Summary 👇
- Editorial
- Talk with Asya Arslantaş from Asya Music Management
- Some thrilling insights about Rastak’s exile, by their manager Behzad Pournaghi
- Introducing a new world music showcase festival, the first one in Bulgaria, “AtoJazz”, on a talk with the director, Peter Dimitrov
- New event in Angola and call for artists: Ntwala Oh Yeah! Festival
- Cultural diplomacy in war times: Ukrainian Institute Kyiv
- Call for contents from #AuxSons
- Brief news from the media, charts and sister projects
- Update on the European Folk Day
- Open calls and more news from professional events 💼
- A small space for Mapamundi Música’s proposals
- Meet me at ✈️
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On this occasion I am bringing back a photo taken in an edition of Babel Med, the only one in which I had a stand. Babel Med died (and, somehow, it has been resurrected). That year, 2018, we sent proposals (I sent a handful, but I speak in plural for me and for all colleagues) but the event was cancelled. We were not reimbursed for the cost of the applications (I’ve checked the ones from that year, each one 15 euros, I sent 3). But well, it wasn’t very sensible to make firewood from the fallen tree. But recently a colleague told me about it, pointing out that it was wrong not to refund the money. She thinks she asked for the refund but she was not totally sure either. I will give them the benefit of the doubt.In any case, it was a pity about that loss. So as I have said several times, I am looking forward to this reincarnation, Babel Music XP, which is coming soon: 23-25 March. If you come, I’ll be there.
Let’s leave the past where it is. Back to what this edition of the newsletter is about. In this edition of the newsletter I will share an interview with a Turkish colleague. As I mentioned in the previous edition, in mid-February I was in Istanbul for a concert by Ali Doğan Gönültaş. It was postponed due to the earthquake tragedy. Even so, I had the opportunity to meet several people and have very interesting conversations that have led to the beginning of friendships. With Dr. Martin Greve, German musicologist and ethnomusicologist, specialised in history of Turkish art music in the 20th century, I spent a very interesting evening of talk. He had the happy idea to invite Asya Arslantaş. She is a woman who works independently as an agent and manager in Turkey, with the brand Asya Music & Management. So, more or less like me, but in Turkey. We contrasted some experiences and compared our contexts. She is our protagonist today. I am sure you will find her insights very interesting. I feel very close to her words.
In Istanbul I also had a great time with Nick Hobbs, owner of Charmenko, who lives there. And Ali gave me a demonstration of the Anatolian Kurdish song workshop, which he will soon be teaching in Europe. He also showed me his neighbourhood, Gazi.
All in all, you can imagine that I didn’t do any of the typical tourism, but I would like to embellish this editorial with a photo from Üsküdar, on the Asian side of Istanbul, wishing Turkey a future of stability and the possibility of development in all respects. I hope to witness this in my lifetime.
This edition of the newsletter is the longest I have done so far and I have gone through many different emotions as I have gone through it. I think all the content is of great interest. I hope you do too.
Remember: if you have any news of interest for our community, let me know. Thank you very much for your attention.
AND NOW THE FLOOR IS FOR:
ASYA ARSLANTAŞ, FROM ASYA MUSIC & MANAGEMENT
As I explained above, I met Asya in person recently in Istanbul. I already knew her from Facebook and I knew she had worked in Turkey with musicians with whom I have worked here (like Ruben Monteiro from Albaluna). That evening in Istanbul we talked a lot and realised some common challenges we often face.
Normally I make an introduction myself about the organisation or person, but in this case Asya has done the job for me. This is how she introduces her work herself:
“Music is the oldest and universal way of communication in the most common expression. Two people who grew up far away from each other and in different cultural factors, but somehow came together; thanks to a kind of archaic musical memory, they can communicate by the language of sounds without having to overcome all these differences. For this reason, we think that music is the communication itself, and we try to listen to the real sound of the music, which is transformed by being instrumentalized in the understanding of entertainment, and try to bring this sound to the stages.
Asya Music Management conducts musical research; managing and booking works of some musicians in the World Music category, while delivering musical meetings with artistic performances to audiences, it produces and manages event contents aimed at the continuity of artistic depth. It offers a management, booking and organization approach with a new perspective based on musical research.”
Without further delay, let’s start the interview.
Mapamundi Música: Which is your background, what made you become an agent for world music artists?
Asya Arslantaş: This story consists of two parts. I’ve graduated in Geography. But I never worked as a teacher. I was always into listening, especially instruments, ever since I could remember. I listened not only for fun mostly to see into the way of people, cultures and their expressions. It was like curiosity to other possibilities of life. I was trying to perceive life with the help of music. This was super private to me, cause I was a bit of a distant personality. I was making a radio programme online and broadcast the music I collected from other local cultures as an anonymous broadcaster. I had a significant digital archive which I worked on. Meanwhile I took a part-time unpaid job in a local radio as a producer. I was editing the programmes, sound recording, in the background. My musical taste didn’t appeal to radio listeners so I haven’t made a programme about world music. I was there only to learn about production.
After I graduated university I got a regular job in a government department. Besides, I kept researching music and interviewed musicians and was very active in civil society. The things I had witnessed as an officer in a government department for nearly 2 years had changed me dramatically, so I ended up in deep internal and external conflicts. I couldn’t stand it anymore and quit. This experience literally changed my value judgments, my way of life totally. It was a turning point. It became a life-changing decision to establish a job according to my interests. A world music agency. But in a kind of different way.
Mapamundi Música: Define your value proposition.
Asya Arslantaş: I really give importance to musicians grounding on their own cultural music in this superficial time. I am not conservative nor have limits but we need to know our cultural motifs for carrying it to the future even if it is metamorphic. I believe someone could have more to say as long as she/he comprehends their own culture. That’s what is happening today. There are talented groups achieving that.
