beyond a response of need, with Culturas 360, Global Toronto and + . By Mapamundi Música

Summary ?

  • New clinical research: concert for 5000 attendants
  • Second part of the conversation with Alexis Herrería from Ah! World Music!
  • Beyond a reaction of need. Interviews about CULTURAS 360, with Alfredo Caxaj, and Global Toronto, with Mercedes Caxaj
  • Brief news from the media, charts and sister projects
  • Open calls and professional events

How are you? I hope well! After February’s edition, I got several suggestions of contents, as well as some feedback and a proposal for collaboration. That is really nice, I am very thankful! And two of the suggestions came from Canada.

By chance, although each contact was completely independent, a father and daughter ended up starring in this March edition. He is known to many of you who will receive this newsletter. He is Alfredo Caxaj. But if you don’t know him yet, I’ll introduce him to you below. He is a true personality, an earthquake. He is the director of the Sunfest festival and this time he tells us about a new initiative: Culturas 360.

And the daughter is Mercedes Caxaj. She has also worked for Sunfest but today she will talk to us about Global Toronto and the organisation from which it was born, Small World Music, which she joined at the beginning of 2021.

Don’t miss the rest of the content, like the open calls. I hope they will be useful and if you have anything to share, just let me know!

Learn more about them, and much more, here below. Happy reading, happy Springtime ?

Araceli Tzigane | Mapamundi Música

Do you want to share any useful experience you have had during this difficult time or another content relevant for our community of the world musics?

Contact me if you want to share some relevant information. And if you find this interesting, share it with your friends. You can read the previous editions here. 

Thanks for your attention and remember that you can check our website to learn about our offers and the artists we work with.

Araceli Tzigane | info@mundimapa.com | +34 676 30 28 82 

Subscription is available here.

NEW CLINICAL RESEARCH ABOUT CONCERTS AND COVID, WITH 5000 ATTENDANTS

In the edition of January I explained about the clinical research PrimaCov. Next 27th of March it will take place another research. It will be at the Palau Sant Jordi, in Barcelona, with 5000 attendants (the place has capacity for 20 thousand), with no social distance, with masks FFP2 and with fast antigen test before entering the venue. I haven’t found any source in English, so you can check for instance this article in El Comercio and use an automatic translator.

SECOND PART OF THE INTERVIEW BY ALEXIS HERRERÍA WITH ME AT AH! WORLD MUSIC

In the previous edition I linked the first part of the interview that Alexis Herrería made to be for Ah! World music! In the second part, we listened to other several artists that I work with in Mapamundi Música: Gulaza, Entavía, Rodopi Ensemble, Svetlana Spajić and Xabi Aburruzaga.

Click here to listen to this second part.

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BEYOND A REACTION OF NEED

It is still too early to assess all that the pandemic has taken from us and brought to us. You will agree with me that we have lost much in our community, but only time will give us the ability to decide whether it has made us better. Right now, even in the midst of the nightmare, initiatives like the newborn Culturas 360 and the early transition to the online version of Global Toronto in 2020 and the new plans for 2021 demonstrate, once again, how powerful the engine that drives us, the vision we pursue and the generosity that oozes out of every pore of our skin are.

CULTURAS 360
March, 27th & 28th. Check the web.

ALFREDO CAXAJ TELLS US ABOUT CULTURAS 360
 

Alfredo himself chose this photo to illustrate this interview. With the Sunfest stage in the background, his smile and open arms. I think it portrays quite well this person, who arrived in Canada in 1985 as a political refugee, fleeing the civil war taking place in Guatemala. He settled in London, Ontario and began working at London’s Cross Cultural Learner Center, helping New Canadians. In 1995 he founded Sunfest. He has been awarded on several occasions for his work. And you might have seen him dancing tirelessly in front of a stage.

There is a very nice profile and interview with Alfredo on the website of Roots Music Canada, I really recommend you to read it. And here, Alfredo explains to us about a new initiative: CULTURAS 360. Take note and don’t miss it: 27th and 28th March

? Download a brochure with more information about CULTURAS 360, here ⬇️ ?

Mapamundi Música – Culturas 360 has been born in the frame of the pandemic, with big restrictions to international mobility, by a bunch of festivals that have an international scope. When the pandemic is over, do you intend to repeat this initiative? If so, will it be online, or part online and part on site, or only on site?

Alfredo Caxaj: Absolutely, it is the intention of the festivals’ collective not only to establish this initiative as an annual celebration, but to evolve as an alternative platform to support artists, and to strengthen relationships within our sector. It is the hope that sometime this year we’ll be able to go back to live music performances at festivals and venues, and our vision is to have CULTURAS 360 actively involved at different conferences, markets and festivals. As hard as the pandemic has been for all of us, it has also given us the opportunity to be creative and innovative, and I truly believe that this project is precisely the result of it.

MM – Which or which ones do you think is/are the common element/s between all the festivals involved? 

AC: I think that the fundamental element that has brought us all together, is the commitment to change and social transformation through music. We believe that music is such a powerful vehicle in bringing people together, and through CULTURAS 360, we’ll contribute to nurture cultural diversity and solidarity between peoples

MM – And which are the common elements between the different artists, if there are any? 

AC: CULTURAS 360 is presenting a diverse line up of artists that combines, some well established and recognized groups, and a great number of new and emerging ones. While some share common elements, whether in terms of its musical genre, language or geography, each group is unique and has its own identity.

MM – Which has been the most complicated issue to deal with in this ambitious project? 

AC: For years, some of us have been discussing this kind of initiative. We see each other all the time at different music markets and conferences, and always we were postponing the planning and concrete steps to make this project a reality. Ironically, in one way or another, the pandemic made us reflect on the need of coming together and launching a program like this, so we can continue supporting artists and keeping in touch with our audiences at this difficult time.