The sincere approach to music is as important as being a master player to me. Some local and humble musician get me more than world renowned masters. I enjoy listening to songs that have soul whether as masterfully or not. Perhaps I have this approach because I am not a musician but I think that I am able to distinguish the essence of performance as a loyal listener. Because it speaks to me. Music already requires us to make progress in its nature, pushing the performer to more but in case the source of motivation is to be ‘the most known one’ I think there is something missing. That’s why I am interested in music directly. That’s what is directing my portfolio.
Mapamundi Música: Which are the professional objectives you would like to achieve in the mid term?
Asya Arslantaş: My aim is to create conceptual musical projects not only booking concerts. I did this in Izmir a fews years ago under İzmir Metropolitan Municipality cultural and art activities. It was a first world music days that attained great interest by audiencies in Izmir. I created and managed all the processes which consisted of 10 concerts taking place within 3 months. It was a musical journey around the Mediterranean from Greece, Crete, Serbia, Spain to İsrael extending to Turkey. There was a soul in these musical days and great effort. My career precedence is creation and sharing, not only booking. Nevertheless, the current unstabilized situation doesn’t let us shape the future. Music market here is getting worse. That’s why I want to expand abroad.
Mapamundi Música: From your training, education, previous experiences, which ones of the skills or knowledge you got have been the most useful for your career as an agent of musicians?
Asya Arslantaş: Having Geography education put me so much and broadened my perspective. It branches many subs like anthropogeography, physical geography, cultural, political, medical, oceanography, urban and more in it I can’t count here. For instance, we were able to study both the Pacific ocean floor, jet streams, agriculture of South America and a traditional wedding ceremony of middle Asia at the same time. This gave me both a local and universal point of view while I was into discovering the world. Also I took research methods lessons. So I knew how to research and approach other cultures, as having a full formation. I consider music as like a personal geographical element interacting with each other and at the same time I can hear the unique differences. Besides, I was organizing the official process of international people face to face when I was at the government department, so this made me obtain the ability of organization and recognize differences of foreign culture.
Mapamundi Música: Apart from that or those skills, which other do you think are essential to succeed in this field of work?
Asya Arslantaş: Definitely requires to be patience and practical thinking. There is no determined method to this job, and no one guides you. So you should play your own game. People might think how easy this job is but inside of it is the opposite, as you know very well. Musicians have a different rhythm, personalised expectations than others. No matter what, you should have mutual respect for artists you work together with. This is a collaboration, not a chain of command. It is not enough to provide the stage and backstage needs, we should have a sense of co-creating during the process even if for only one concert.
We should keep up with our music space and tendencies to be aware and stay up to date. Mapamundi Musica and Transglobal World Music Chart are some of precious sources for that purpose which I have been following for years.
Mapamundi Música: Any particular advice for a fellow newcomer or someone who wants to get started in this field?
Asya Arslantaş: I can advise that they should have work planning if anyone decides to get into this field independently. There is a huge difference between personnel of an agency which is already known, or working as a private agency. As a small scale agency, the first steps hardly pay off, portfolio and opportunities are limited, you are not recognized, you face financial borders. But we should not give up. Because all these experiences lead you to have an individual, particular way which is resulted in your own signature.
Everything goes along with the help of contacts today. Even if we have the best, no one discovers us unless we promote us to all suitable stages, halls, festivals. And most of them would never respond to you! So better be determined and don’t take it personally.
Mapamundi Música: You are settled in Turkey. Could you give any tip to our colleagues or to the artist about how to enter the market of Turkey, if it makes sense to try?
Asya Arslantaş: There is a huge interest in Anatolian music by European musicians. They are coming to take workshops, search, be part of performances or make projects. I am going to share my musical archive with a French musician tomorrow for example. But there are no any foreign world music agencies here. I see that some agencies promote Turkish music, which we left behind, as a Turkish music on European stages.This is like re-listening to the 70’s,80’s to us. However I must grant them the right that this is the easier way considering Turkey’s economic issues and even while we are thinking of expanding abroad.
Agencies should be aware that Turkish music audiences have an extended musical taste, there are potentials on diverse genres, and but on the contrary unfortunately not enough concert halls to work for world music and totally mentality of work which mostly goes through persons on these stages. World music is remaining as a limited field of interest in Turkey.
Mapamundi Música: And now, for the artists. How do you choose the artists with whom you work?
Asya Arslantaş: I am being told by my circle of musicians that it looks like I manage the music which I like. That’s true. No matter if it is famous or not, I prefer work for artistic and deep music. I mostly take into consideration the level of instrumental performance, and content of composition.
Mapamundi Música: I’m sure you get requests from artists every day to be their manager or agent. 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?
Asya Arslantaş: Yes I do. I can understand artists in this sense. They need someone who can represent them properly, however there are not many agencies working on the world music field. But I am not mainly an artist manager, I am project manager and book agency. I have only one group that I am manager of, Sinafi Trio. We have to go for fit artists for stages, hall, festivals; so mostly we have to say no regardless how great they are.
These are the Sinafi Trio, the band of which Asya is the manager, performing Arnisi, a piece composed by Elena Moudiri Chasiotou, the singer and percussionist:
Mapamundi Música: Do you think it makes sense for the artists to try to find an agent? Have you ever started a stable collaboration with a band or artist that approached you in their search of an agent?
Asya Arslantaş: Do you think it makes sense for the artists to try to find an agent? Have you ever started a stable collaboration with a band or artist that approached you in their search of an agent?
Mapamundi Música: I think there will still be, 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 that the artists require us. Something seems to be wrong, what is it?
Asya Arslantaş: We are not in popular culture so it doesn’t make money. People like us feel the need to have another source of income besides music. We need to have ground to get forward. Interest of musicians for world music is growing but there is a deficiency of supply from the stage side. It seems that we are a sort of demand before the stages, supplier before the artists. I think that’s the way it is going to be unless world music turns into popular culture. Most good artists make market music to get by. Who can blame them?
Mapamundi Música: 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.
Asya Arslantaş: The answer is in its name, which is world music. This is about how cultures influence each other by remaining their cultural core. That’s a personal preference depending on my musical background as a listener. I am thinking that if I worked on only my own culture, I would stick in a narrow perspective about music. Moreover, the world is not only about our own habitat, we contribute to each other by cultural transmissions. People listen to others when it comes to music. There are no meaningless nationalist polemics in it. It is not only about the neighbors. For example I remember a Japanese was into Teke Region music or a Portuguese was playing Neşet Ertaş from the heart by sensing. Shortly, I like these interactions.
Mapamundi Música: Please, feel free to add anything else you want to share.
Asya Arslantaş: Thank you for interviewing me. It is very informative to share personal experiences in the same field.
Thanks to you, Asya!!!
SHARING INSIGHTS FROM THE EXILE
BEHZAD POURNAGHI, CO-FOUNDER AND BAND MANAGER OF THE IRANIAN BAND RASTAK
I’ve listened to it again now and I really liked it again. I sent it to my mother, which is what I do when I really like something. She also liked it a lot.
When I was in Istanbul in February I learnt from Kutay Derin Kuğay that the band Rastak had left Iran and settled in Istanbul. I find it terribly painful and I think they deserve a space to explain a few things. It seems that the world is getting worse. I refuse to believe it. I am very grateful to Behzad Pournaghi for sharing these reflections. If you are interested in talking to him about hiring Rastak, I talk to him on his LinkedIn and he also has Facebook. His phone is +90 552 662 7086 and his email is Behzad.p@rastakmusic.com.
I have no business relationship with them and have not been paid. I have not been paid for any content in this newsletter. I don’t refuse, but if I ever include sponsored content, it will be clear that it is advertising. But I would like Rastak to be able to continue making music. I will now give way to Behzad’s declarations.
Mapamundi Música: Tell me in a paragraph what is Rastak (foundation year, styles of music, number of members, instruments you play… some basics).
Behzad Pournaghi: Rastak is one of the most well-known bands in Iranian contemporary folk music, formed as an experimental music group in 1997. Rastak seeks to collect, record, and interpret Iranian folk music for a global audience. With a focus on Iranian folk music, Rastak has become one of the most famous ensembles in Iran, playing a mix of tunes from different parts of Iran.
Rastak incorporates language, culture, and history, merging traditional instruments and forms with contemporary rhythms. Rastak has tried combining well-known tunes with less well-known ones to shorten the generational gap and create a geographical bridge in Iran’s music.
Currently, the band consists of 8 musicians from various ethnic backgrounds and is based in Istanbul. The band members play different Iranian, Traditional, and folk musical instruments. Rastak put all these instruments together and practically used them in their orchestra.
- Siroos Sepehri: band director, tar player
- Seyed Farzad Moradi: lead vocalist, divan, setar, dotar, qupoz, tanbur, oud
- Seyed Behzad Moradi: lead vocalist, percussion, tanbur
- Maedeh Doosti: kamancheh, kamancheh alto
- Majid Poosti: percussions
- Akbar Esmaeilipour Farsangi: tar, setar, oud
- Sahar Rashidi Torbati: qanun
- Selami Gördeli: zurna, duduk, mey
MM: Tell me 2 or 3 selected links to learn more about you guys.
BP:
- Wikipedia
- Interview with Indian Sound and Steps
- Rastak Website
- Rastak Official Youtube Channel
- The Daily Star
MM: I’ve learned recently that all the band has moved to Turkey. I have to tell you that I was very sad to hear that. It seems like a critical decision. I think I and all readers are aware that the situation in Iran has been difficult for a long time for musicians and now even more so. But this seems like a decision with no turning back. Perhaps you would like to send a message to the international community related to music rooted in the identity of peoples about this. Please say what you consider.
BP: The Migration. We have been independent of any government or private sector since the beginning. Despite the group’s financial challenges, we maintained our financial and operational independence during these years. Of course, we could only do it by implementing a system with financial and business discipline, which is exemplary for music groups. It sets us free of limiting and restraining boundaries and enables us to follow our passion for new ways to improve our music and performance.
The life of Iranian musicians in Iran is difficult. Despite Iran’s long and rich music history, the government has imposed strict regulations on music, making it difficult for musicians to present their creations freely (learn more in IranHumanRights.org). Musicians must adhere to the government’s moral standards, which can severely limit their creative freedom, such as female artists’ involvement, lyrics censorship, and even in the purest folk storytelling.
For instance, unfortunately, Iran’s government creates many obstacles to women’s activities in art, especially music. We have fought against this problem for years in our ways, including refusing to perform without our female members, and endured many difficulties. Despite obstacles, we have been among the few groups that insisted on having our female artists in the band during the 25 years of our activity.
These regulations have significantly impacted Iranian music bands’ ability to participate in international music festivals. Iranian bands are not allowed to perform at international music festivals abroad without a permit from “The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.” In fact, for any live performance inside and outside, musicians need a permit from the ministry. Furthermore, Iranian musicians are prohibited from performing in specific venues and countries considered “politically unacceptable” by the government.
These restrictions and rules have led many individual musicians and bands to migrate to other countries to find a more tolerant environment to practice their art.
MM: Besides making a concert, do you offer any other services? I mean, for instance, studio musicians for recordings, composition for films/documentaries… whatever you are offering to the world in the frame of the music of Rastak.
BP: Ongoing Projects
- Borderless at Home
In 2019 we started a project called “Borderless at Home.” In this project, we are working on the music of Iran’s neighboring countries to be a messenger of peace while depicting the beauty of Middle Eastern music and culture. With all the limitations in Iran, working on that project and collaborating with international artists was tough. Since we moved to Turkey, we have been aiming to work on the project more. We have already met good artists and look forward to collaborating and working with them. We plan to expand this cooperation to other countries.
Listen to “Borderless at Home” on Spotify.