I believe that one of the most complicated issues we faced in order to bring this project to light was the pandemic itself, especially for the artists who had to overcome all kinds of safe and health restrictions in their own countries. Initially we had the intention of launching CULTURAS 360 at the beginning of the year, however, due to the limitations the groups were facing, we had no choice but to delay it for several weeks.

The festivals involved in CULTURAS 360 are:
Sunfest – London, Ontario, Canada
IndiEarth XChange – Chennai, India
MMM Festival – Maputo, Mozambique
Maré – Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Ollin Kan Festival – Ciudad de México, México
Kriol Jazz Festival – Praia, Cape Verde
Havana International Jazz Festival – Havana, Cuba
WOMAD – Recoleta, Chile
Artes à Rua – Evora, Portugal

MM – The economic model of the festivals is quite different. I believe some of them are financed with public money from a municipality, others have private sponsors, others combine these several funds with the incomes from sales of food, drinks or other goods when they are done on site. In your case, of Sunfest, you have got to keep support from private sponsors, haven’t you? 

AC: As you are aware, when festivals were cancelled last year, it represented the loss of all kinds of revenues for them. In the case of Sunfest, we were not the exception to this and the cancelation affected us tremendously.  We were able to adapt quickly in the transition to a digital format and fortunately, we did a virtual version of the festival.

The level of support from government agencies and private sponsors varies from country to country. In Canada, we have been very fortunate that during this difficult time, government grants and emergency funds for the cultural sector have been available and they have been essential in keeping our operations at a certain level.  We were also very fortunate that our main private sponsor understood the challenges of the current situation, and continued supporting our programming and activities in the digital format.

Unfortunately, this has not been the case for many other festivals in other countries, and that’s why I believe that initiatives like CULTURAS 360, can create spaces for mutual support, collaboration and solidarity within our sector.

MM – Was it easy to convince them to keep the support in this new format? AC: At the beginning of this transition, our main corporate sponsor hesitated a little bit, but I also think it was a natural reaction during this process, since all of us were trying to digest and understand these radical changes in a very short period of time.  At the end, they recognized that this was going to be the new reality at least for some time.

We did lose some other sponsors for which it was going to be challenging to justify their financial support in this new format.

MM – I think there are disadvantages for them, like that this format will provide a reach to a widely geographically distributed audience, which can be bad for brands that work just locally. But also advantages, like a potential presence of their brand for a longer time, in case you plan to keep the contents available after the specific dates of the event. What can you tell us about this negotiation that could be useful for other colleagues? 

AC: What I’ve been learning during the past year is that, sponsors in the private sector, have began slowly to understand and recognize the value of supporting the arts in this new format. Their brands can be seen now instead of several hundred by thousands of people, and in many instances, they stay in the web for some time.
Based on our own experience, I would advise my colleagues to be perseverant and patient at the same time. Corporations are acknowledging now the great number of possibilities for their brands in this new format, and I truly believe that from now on, the proposal of hybrid activities will be essential in the process of negotiating sponsorships.

There is nothing better than the live experience and all of us are eagerly waiting to go back to festivals and venues, but I also believe that the digital component, can tremendously enhance our activities, and help us in reaching out to new and diverse audiences.

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Credits:

  • The picture of Alfredo has been provided by himself
  • The logo is from the brochure
  • The collage of artists is also from the brochure
Do you have a world music festival and you want to be included in our mini interviews? Contact us.

GLOBAL TORONTO 
And Small World Music. Check the web.

MERCEDES CAXAJ TELLS US ABOUT GLOBAL TORONTO
 

With this portrait, Global Toronto announced the incorporation of Mercedes Caxaj to the team of Small World Music, as Head of Programs, last 8th January. As mentioned above, she is Alfredo’s daughter and she has learnt in the frame of the Sunfest. She explains below the plans and challenges for the Global Toronto conference in 2021 and much more. Jonathan Campbell, Head of Outreach and Strategic Initiatives of Small World, approached me to propose this participation and he sent me the brochure in the link below. I am very grateful to him.

? Download a brochure with more information about Global Toronto 2021 and more about Small World Music, here ⬇️ ?

It will be very useful for you to check the brochure before reading the interview.

MM – You are mentioning “paid showcases via “Artists Spotlights” Combining performance and storytelling.” Do you mean that the artists are paid for the showcases or that the audience pays?

Mercedes Caxaj: The artists are paid a modest honorarium for their work.  We don’t believe that artists should showcase for free and we wish to engage the artists in a way that our partnership does not just begin and end at Global Toronto. In addition to being paid, the artists are offered various professional development opportunities and are then considered part of the “GT Family” – where we will always suggest them for future professional engagement opportunities.

MM – About “Going Global”, I understand from your brochure that it is like a development support service/guidance, specially focused on the internationalization of the artists. Is that right? What are the concrete future events in this frame?

MC: One of the goals of Going Global is to continue to take artists and professionals from the Global Toronto family out to other industry events. Digitally and in these non-international travel times means producing online showcases and attending virtually. If we receive notice about a conference, where there’s interest in a delegation, programming partnerships, or showcases from the Global Toronto family of artists, we will assist in facilitating a presence to ensure as many voices are included as possible.

MM – And the artists that showcased from your side in Folk Unlocked (the online event by Folk Alliance International in 2021) are the ones included in the first edition of Going Global, is it right? (they are Al Qahwa, Zal Sissokho’s Kora Flamenca, Beny Esguerra and New Tradition Music and G.R. Gritt).

MC: All of the artists have either showcased at Global Toronto in 2018 or in 2020, and/or are co-presented with a Global Toronto partner. G. R. Gritt, for example, was co-presented by the International Indigenous Music Summit, but has not yet showcased at GT. Beny Esguerra showcased in GT18, and Al Qahwa and Zal Sissokho showcased at GT20.

MM – How were they selected, which were the criteria? The deeper you define the criteria, the best!