- Upcoming Projects and Initiatives
In the coming years, especially in 2023, we look forward to attending world music festivals and promoting and introducing our music to a broader audience more freely. Music festivals can help us reach more audiences and expose us to new fans who may not have heard our music. In addition, it can also help to generate buzz and excitement, which can lead to media attention.
Besides live performances, researching, and creating our music, we have made film music and documentaries. Please check it on our Youtube channel here.
Since the beginning of its journey, Rastak has been collaborating with great musicians from different parts of Iran. Now, we are welcomingly open to working/collaborating with international musicians.
Lastly, we are open to working with game developers to make music for games that need some Middle Eastern music touch.
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INTRODUCING A NEW WORLD MUSIC SHOWCASE FESTIVAL
TALK WITH PETER DIMITROV, DIRECTOR OF A TO JAZZ
I first heard about this new showcase from Alkis Zopoglou, who will be attending this first edition as a delegate. Shortly afterwards, Arlette Hovinga passed on information to Mundofonias and we started a conversation. Thanks to her we have these statements from Peter Dimitrov, director of the A to Jazz festival, which was born in 2011. And now, in 2023, it incorporates for the first time what they announce as the “first world music showcase festival in Bulgaria”. I wish them every success and that it will be repeated for many years to come. Within the festival, the showcase will take place on 6 July. The festival will last until day 9th of July and it will take place in Sofia: “South Park II is between Park Center Mall and Swimming complex “Spartak”, along the “Arsenalski” Blvd.” Exactly, here. But let’s leave it to Peter to explain much more. Mapamundi Música: The showcase “AtoJazz” is announced as “Bulgaria’s first-ever world music showcase, organized by A to JazZ festival, one of the country’s most important annual events, and Upbeat, the European platform for world music”. I think that, besides the name, the festival is not exclusively about jazz, is it? Which is the focus of the festival, or, in other words, what do the different artists that you program have in common?
Peter Dimitrov: Actually, the name of the festival says everything – A to JazZ has always presented diverse music genres – jazz and beyond, blues, world music etc, and we are open to program even more. Our mission is to promote jazz, world, improvised music and other not so popular genres to a new young audience, making this music accessible to more people.
Different artists have in common the most important thing for any artist – the audience. Our audience is one of the things we are most proud of – more than 50 000 people every year enjoy different musicians and cultures from the globe, seeing the festival as a whole experience with different artists, vibes and cultural richness. I can say that the focus of A to JazZ is the magic of the music and the reactions of the audience and the artists are proving this statement. Actually jazz is so broad term and when we say “A to” it gives us great freedom.
When we joined Upbeat – The European showcase platform for world music last year, we believed that this is a great opportunity to show purposefully the richness of the world music and new talents. And here we are – with one additional festival day of the festival which is dedicated to present a fantastic selection of showcase artists. This is the first world music showcase in Bulgaria and one of the just three showcases happened in our country, being the part of our efforts to put back Sofia and Bulgaria on the musical map as an active part of the cultural processes in Europe.
MM: What is Upbeat and what is the relationship between it and your showcase?
PD: Upbeat – The European showcase platform for world music is an alliance of organizations believing in the immense richness of different cultures and their music in particular, and in the future of developing of the genre. That’s why all in Upbeat are working on helping young artists in world music to reach the international scene not only doing showcases for them, but also with education. All our 14 members are professional organizations and festivals such as Budapest Ritmo, Womex, Tallinn Music Week, PIN, Czech Music Crossroads etc., are dedicated in presenting and supporting young musicians. And world and jazz music gives much more cultural diversity than any other genre. Thanks to the financial support of the European Union, Upbeat is like a dream come true, but with many challenges ahead, because of the responsibility we bear to young musicians and the future of the profession. That’s why we are so motivated to support new talents, support of music in original language, sustainability, and strengthening the European network of industry professionals.
MM: The call for applications has been open for artists of world music from Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Tunisia and Ukraine. Why these countries? I am especially curious about Tunisia and Georgia, because they are not in the Balkans and they are not in Europe.
PD: A to JazZ Showcase is open for all EU countries plus the ones you mentioned. Tunisia and Georgia are also in the focus of Creative Europe program and we believe that they both are giving more and more cultural diversity when we talk about music. This is the first year of Upbeat platform and our pilot showcase, so we are very strict on our own rules in order to establish a strong and successful Upbeat platform in favor of the artists and the profession.
MM: Do you have the intention of making this showcase event every year?
PD: Absolutely. We don’t need one-off initiatives and events – every success needs accumulation of efforts, energy and knowledge.
MM: Do you think you will include more countries?
PD: Again – absolutely. But as I mentioned above, being a first year of our showcase, we are taking it step by step in the scale we can afford at this stage.
MM: Do you have a definition of “world music”? I ask this because the showcase is addressed to world music artists. I have to say that like the term and I use it (often in plural, “world musics”). I defend it, so thank you.
PD: World music is originating or influenced by the musical traditions of the countries of the whole world, including ethnic, folk, etc. elements, known also as global music. So I am on your side of the defense 🙂
MM: Connected with the previous question. As I am an administrator of Transglobal World Music Chart and I also make Mundofonías radio show, sometimes we receive albums that we consider that are clearly not world music. I even remember once, in a context of emerging bands (this must have been in 2007, it was in Spain), in which there were several categories. The world music award was won by an artist that was much more into jazz. He registered for world music and he won (and the world music artists were quite lacklustre). Are you having this kind of issue, I mean, are you receiving applications of proposals that are clearly not of world music?
PD: This is very important question and the answer is YES – we received dozens of non world music applications…”But why do you define my music as a non-world music, since we use some odd rhythms and using one traditional instrument?”…So, is Sting’s Desert Rose world music? It’s a fine line. And it’s an issue, but we are trying to focus on what is the ratio between the traditional sound and the genre the music is based on, if any. I believe this is the key I to solving this challenge.
MM: In the press release you explain that “successful applicants don’t just get access to panels and training and mentoring sessions, but are offered a travel budget and accommodation”, to keep participation accessible for all. Do you think we are starting a change of approach in this sense, in the field of showcase festivals?
PD: Each festival have its own purposes, rules and reasons for them. The big showcase festivals are real business forums, and if an artist reach a showcase slot there, so this artist goes in a real business situation and can take all the advantages and benefits from them. And if you want to present yourself and to sell your products to the big fishes in the big ocean you have to be ready, well prepared for that. And it costs money. Our music is our own business and we have not only to produce it, but to put it on the market, to promote it and to sell it. I am trumpet player and believe me I’m sure what I am talking about from an artist perspective. To be ready, the best for artists is to go to few smaller showcases before that, to establish their own network, to be already known. It happens step by step. That’s why I can’t say it’s a change of approach, I say “take all benefits you can take before to go to the big ocean, like Upbeat, and prepare yourself. And it may even turn out that you don’t need to go to the big ocean 🙂
MM: Now about the festival, not the showcase. What do you search for in an artist when you program?
PD: Energy, vibe and magic – everything which could connect to our audience of thousands people in the festival park. Nothing specific and very specific and the same time 🙂 The most interesting thing is that we programed some totally unknown artists for the Bulgarian audience such was Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul sessions last year and the people gone crazy! Then the amazing show of Roosevelt Collier, who was also unknown here… It was like a stadium rock show, I still can’t believe how passioned and open is our audience. As I mentioned, we are open – the audience is open. We believe in music at all and we don’t focus only on traditional jazz or something like that.
MM: Which are the global objectives of your festival?
PD: To put Bulgaria on the festival and cultural map, being more and more international and to attract audiences, artists and professionals here. And not only – to collaborate closer with the Balkans festivals and organizations in order to make our region stronger in the international market and to act united as a big new market, since we all are underestimated and even discriminated on the field of culture… You can see Bulgarian, Romanian, Greek, Serbian etc. artists on the big European scene, showcase or festival very rare. And everything we do – A to JazZ Festival, showcases, networks, initiatives, etc. is dedicated to this purpose. Bulgaria has huge potential and cultural heritage, and I believe all potential sides could benefit from a future collaboration with us.
MM: What are the most complicated or difficult issues to deal with in your festival?
PD: Of course – work with the intuitions. Here we are still facing some misunderstanding from the institutions of the value of the culture – even beside the cultural and social impact of it. Supporting culture is an investment in the future. You can’t touch it, you can’t eat it, but all people can feel it. And feeling of way of life and its quality. Investment in culture is a long term processes – the results comes in 5 – 10 – 15 years, especially when you educate young people. We have to educate young people, our new audiences and its our obligation. Just to mentioned that we are using public money no more than 22 % of the festival budget, since we developed our own business model to make A to JazZ ecumenically sustainable in the future.
MM: In one sentence, summarize the reason/s to go to your festival.
PD: As one of the Mezzo TV producer Amos Rosenberg said “It’s a jazz Woodstock”. Open air Love, Youth and Vibes, because of magic of music. It’s a real urban festival culture in Sofia. Looking forward seeing you on 6-9 July at A to JazZ Festival, just 2 hours from your city.
Thank you, Arlette, thank you, Peter!!!
The pictures have been provided by Arlette. The logo is from the festival’s Facebook page.
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CALL FOR ARTISTS FROM ANGOLA
NTWALA OH YEAH! FESTIVAL
A few days I received a WhatsApp from A’mosi Just a Label. It was about a new event, Ntwala Oh Yeah! Festival, to take place in Luanda in June 2-4. It is presented as “an itinerant cultural meetign place among the performing arts, including music, visual arts, spoken word, literature and dance”. Call is addressed to 15 artists from Angola and 10 international artists. Appealing enough to get deeper into it. I have put the brochure that he sent to me, here. I read it and I sent some concrete questions to A’mosi. I recommend you to read if before reading the interview.
And here you are the questions and answers:
Mapamundi Música: What do you offer to the international artists who may want to participate?
A’mosi Just a Label: Since we just starting, we have not budget to cover the artists travel but few professionals. What we have for non local participants artists is the incentive of €1.000 for a group or solo artist. This incentive goes to the locals too.
Mapamundi Música: Will you add them in an artistic residency? Will they have any training, talks, speed dating with professionals…?
A’mosi Just a Label: We have not rooms for many things yet, we starting to build everything. This means that for the time being there’s no such things as residencies, training.
We would have talks but only with the two of our copyrights societies and one non local copyrights society, and one local artist. Plus a space where art professionals and the artists themselves can meet to connect.
Mapamundi Música: What will you cover for them? You mentioned accommodation and meals, but no travel. Is this right? Where would they have to arrive?
A’mosi Just a Label: We have sensitiveness for each living creature in this world, believe me, and we wish we could provide all conditions as required for everyone invited to the festival, but unfortunately we don’t. Therefore we trying to do with little to keep the arts alive in our community.
We currently negotiating with local hotels where everybody could be well-accommodated and have the local transport on time.
Our invitation goes also for those who have the capability of helping us lift up.
Mapamundi Música: In your brochure you mention the participation of international delegates. You say “International delegates participating in each edition of our festival will include RFI, KEXP, Gilles Peterson, Pan African Music, Afropunk and Trace TV, Kaya FM”. What will they do?
A’mosi Just a Label: Let me tell you first that since I have been acknowledged as a person, I have never seen a pure cultural and international festival but entertaining festivals in Angola. Think what am trying to do is something that lots of people wish to see including myself, and am doing it with great effort. You don’t get support for this kind of events everydays in my country. It’s a fantasy in its essence. I have not much, but I have my people backing me up.
My wish is to introduce the Angolan arts to the world. Maybe you should consider my intentions soulful and pragmatic.