MC: Global Toronto engages a jury of five dedicated industry professionals – artists, presenters, agents/managers, media, etc – who score each artist based on three categories: artistic quality, market readiness and equity. We are so thankful for our jury members because they can receive up to 250 applications to listen through and have the daunting task of narrowing down the list to about 20 or so. The jury meets to deliberate the final scores and ensure that a range of voices, genres and experience are showcased.

MM – This is all very exciting and seems very ambitious. How is it financed? As you know, the models for such initiatives are quite different in Europe than in the USA and I think also very different between Canada and the USA. You are a team of people working all year round in Global Toronto, but not only, right? GT is a Small World’s initiative, which also has a recording studio, a concert hall that, without pandemic, programmes all year round. How does it normally work in financial terms and how are you overcoming the pandemic crisis?

MC: The team works year-round on all initiatives produced by Small World Music, including the Global Toronto music conference, the eMERGEnce mentorship program, Small World Music Festival and Asian Music Series, as well as managing the Small World Centre which mainly functions now as a broadcast and recording space for virtual presentations. In addition to managing all of these programs, we are continuing to develop our Going Global and international outreach partnership building. On top of all this we are continuously seeking new forms of funding, including government grants, sponsorships and partnerships.  The pandemic period is tough but we are very lucky in Canada to have access to some emergency funding, as well as grantors and corporate sponsors that continue to support even in limited capacities.

MM – About GT again, we are now in the middle of March and the second online edition 2021’s edition, that will be online like in 2020, will take place from 14 to 18 June. What is your schedule for the near future? I think you will announce the artistic selection by the end of the month, won’t you? What else, what other dates shall we write in our calendars for not to miss anything?

MC: The launch of GT21 will take place on March 30th, via the SWM and GT social media channels, where we will be announcing the lineup of showcasing artists, jury and programming committees, partners as well as themes that will be explored during the conference. Registration for the conference will open at the same time. Expect exciting content to be released before June 14th, and exact dates will be confirmed soon!

MM – I have one more question. This is about your strategic vision. The guiding theme of GT21 is “Now What: Making Space, Enacting Change” and you state that it is not a temporary fix to the short term problem of the pandemic. What do you mean with this theme? Making Space and Enacting Change. Please, elaborate a bit more on these ideas.

MC: We are continuing to build upon GT20s theme, which was “Acknowledging Opportunities, Envisioning the Future”. This was framed at the beginning of the pandemic and explored the state of affairs for the industry, how we felt and how we wanted the industry to be rebuilt in a more equitable, sustainable and accessible manner. We created safe spaces to the best of our ability so that participants felt comfortable sharing their lived experiences, as well as aspirations for the future. The need to make spaces for underrepresented voices at all levels and aspects of the music industry – from funding to producing, presenting and programming – as well as how to kick-start these changes. Thus, Making Space and Enacting Change for GT21 is about exploring the pragmatic aspects of these needs and themes explored last year.  We are very excited that we have engaged an amazing programming committee that has actively been participating in the preparation for this year’s conference.

—-

Credits:

 

BRIEF NEWS FROM THE MEDIA, CHARTS AND SISTER PROJECTS

  • About Mundofonías, our monthly favourites are the albums: Zanzibara 10: First modern, taarab vibes from Mombasa & Tanga, 1970-1990 (VA), Music from all corners of the world (VA) and Muzyka spod Radomia (VA). This is the edition in which we announced them.
  • I tend to assume that everyone who receives this newsletter knows that Transglobal World Music Chart releases a monthly chart and what is it. I could be wrong. Here is the website with the charts.
Do you have a call of interest for our community that you want to share? Let me know asap

OPEN CALLS AND PROFESSIONAL EVENTS

  • Yesterday, Monday 15th March, the first conference in the series of 3 of the European Folk Network took place. The series is called Spring Forward. The main topics on the first one where the Stage One of the Mapping report, it was also the official annual meeting of the association and there was some time for informal talk in little groups. You can sign up for the second and third editions, here. The second edition will take place on 24th of April and will include a round table with several personalities from the folk and the traditional music scene in Europe: 
    • Alistair Anderson (English musician and educator),
    • a delegate from FAMDT (France’s traditional music association),
    • Svetlana Spajic (Serbian artist and disseminator, with whom I started to collaborate before the pandemic… and she was not proposed by me, but by Daina Zalāne, Latvian member of the board of the EFN),
    • Linda Dyrnes (director of FolkOrg, organization from Norway)
    • and Janusz Prusinowski (Polish musician and director of the festival Mazurkas of the World).
  • Canadian Music Week: Artist submissions for CMV virtual festival are now open. Deadline: April 18th, at Midnight EST.
  • WOMEX has the call for proposals open until Friday 16th April. This is the website for the application.

WHO WE ARE AND SISTER PROJECTS 

Mapamundi Música is an agency of management and booking. Learn more here. Check our proposals at our website.

We also offer you our Mundofonías radio show, probably the leader about world music in Spanish language (on 50 stations in 18 countries). We produce the Transglobal World Music Chart with our partner Ángel Romero from WorldMusicCentral.com.

Feel free to request info if you wish. For further information about us, get in touch by email, telephone (+34 676 30 28 82), our website or at our Facebook. 

Do you like our newsletter? Tell us! Forward it to your friends! To sign up, click HERE.

This newsletter is open to sponsorship. Feel free to ask for details.

Magazine #32 February’21 – Port Fairy Folk Festival (AU), sector researchs, calls and +. By Mapamundi Música

Summary ? 

· Studies and news from the sector in Europe
· Conversation with Alexis Herrería from Ah! World Music!
· Mini-interview with Justin Rudge from Port Fairy Folk Festival
· Brief news from the media, charts and sister projects
· Open calls and professional events

Hello, how are you? I hope well, healthy and strong. I am having an extremely busy few weeks and the truth is that I am exhausted and right now it is taking place Folk Unlocked, the virtual edition of the meeting by the Folk Alliance.