These all delegates you see enlisted to the festival, I find them as institutions that can take the name of my people’s art out there, so are the non local artists. The share with them is to accelerate the dynamic of things into the international market.
Mapamundi Música: Who can apply to participate?
A’mosi Just a Label: Only artists of the disciplines mentioned on our catalog.
Mapamundi Música: How can an international artist apply to participate? Is there any procedure?
A’mosi Just a Label: Calls open on march 13 and the submission deadline is April 5. After it we launch them through the international platforms. Candidates to apply are aged 18 to further age. Applications are only accepted through our regular e-mail available on our social media, kononosoularts@gmail.com.
Applicants are advised to follow up on the full completion and delivery of the requested material, as Ntwala Oh Yeah! will not contact applicants if any part of their application is incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
To apply, applicants should write us and specify the the discipline they interested in applying for.
Applicants must send their EPK/bio in PDF or weblink. Do not hesitate to contact us for any additional questions.
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CULTURAL DIPLOMACY IN WAR TIMES
TALK WITH MARIANA BONDARENKO (JAZZ MUSIC PROGRAMME MANAGER) AND SVITLANA LENCHENKO (HEAD OF MUSIC) OF THE UKRAINIAN INSTITUTE KYIV
On the previous edition I talked with Dartsya Tarkovska, from Music Export Ukraine. The team from the Ukrainian Institute were unable to reach in time because of the complicated situation in the city, with frequent power outages, so this newsletter is open again to a voice from Ukraine. The fateful anniversary has passed and the madness continues… I am glad that Mariana and Svitlana can continue with their activity and thankful for their insights.
According to their own presentation, the Ukrainian Institute Kyiv is a state institution acting in the field of cultural diplomacy. The institution’s activities are aimed at improving the understanding and perception of Ukraine in the world and the development of its cultural ties with other countries. Established by the Government of Ukraine, the Institute operates under the administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is their website.
I send some questions to them. These are the answers.
Mapamundi Música: What is the current situation for the musicians in Ukraine? Is there still any possibility to make a living by performing for the ones settled in the country?
Mariana Bondarenko (MB): Many musicians have united now to protect our culture and our democracy, they all give numerous benefit concerts in Ukraine and all over the world to spread a word about Ukraine: they played in the subways in Kharkiv to support families with their kids and pets who have been living there already for the first months of the war. Arthub Odesa launched an online music marathon “Cultural power” featuring concerts to support Ukrainian army and refugees fleeing from occupied and dangerous territories. Music battalion started its activity already since 2014 and constantly provides benefit concerts and other initiatives in Ukraine. In Lviv since March Music cultural front was initiated, who started their first activities with jazz concerts at the railway station to support refugees and then organized many live streams from the bomb shelters. Many Ukrainian jazz musicians organize charity concerts all over the world.
For concert venues it has been challenging time, but luckily some jazz clubs reopened already since April in Kyiv, Odesa, Rivne, further also in Chernihiv, Uman, Drohobych. Lviv hosted a lot of musicians from all over Ukraine and thus made it possible to continue making music and performing. It inspired Institute of cultural strategy in Lviv to initiate a new project “relocation” who was premiered in the frame of Jazz Bez festival and engaged musicians from Lviv and other Ukrainian regions like Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, and others. Our brave festival organizers managed to make real wonders and held Kyiv Bouquet Stage, jubilee Art Jazz Festival in Rivne and Jazz Bez in Lviv, Przemysl, Rivne and Uman with international line-up. Music has never stopped – whether on the stages, during sirens or in the bomb shelters, it keeps people alive and gives hope. CDs are being released despite all the struggles musicians are facing now.
For those musicians who have been working for cultural institutions or music schools, academies etc., it has remained the main source of their income. For freelance musicians it has become a real challenge, as after difficult Covid-times with online concerts that were not that much successful as one could imagine in the very beginning, the full-scale invasion has completely changed the way of life for many of them. Some had to leave Ukraine and look for new perspectives abroad, some others tried to find some new gigs, a lot of them went to Ukrainian army and changed their music instruments to weapons. Unfortunately, there are also quite many musicians who have left their main occupation and had to look for new jobs in other spheres of life, as they were not able to continue to play music and live for that.
Svitlana Lenchenko (SL): Many concert halls and clubs are not able to organize events in times of war, especially after the missile attacks that damaged power line infrastructure and caused the blackout. But still, there are events, concerts and activities of the Ukrainian musicians taking place not only in Kyiv, but almost in every town and even in de-occupied Kherson. Most of these are dedicated to fundraising, and many have been done without electricity. The use of generators for concerts and rehearsals has become a regular occurrence for the Ukrainian music scene.
In addition, many promotional groups and concert agencies have gone out of business because it is not manageable now to invite international guests to the event in Ukraine, not many artists took up the challenge and came to Ukraine in 2022. However, it turns out that Ukrainian musicians are in the spotlight and the public is very appreciative of the opportunity to attend the concert, listen to Ukrainian music, spend some pleasant time and of course make a donation to the Ukrainian army, which is almost everywhere included in the entrance fee.
Mapamundi Música: The mission of your organization is “Strengthening Ukraine internationally and domestically as a subject using the tools of cultural diplomacy. We promote better knowledge and understanding of Ukraine internationally, and develop cultural relations between Ukraine and other countries.” Since the beginning of the war, have you had to rethink your objectives, your way of working, your messages or any other issues, to keep on with that mission? In what way?
MB: UI is a young institution, this year it will celebrate its first 5th anniversary. So, the mission we formulated has started to realize in challenging times: 2020 and 2021 of COVID and then 2022 the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia. Since 24th February we faced the situation that our budget for programmes was fully frozen, and having an actioned-packed programme ahead without any budget we had to fully restructure our programmes and the way of work. Luckily, our European partners gave us a helping hand and many of the planned events still took place. Moreover, we had to put focus on advocacy of Ukrainian identity in culture, showing our country as an independent and free democracy that tries to get rid of colonization by Russia.