But this monthly date with the community is sacred and there is a good bunch of things to share. It’s also time to travel to Australia ?! Of course, in our imagination.

Araceli Tzigane | Mapamundi Música

 

Do you want to share any useful experience you have had during this difficult time or another content relevant for our community of the world musics?

Contact me if you want to share some relevant information. And if you find this interesting, share it with your friends. You can read the previous issues here. 

Thanks for your attention and remember that you can check our website to learn about our offers and the artists we work with.

Araceli Tzigane | info@mundimapa.com | +34 676 30 28 82 

Subscription is available here.

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RESEARCHS AND NEWS FROM THE SECTOR IN EUROPE

These works are based on Europe but I hope they can be useful also for readers from other continents.

  • With the collaboration of Newcastle University, the European Folk Network has published the Stage One of the ongoing mapping research. Find the complete report here. The European Folk Network is open to new members and exciting news are coming. After the meeting in Brussels in November 2019, there was planned a new one in 2020, that was postponed, of course… Check the conditions in the website. There you can also learn who is already a member.
  • Music Moves Europe – A European Music Export Strategy. After the latest edition of the newsletter, Birgit Ellinghaus (thank you!) advised me about several studies that worth to be shared: the mapping from EFN, this one of Music Moves Europe and the next one. The study of Music Moves Europe “defines the background, the scope, and proposes a set of measures for a European music export strategy“. Download it from here.
  • Rebuilding Europe: The cultural and creative economy before and after the COVID-19 crisis​. The full study and the executive summary are available on the website.

FANCY TO PRACTICE YOUR SPANISH? LISTEN TO ALEXIS HERRERÍA INTERVIEWING ME

A few days ago it was published the wonderful interview that the Mexican disseminator of world music Alexis Herrería, also known as Viento Solar, made to me for Ah! World music! It was wonderful because he is a great listener, great at doing questions and the musics we listened to together (Hudaki Village Band, Monsieur Doumani, Vigüela and Janusz Prusinowski Kompania) are just outstanding.

Click the picture to listen to the interview:

CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR FESTIVALS 

Since 1977, over 2000 acts and around 8000 artists have appeared at the Port Fairy Folk Festival. If you are confined and bored, you can check the list of the artists they have had, in this page of their website, and tick the ones you know ?

The Port Fairy Folk Festival is a big event that takes place in the seaside of the small town of 3000 residents of Port Fairy. It lasts four days and it includes concerts, storytelling, circus activities, art and craft, dance and music workshops, and comedy.

The edition of 2021 has been postponed to 2022 but they continue doing more little events. The next week they are having some concerts, at the same long weekend when it takes place the festival.

MINI INTERVIEW WITH JUSTIN RUDGE, PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE FROM PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL (PORT FAIRY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA) 

Justin Rudge is the program director. His contact is available on the website. That is something that I love, you know, when you find so easily who is the person in charge of the artistic decisions of a festival or organization. I already mentioned it in the interview of the last edition, with Girisha Fernando.

Justin is currently settled in Madrid, 12 kms far from where I am writting this. We are waiting for the end of this nightmare to meet in person for lunch. He looks friendly, doesn’t he? In this meantime, it is a pleasure to share his insights while we can finally meet face to face.

Mapamundi Música – What do you search for in an artist when you program?

Justin Rudge: There’s some key words I use to decide on programming each artist – unique, engaging, artistic, cultural and challenging are the best 5!

To put it all in one sentence – I program unique artists that engage with our audience, both existing and new, to provide culturally relevant and wholly artistic experiences, hopefully challenging our audience to new and exciting experiences in turn.

MM – Which are the global objectives of your festival?
JR: As well as folk, our festival works to program world, roots & acoustic music – so from a genre point of view, it’s actually pretty broad.  We have a 4 day program, across over 20 stages, so we aim to have something for everyone, all the time!

MM – What are the most complicated or difficult issues to deal with in your festival?
JR: A few things!The first is probably the sheer scale of the event – over 100 artists, over 20 stage, and a lot of patrons from a variety of backgrounds and demographics. Putting that all together to ensure everything works, and everyone is happy – requires a lot of work from a small dedicated team all year round, as well as a massive amount of volunteers around the actual festival period in March.

The festival is located in regional Victoria. While being located on a beautiful bay, we have the constant concern and worry of operating in bushfire season, which provides a constant challenge in terms of managing travel and safety of our festival artists and patrons.

Music festivals in Australia are a booming industry (or were prior to the current pandemic), so we need to constantly improve, update and adapt to the changing marketplace and audience expectations.

MM – Which are currently the main challenges for this kind of cultural proposals like yours?
JR: Obviously, the pandemic has had a massive impact on our ability to engage with our audience who would normally gather in large numbers each March.

While we are not able to do this in 2021, we have and are continuing to create a number of small events across various virtual and in person platforms to ensure we can continue to provide our audience with the cultural and musical experiences we love to share – until we return to full scale events in 2022.

MM – In one sentence, summarize the reason/s to go to your festival.
JR: To experience the highest quality musical and cultural experiences, in and around the folk genre, from around Australia and the world, in a wonderfully picturesque setting.

MM – What has happened with your festival in the current situation of the pandemic? I see you have to postpone the 2021 edition, which would be in March, to 2022. How are you guys handling it, in terms of the team and the artists you may have already confirmed for the 2021 edition?
JR: It changes daily! While the pandemic has been well contained within Australia compared to many other places around the world, the challenges of operating any physical events safely continue.

We continue to work with promoters, agents and managers in Australia and around the world to advance our program for the 2022 event. In most cases, conversations and arrangements that had been in place for the 2021 edition will continue for the 2022 festival.

I’ve been so proud of the people I work with – in Port Fairy with our wonderful staff and amazing volunteer committee – and within the wider music industry. It’s such a challenging period, and to work daily with amazing people that are considerate, kind, flexible and understanding of each others challenges has been a very positive thing to result from the situation.

MM – In 2022 you will celebrate the 45th anniversary. Has there ever been before a year in the history of the festival when this could not be done?
JR: No! While the time of year the festival is held was changed many years ago to the current period of March, we have never not put on a festival in 45 years.  It’s very sad to be missing our event in 2021, but it has provided us with time and space like we have never had to re-evaluate, adapt and prepare to present what I’m sure will be our best event ever in 2022.

Credits:

  • The logo is from the website
  • The portrait has been provided by Justin
  • The landscape is from the festival’s Facebook page

BRIEF NEWS FROM THE MEDIA, CHARTS AND SISTER PROJECTS

  • About Mundofonías, our monthly favourites are the albums: Divine reeds, by Tassos Chalkias, the compilation Ṛṛways: Voyage dans l’univers des poètes chanteurs itinérants amazighes and Samā’ī by Azmari. 
  • I have collaborated in Juan Antonio Vázquez’s show A La Fuente, that he makes in the national radio of Spain, with a selection of rebetiko (mainly from the 1930s) and another of Polish recordings, that will be broadcasted in the next weeks. His radio show is available here.

OPEN CALLS AND PROFESSIONAL EVENTS

  • The virtual conference Folk Unlocked, by the Folk Alliance International, is taking place right now! I have already attended two of the meetings. 
  • It is still open the application period for residential projects (minimum of 7 days) i-Portunus. The deadline for music projects is 28th of February.
  • Mundofonías is media partner of the Afro Pepites Show. After the selection made by the Committee (of which Juan Antonio has been a member), it is the turn for the public vote. Anyone can vote. The votes will determine which are the 3 projects that will integrate the network in 2021 to promote themselves internationally. Learn about the finalists and vote, here.
  • Global Toronto: GT21 Call for Speakers and Themes. I will share the paragraph from their newsletter: “At Global Toronto, we know that the best way to create a compelling, relevant, and engaging event is to ask the most compelling, relevant, and engaging people we know: The wider GT community! Please take a couple of minutes and share your thoughts to help contribute to an impactful and exciting GT21.” The form to gather proposals is this one.

WHO WE ARE AND SISTER PROJECTS 

Mapamundi Música is an agency of management and booking. Learn more here. Check our proposals at our website.

We also offer you our Mundofonías radio show, probably the leader about world music in Spanish language (on 50 stations in 18 countries). We produce the Transglobal World Music Chart with our partner Ángel Romero from WorldMusicCentral.com.

Feel free to request info if you wish. For further information about us, get in touch by email, telephone (+34 676 30 28 82), our website or at our Facebook. 

Do you like our newsletter? Tell us! Forward it to your friends! To sign up, click HERE.

This newsletter is open to sponsorship. Feel free to ask for details.

 

Mapamundi Música signs an agreement with Asociación Reforesta

The pandemic has changed our lifes much. It has even forced us to divert our forces and our attention from some important values that we cannot forget:

Despite the situation, despite all the sadness and all the losses, Mapamundi Música wants to keep supporting grassroots initiatives that respond to challenges that will still be there when the pandemic is over. That is why we have just signed a collaboration agreement with Asociación Reforesta, an association that, since 2009, has planted more than 28,000 trees of native species and that also waters and protects them for years to prevent them from drying out or being eaten by animals. Reforesta is declared by the Ministry of the Interior as an association of Public Utility.

The first trees to be planted with our support will be holly trees, which are in danger of extinction, and will be planted in the Pinar de la Barranca, in Navacerrada. The oxygen they produce may end up reaching you and your loved ones.

Apart from the economic contribution already made, for each concert contracted to Mapamundi Música in 2021, a part of the income will be dedicated to more reforestation projects.

Keep the strength.

  • ESTA NOTICIA ESTÁ TAMBIÉN EN CASTELLANO PULSANDO ESA OPCIÓN –

Application period for Fira Mediterrània de Manresa ends tonight: Wednesday, January 27th, at 24h

The 2021 edition will be the 24th of this professional meeting and festival, which takes place in Manresa, Catalonia.

The first time I attended the Fira was in 2006. I have discovered wonderful artists there, like the Italian group from Salento Mascarimiri, and I have had the pleasure to provide several acts: Triada and Hristov Brothers (it was maybe in 2008), Janusz Prusinowski Kompania & Manu Sabaté and From Turia to Tajo, the meeting between Vigüela, Apa and Eduard Navarro. For this edition I have sent several proposals and I hope next October, from 14th to 17th, it will be the moment to meet again a good bunch of colleagues from our community, after such a long time of distancing.

The application process is easy and for free. Click here: https://firamediterrania.cat/ca/professionals/convocatoria-artistica

You will have to register (if you are not already registered) and to fill in some fields. Prepare in advance, at least: bio/dossier explaining the show, artistic line up (it requires a separate document, apart from the dossier), technical/logistic needs, two pictures, links to videos and audios, usual fee and reduced fee for the fair.

In the previous years there was a professional area of fair with stands that you could rent. In 2020 that part of the Fira was cancelled. For 2021 this option is, at least now, not announced.

I hope to visit Manresa again in 2021!

Magazine #31 January’21 – Let’s keep the dream alive in this meantime. Festival Der Kulturen, Womex, research PRIMA-CoV and much +

Summary ? 

  • Summary and results of PRIMA-CoV medical research
  • Mini-interview with Girisha Fernando from Festival der Kulturen
  • With Alex Walter from WOMEX (by Eric van Monckhoven)
  • Brief news from the media, charts and sister projects
  • Open calls and professional events, because in spite of everything, life goes on

How are you? I hope you managed to have a great time at Christmas and a good end and beginning of year. For me, these have been a bit sad but at least I got to share some time with my family, in the street and with masks but it is so great that we are all healthy and together. My and their best wishes for your 2021!