One of our tasks is also to show art and culture in the war, as many of our artists have left their main occupation and went to defend their country with weapons in their hands: we first presented at WOMEX an exhibition “Ukrainian jazzmen at war”. Now the exhibition is in Warsaw and then will be exhibited at Budapest Ritmo and at jazzahead! Since the beginning of the year Ukrainian Institute is also working on this topic and is looking for the stories from different spheres of culture.
SL: After Feb 24th, we officially asked our international partners for solidarity and support and called them to put on pause collaboration with Russian cultural scene until the end of the war they began, to suspend Russian participation in international cultural events such as festivals, biennials, exhibitions, art and literature fairs, to cancel any cooperation with Russian artists, and to help Ukraine by stopping any cultural cooperation with the Russian Federation and communicate their decision publicly. So that became one of our key messages, together with our strategic objectives and programme priorities that didn’t change very much – the representation of Ukrainian culture and the strengthening of Ukraine’s voice had already been our baseline.
Mapamundi Música: Have you noticed a greater interest on the international scene in your proposals? If so, has it been sustained over time, now that a year has passed?
SL: Now, one year after the start of the full-scale invasion, we can say that the solidarity shown by the international partners was really enormous. In addition to the projects which had been planned beforehand, there have been numerous new requests and enquiries from representatives of the international music industry to advise Ukrainian participants of different musical genres to take part in the festivals, concerts, panel discussions, interviews, etc and to programme their performances. Our team did not only succeed in implementing the plans, but also in organizing a series of new events and collaborations.
As for the interest in our proposals and the Ukrainian context generally – I think now it’s not just a sign of solidarity with the people of Ukraine, but it is also a matter of discovering the diversity of Ukrainian music and reinforcing its international positions.
MB: One of the most important partnerships we gained last year is the one with Europe Jazz Network that succeeded in further projects and initiatives:
– the interactive list of Ukrainian musicians who had to leave the country since the beginning of war, was published on EJN website and spread among all their members, in such way helping them gaining more visibility among international actors of jazz industry.
– joining Jazz Panorama programme adding Ukrainian jazz guide on EJN website.
– we also took part at EJN conference as delegates at the official opening ceremony with the concert of experimental duo of Dennis Adu and Koloah.
We have started a big chapter of cooperation with Swedish partners. We are greatful to our friends Musikcentrum Öst who provided residence for Ukrainian musicians and composers staying in Stockholm. Special thanks to Semente Cultural Productions in Stockholm for 2 big joint projects: first participance of Ukrainian jazz bands at 5th International Women Jazz Festival in Stockholm with the focus on Ukraine that is a real statement and great sign of solidarity. We also will have a collaboration project DUETS concert series by Ukrainian bandurist Georgy Matviyiv with Swedish drummer and percussionist Peter Danemo.
Thanks to cooperation with Knutpunkt, there was a unique possibility for 2 UA bands who participated at International Women Jazz Festival to make a #standwithukraine tour from 9th to 12th March in 5 Swedish cities.
In 2022, Ukrainian Institute together with jazzahead! team also initiated first official participance of Ukraine at jazzahead! in Bremen featuring the first Ukrainian national stand, delegation at the conference as well as concerts by Ukrainian musicians. The first printed music catalogue “Jazz from Ukraine” was also presented there. It was a really historic moment, as all Ukrainian jazz community has dreamt about it for ages.
Fruitful work and negotiations at jazzahead! has succeeded with the first official Ukrainian delegation at WOMEX with national stand, exhibition, film screening, participance at the conference networking sessions and concert of Ukrainian-canadian band Balaklava Blues.
Mapamundi Música: Could you recommend any online resources to get deeper into Ukrainian culture?
MB: Here are some links that we gathered with our team that could be interesting for you:
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- Introductory course «Ukraine: History, Culture, and Identities» developed by the Ukrainian Institute, educational studio EdEra, and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, offered on Coursera
- Ukrainian Culture : Understanding the Country and Its People online course on Udemy
- Online course “Crimea: History and People“
- Timothy Snyder: The Making of Modern Ukraine, Yale University course
- Timothy Snyder: Germany’s Historical Responsibility For Ukraine
- Ukrainian-German historical dialogues – 4 seminars organised by the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and Bamberg:UA (Deutsch)
- The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy
- English-language podcast “Explaining Ukraine”
- Ukraïnica – a database and syllabus-building tool to help you teach Ukraine created by The Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI)
- Forum for Ukrainian Studies
- Ukraїner a platform of information about events in Ukraine
- Websites ukraine.ua and https://war.ukraine.ua/ both created by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Ukrainian Institute.
SL: As a sign of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, you can receive scores of music pieces by Ukrainian composers and perform them in support of Ukraine in your city. Here you can find scores of ukrainian composers, that could fits to your programme better: https://ukrainianlive.org/ukrainian-scores
Ukrainian music, like the entire Ukrainian culture, is unique and has a very ancient history.