Luckily, the storm of super heavy snow arrived later! You are probably aware of how is the center of Spain for the last week ❄️☃️. If you are not, you can check this gallery on my FB. The regional government of Madrid region wants the national government to declare the region a disaster area. You can imagine that the vaccination has slowed down for a while…

Nevertheless, life goes on and there are many plans for the future! Discover below the results of a medical research related to the dissemination of the infection in indoor concerts, don’t miss it! You’ll also find some nice interviews. Did you know that there is a festival in Germany that dates back to 1650? ? If you didn’t, now you do!

Thank you to all the participants who shared their precious time to produce this magazine, thank you too for reading and stay safe!

Araceli Tzigane | Mapamundi Música

Do you want to share any useful experience you have had during this difficult time or another content relevant for our community of the world musics?

Contact me if you want to share some relevant information. And if you find this interesting, share it with your friends. You can read the previous issues here. 

Thanks for your attention and remember that you can check our website to learn about our offers and the artists we work with.

Araceli Tzigane | info@mundimapa.com | +34 676 30 28 82 

Subscription is available here.

CLINICAL RESEARCH PRIMA_CoV, ABOUT ATTENDANCE TO INDOORS CONCERTS, RESULTS PUBLISHED

On December 30, the website of the PrimaveraSound festival and the website page of the Fundación Lucha contra el Sida y las Enfermedades Infecciosas (Foundation for the Fight against AIDS and Infectious Diseases) published an article on the results of the clinical testing PRIMA-CoV. It is very enlightening and deserves to be disseminated. I include here a brief summary and in their website you have more details (link to the English version and this is the Spanish one).

The research was made by Primavera Sound, la Fundación Lucha contra el SIDA y las Enfermedades Infecciosas y el Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol de Badalona.

What have they done?
On December 12th, at the venue Sala Apolo in Barcelona, it was done a concert without safety distance and with a pre-screening with antigen test and PCR test. The attendants used masks (N95), provided at the entrance. They were included only people without illnesses, who were not living with elderly people at home, and that had not been diagnosed with COVID in the last 14 days. Ventilation and air flows were optimised and the quality of the air, monitorised.

The concerts lasted 5 hours and the average time of attendance was 2h 40 min. The routes within the building were pre-established and controlled and queues at the entrance, exit and toilets were prevented.
1047 participants were tested, with negative results in the antigen test. They were aleatorized and 500  ofthem entered the venue (only 500 were allowed by the sanitary authorities).

What has been the result? 
8 days later, both the ones that attended the concert and the control group (the aleatoriced ones that didn’t enter) were tested again. None of the attendants to the concert were infected. Two of the persons in the control group (didn’t enter the venue) were infected and they were treated according to the usual protocol.

What has been the main outcome? 
The conclusion of this research is that the attendance to a live music concert performed under a series of safety measures, including a negative antigen test for SARS-CoV-2 on the same day, was not associated with an increase in COVID-19 infections.

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CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR FESTIVALS 

On this occasion, we travel to Augsburg, in Bavaria, around 70 kms to the North-West from Munich, to learn about the Festival der Kulturen. It is organized by the municipality and is part of the Augsburger Hohes Friedensfest, the Grand Peace Festival, whose origin dates back to 1650! This Festival is a bigger celebration that commemorates the Peace of Westphalia. Learn more in the UNESCO website. As stated there, the festival promotes mutual respect for cultural and religious diversity and offers a possibility for getting to know each other.

Something that I like a lot about the website of the municipality about the festival, that is this one, is that it is very easy to find out who is the artistic director and they even provide his email. Bravo ?. I really thank this. Epecially when the programs are paid with public money, it should be mandatory to make this information public and to give a clear way to contact the decision maker.

This reminds me one time that I phoned a city council from Spain to ask about the artistic director of a festival and the person there told me “I can’t tell you because of privacy reasons”. I told her “that is not private, it is a public position doing a public service paid by public money, that information must be public.” Anyway, she didn’t tell me. ?‍♀️

MINI INTERVIEW WITH GIRISHA FERNANDO, FROM FESTIVAL DER KULTUREN, AUGSBURG (GERMANY)  

Girisha Fernando is a music producer, songwriter and bass player, settled in Germany. You can learn about his artistic work on his website. He has a recording studio in the old town of Augsburg (Offshore Studio7). And he is a curator of music, as described on his website, “within the genres of world music, spiritual music, jazz and contemporary pop; artistically ambitious yet always with an eye to an audience”. Girisha works for several events and the one in which we focus here is the Festival der Kulturen, of which he has been curator since 2011 and artistic director since 2018. 

Girisha introduced the festival to us like this:

“The Festival der Kulturen is an annual 2-3 day festival for international contemporary music / world music in the historic city of Augsburg, Germany. It is an independent part of the Programme of the Grand Peace Festival and is staged by the Cultural Office of the City of Augsburg.

Aimed at reaching out and challenging a diverse audience from all walks of society with unfamiliar music and sounds, the programming is focused on winning over the listener through sheer musical force.

Artists to have performed include Seun Kuti & Egypt80, Taraf de Haidouks, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Konono No1, the Portico Quartet, Yasmine Hamdan, Tamikrest, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Vieux Farka Toure, Dakhabrakha, Kocani Orkestar, Emel Mathlouthi, Bombino, Ibibio Sound Machine, Ebo Taylor and the Warsaw Village Band besides the participation of local musicians and associations.”

Right now, Germany is under the heavy burden of the pandemic, with restrictive measures again. I hope that next Summer Girisha and the public will be able to see the artists of the Festival der Kulturen on the stage in Augsburg. In the meantime, let’s learn more directly from him.
—

Mapamundi Música (MM) – I have learnt from you that the festival started in 2008 and you became the artistic director in 2011. How did you get hired for this? 
Girisha Fernando: I had some ideas, submitted a concept and then got hired as music curator for my first few years. As the festival evolved towards its current profile, my role evolved to that of artistic director.

MM – How did your incorporation in the artistic direction change the festival? 
GF: The festival’s profile was sharpened and now focuses more and more on presenting international contemporary world music, reflecting musical developments and the cutting edges between traditional and modern styles.

MM – What do you search for in an artist when you program?
GF: Musical quality, authenticity, originality

MM – Which are the global objectives of your festival?
GF: Introducing new and uncommon music off the beaten track and providing a space for the local and international music community to a growing, interested and diverse audience.

MM – What are the most complicated or difficult issues to deal with in your festival?
GF: The usual things, the routing of the bands, scheduling, finances, etc.

MM – Which are currently the main challenges for this kind of cultural proposals like yours?
GF: To stay relevant artistically, developing new challenges, new projects, thereby taking one’s audience along for the ride.

MM – In one sentence, summarize the reason/s to go to your festival.
GF: Apart from presenting great music and being able to meet great people, we have also been focusing on developing unique musical projects with international artists and local artists working together, projects for example incorporating the Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra with artists like Karolina Cicha or Mercedes Peon.

MM – What has happened with the edition of 2020 in the current situation of the pandemic?
GF: Last year we had to first cancel the regular festival, but were then able to stage some smaller concerts in summer. We also produced some cross-border video projects. For 2021 we will have to see and hope for the best!

Credits:

Do you have a world music festival and you want to be included in our mini interviews? Contact us.

INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDER WALTER, WOMEX’S DIRECTOR

-English edition of the interview originally posted in World Music Lab Italy, by Eric E. van Monckhoven-

Eric offered me to reissue this interview in English and Alexander accepted, so thank you to both of you, guys!

Here on the right you see Alex and the questions below were done by Eric (picture below) for his blog at World Music Lab Italy. Remember I made him an interview about this project that you can find here. Now it is Alex’s turn. And I join him in the wish to meet again in Porto next October!

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Credits: WOMEX 20, Digital Edition feat. Budapest Ritmo
17/11/2020, Alexander Walter, WOMEX Director
Interview for World Music Lab, Italy, Eric van Monckhoven

Eric van Monckhoven: What were the biggest challenges in going digital, and how did that decision come into place?
Alexander Walter: The initial plan, of course, was to have a physical event on-site in Budapest. Due to the developments of the pandemic, in summer, we started planning for a hybrid event – involving physical with a digital programme. This hybrid event would allow us to involve our community from parts in the world where it became clear that they would not be able to travel to Europe in October – until the Hungarian government closed the borders for non-Hungarian citizens on 1st September. At that point, the decision was clear; we had to go fully digital. The biggest challenge was to transform the different programme elements into the digital sphere. WOMEX is a “meet and hug” event, and it took countless hours of brainstorming on how to shape things so that they make sense for everyone involved under digital circumstances. Luckily with our long-existing digital platform virtualWOMEX, we already had a structure in place, and with the help of a few extensions and upgrades, it gave the basis.

EVM: How did you make it to coordinate staff and events (Berlin, Budapest?)
AW: The initial plan, of course, was to have a physical event on-site in Budapest. Due to the developments of the pandemic, in summer, we started planning for a hybrid event – involving physical with a digital programme. This hybrid event would allow us to involve our community from parts in the world where it became clear that they would not be able to travel to Europe in October – until the Hungarian government closed the borders for non-Hungarian citizens on 1st September. At that point, the decision was clear; we had to go fully digital. The biggest challenge was to transform the different programme elements into the digital sphere. WOMEX is a “meet and hug” event, and it took countless hours of brainstorming on how to shape things so that they make sense for everyone involved under digital circumstances. Luckily with our long-existing digital platform virtualWOMEX, we already had a structure in place, and with the help of a few extensions and upgrades, it gave the basis.

EVM: How did you make it to coordinate staff and events (Berlin, Budapest)?
AW: We have been planning and working with our local partners, Hangvető in Budapest, throughout the year, which helped us enormously to pull off the event so efficiently. Also, since they had hosted us in 2015, they knew what it takes to create WOMEX. Within a short period of time available, and with all social distancing measures, Hangvető organized some concerts and conferences on the ground in our nighttime venue Müpa. Parts of the programme indeed took place live in Budapest and then were streamed into the digital event.

EVM: How do you assess the results and what has been learned?
AW: The overall feedback from our music community was positive. It, of course, is not possible to 100% re-create a physical experience in the digital hemisphere, but it works as a bridge until in-person meetings can be done again. It was nice to see the delegates being active during those days, and the level of interaction was high.

In the meantime, there are plenty of digital tools out there that, with the help of a good IT team, can serve the implementation of intentions and ideas. It certainly is dependent on budget, server capacities and of course internet access, but in theory, almost everything is possible.

EVM: What worked best (films, showcases, conferences, ceremony, online chat possibility, etc.)?
AW: All elements were adopted and well attended. The online conference sessions drew great attention this time, and the virtual showcases were combined with artist interviews that gave a more in-depth insight into the artist’s creative processes and stories. Though of course, the intensity of a live concert is something completely different – streaming and live should not be compared. We also included a chat tool where people could directly get in touch with each other in written form or do video talks. Over the days, more than 20.000 written messages happened via this tool. This year, delegates really appreciated watching the extended film programme – something that during the rush of a physical event does not get the same attention.

EVM: What are the positive takeaways from the digital WOMEX edition?
AW: It is good to do something than cancelling the whole event. It showed that despite the struggle that everyone is facing in the music community right now, there is still a need for getting together and cultural exchange and that people reached out, stayed positive minded and interactive. We were thrilled to see that 1,130 delegates registered to take part.
One other advantage certainly was that we could invite conference speakers that typically would not have had the opportunity or means to travel to a physical event. We could be more inclusive this way. We sincerely hope that everyone will be able to manage these financially challenging times and stay in good health – physically and mentally – until we meet again next year in October in Porto, Portugal.

Credits:

BRIEF NEWS FROM THE MEDIA, CHARTS AND SISTER PROJECTS

  • The 1st  annual compilation done by Transglobal World Music Chart will be released by ARC Music very very soon! ? You can preorder it on the website.
  • About Mundofonías, our monthly favourites are the albums: Gusle, the Epic Tradition of Serbia (V.A.), Sisyphus by Sofia Labropoulou and Live in Berlin by Barmer Boys.
  • Songlines has released their list of the 50 best albums of the last 5 years. The list is here. Congratulations to everyone! I am personally happy for Daniel Rosenberg, whose project Yiddish Glory is included. How would I like to celebrate in person! 

Do you have a call of interest for our community that you want to share? Let me know asap

OPEN CALLS AND PROFESSIONAL EVENTS

  • Fira Mediterrània de Manresa. The call for artistic projects is open until Wednesday 27 January at 24h. It will take place from 14 to 17 of October 2021. More info and submissions, here.
  • The virtual conference Folk Unlocked, by the Folk Alliance International, will take place from 22nd to 26th of February. I’ve already registered. The complete program seems not to be published yet.
  • It is expected that Creative Europe will open the call for collaboration projects in Spring (postponed from the last Autumn and with the new budget, remarkably increased) but now it is open the application period for residential projects (minimun of 7 days) i-Portunus. The deadline for music projects is 28th of February.
WHO WE ARE AND SISTER PROJECTS 

Mapamundi Música is an agency of management and booking. Learn more here. Check our proposals at our website.

We also offer you our Mundofonías radio show, probably the leader about world music in Spanish language (on 50 stations in 18 countries). We produce the Transglobal World Music Chart with our partner Ángel Romero from WorldMusicCentral.com. And we lead also the Asociación para la Difusión de los Estilos.

Feel free to request info if you wish. For further information about us, get in touch by email, telephone (+34 676 30 28 82), our website or at our Facebook. 

This newsletter is open to sponsorship. Feel free to ask for details.

And now from Spain, some musical joy for Christmas and the best wishes! A carol by Vigüela for you.

In the post with the song Dunaj by Janusz Prusinowski (you can read it again here) I told you that it was my first season’s greeting. Because here you are the second one! ✌️

Yesterday I was in El Carpio de Tajo, the village where most of the vigüelis are settled and where the band was born, to make some videos for a documentary film and, after the serious work, we had time to sing together a little. And now I share this moment with you, from the intimate environment of their rehearsal room. If you need anything else about Vigüela, just let me know.
? This carol you have below is probably the most popular in Spain. The video below has subtitles in English for the lyrics.
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At the end of the song you see a change of concept, let’s say: it starts talking directly to the woman who is listening, who is told that she does not look stingy. This is because this song, and many others, are sung from house to house, requesting the inhabitants to come out and give something to eat or a coin to those who are singing. This custom of requesting from house to house in exchange for the song is called to “request the aguinaldo“, or “aguilando“, depending on the region.

¡Feliz Navidad!

Araceli Tzigane | Mapamundi Música

A song of good wishes for you, when we need them most, by Janusz Prusinowski

How are you? I hope well! This is a season’s greeting email, how original! In fact I think so ? 

A few days ago Janusz Prusinowski sent me two recordings he had made for a project to disseminate the music from Łukowa, a village with 2.600 inhabitants in the South-East of Poland with a musical tradition that was lastly added to the National Heritage list. A group of people there are working to transmit this music to the new generations.

Listen to: the solo voice version or the version with instrumentation
– You can download and use them if you make a radio show or podcast or similar and send our best wishes also to your listeners –

What is the song about? Let’s let Janusz explain it by himself.
Click on Janusz’s face to listen the explanation  ?
 

Some more info about the song, by the artist:

“This is traditional wishing carol, that used to be sung by young men to the girls, walking from house to house. The name of a girl, for whom the wish is dedicated, is consequently repeated in each couplet of the song, as the magic incantation, in order to bring the “ideal bridegroom” next year. Naturally the real “ideal bridegroom” was just the one, singing the “dunaj”.

This year the covid situation stopped traditional carol singers in all regions of Poland. I hope, that internet would at least in 1% substitute the real situation of meeting, singing together and sharing good wishes.”

I am grateful to Janusz for allowing me to use his beautiful recordings to wish you a happy season. I hope 2021 will make us forget the grieves of 2020.

? And thank you, for being here visiting me. This is my first season greeting. More will follow soon!

 

And these are the lyrics. I had the support of Ewa Gomółka for the translation:

To the river, Maria, in the morning, to bring the water, to the river,
And with two buckets, to the river!
She picked up water, dropped the wreath of flowers, into the river,
And she went along the bank, to the river,
And she found three ospreys, to the river,
My dearest ospreys, fish my wreath of flowers, to the river
And how will you pay us, to the river,
To the river, Maria, in the morning, to bring the water, to the river?
For the first one, the present will be my rue crown, to the river,
For the second, the present will be my wedding ring, to the river,
For the third one the present will be the bride, to the river,
The bride, beautiful like a blueberry, to the river,
Work, work and while you are looking for money, to the river,
[One of the singers makes the prolonged sound “Iiiiiii”]
Go to the chest and look for the złoties, in the river,
Take the stick, bring down a sausage, to the river,
Search in the chest, pull out half a pig, to the river,
Look on the shelf, take out a loaf of bread, to the river,
To the river, for those in this house, to the river,
To the river, for the grandma who is sitting on a bench, to the river,
To the river, for the grandpa who is sitting on the table,
To the river, Maria, in the morning, to bring the water, to the river.

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I loved writing it for you.