Explore 10 pieces of Ukrainian classical music:
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- Mykola Leontovych – Shchedryk, 1916 – youtu.be/Giukato3LI8
- Mykola Lysenko – Overture to ‘Taras Bulba’ opera, 1880-1890 – youtu.be/bv7gm3cf8Bw
- Boris Lyatoshinsky – Symphony No. 3, 1st edition, 1950 – youtu.be/c3abzxh_1hU
- Yevhen Stankovych – Chamber Symphony № 3, 1982 – youtu.be/DmLIAHqJ-gg
- Myroslav Skoryk – Hutsul Triptych, 1964 – youtu.be/Ji1p_nRPZ5Y
- Svyatoslav Lunyov — ‘Tutti’ for large symphony orchestra, 2005 – youtu.be/YOTIHdRe3GY
- Alla Zagaykevych — ‘Air mechanics’, 2005 – bit.ly/3M0s41O
- Maxym Shalygin — Symphony for solo violin ‘Letters to Anna’, 2009–2010 – youtu.be/AWMapadMp2s
- Leonid Hrabovsky — ‘Credo’, 2019 – bit.ly/3JB5vz5
- Valentyn Sylvestrov – Symphony №5, 1980-1982 – youtu.be/Byb6yMR_PfM
Explore these modern music projects inspired by Ukrainian culture, history, and nature:
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- Dakha Braha – Monakh – youtu.be/aFJ717atqaw
- Alyona Alyona – Pushka – bit.ly/3x0WfBJ
- Jamala – 1944 – youtu.be/wNECV2h-y58
- Onuka – Svitanok – youtu.be/PXXPInypdhY
- Eve8 – Ukrainian Castles – bit.ly/3uO1qlH
- Go_A – Shum – youtu.be/lqvzDkgok_g
- Artbat – Live for Cercle – youtu.be/hENgrbIMiy4
- Heinali – Madrigals – bit.ly/3u2TdLj
- Kazka – Plakala – youtu.be/5Fv19KVVya8
Mapamundi Música: Do you have any request to the international community, specially the one related to music?
SL: First of all – we ask the international community to suspend all your projects that involve Russian institutions and individuals and not engage in any cooperation with Russian culture sector.
Today, Ukraine’s musical scene is highly fragile and unstable. It is truly important to showcase and support Ukrainian artists, bands, musicians and producers. Many of them lost their income, and the war tour schedule is something that is incomprehensible.
Our modern, classical, jazz and indie music must become more recognizable at the international level, so helping us with building cultural ties and representing our music is a strong act of support in this day and age.
MB: We would be happy to proceed with the Extra Sound programme elaborated by Ukrainian Institute – it’s a long-lasting programme that foresees participance of Ukrainian musicians in international key music events (showcases, festivals and other initiatives) to provide intercultural dialogue between Ukraine and the world. So, we are inviting international music festival organizers to include Ukrainian musicians in their programmes.
We are also looking forward to music media cooperation. It is important that Ukrainian music is presented in radio, TV shows. Special thanks to Mapamundi for this interest to Ukrainian music and our situation now, and your professional approach. I am really happy these materials will be spread among your audience. We are ready to provide professional audience with information on music in Ukraine, music in the wartime, artistic proposals, and further information needed to help better understanding UA culture in order to provide intense international collaborations among musicians, cooperation on institutional level and finding partnerships among festivals, concert venues and other representatives of music industry.
Mapamundi Música: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
MB: On behalf of all representatives of Ukrainian music sector I would like to thank to all our partners and friends abroad who have their open hearts and are willing to support us, to cooperate and to see Ukraine not as a victim, but a sustainable partner to continue professional intercultural dialogue between our countries. I strongly believe in cultural diplomacy, altogether we will definitely win.
The portraits are from the website of the Ukrainian Institute.
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CALL FOR CONTENTS FROM #AUXSONS
I recently had a chat with the #AuxSons team. They define it as “a collaborative, militant and solidary web media”. It was a very interesting conversation and I think they will be making important news in the near future.
For now, I just wanted to let you know that this is a really collaborative media and I think it might be of interest to many readers. You have a section with record releases. I know I am read by artists, managers and labels, so it might be of interest to you to publish record releases.
You can register and the registration is checked manually. The publication is also subject to moderation. I’ve just registered and will be experimenting soon so I may be talking about #AuxSons again soon.
Angèle Cossée, from the editorial team, sent me some instructions to share with you:
“#AuxSons is French collaborative media shining light on worldwide music. You can create an account on our plateforme and contribute with article proposals to give visibility to your projects. We then moderate the submitted content before publishing them, and sharing on our social media and newsletter, if they comply with our specifications and our editorial line. Here’s how it works:
– « News » : presentation of initiatives or singular, innovative projects / presentation of the artistic direction of a festival / presentation of a recent clip (published in the current month or so)
1. create an account on #AuxSons if you have not already done so: https://www.auxsons.com/en/sign-up/
2. once the account is validated, log in: https://www.auxsons.com/en/connexion/
3. go to: https://www.auxsons.com/en/contribute/ / click on the green button “Publish News”, enter title, text, image etc.
4. click on the yellow button “Submit post” for moderation
– « New Releases » : presentation of a recent distributed album or EP (published in the past 6 months)
1. create an account on #AuxSons if you have not already done so: https://www.auxsons.com/en/sign-up/
2. once the account is validated, log in: https://www.auxsons.com/en/connexion/
3. go to: https://www.auxsons.com/en/contribute/ / click on the red button “Publish New Release”, enter title, text, image etc.
4. click on the yellow button “Submit post” for moderation.
BRIEF NEWS FROM THE MEDIA, CHARTS AND SISTER PROJECTS
Two recent editions of Mundofonías have been dedicated to productions made by Kutay Derin Kuğay. This is the first one and this is the second one. In addition to being a panelist on Transglobal World Music Chart and doing his Music of the World Istanbul program on Acik Radyo 95.0 FM, he is owner & director of 7/8 Music Productions Label since 1996. In Istanbul, he gave me a bunch of the CDs he produced and we made a review of those wonderful musics. Likewise, the Kutay Derin Kuğay Collection at the University of California Santa Barbara consists of 429 Turkish and Greek 78rpm recordings spanning the period between 1906 and 1963. Learn more about it, here.
- #1 for Transglobal World Music Chart in March 2023 is: Mostar Sevdah Reunion’s album Lady Sings the Balkan Blues, edited by Snail Records.
- Mundofonías: our three favourites of the month are Kaira, by Bassidi Koné, Balkan Grooves, by Trio Grekow / Peev / Tsvyatkov, and The Sound of the Soul, by Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya.
UPDATE ON THE EUROPEAN FOLK DAY
In the previous edition I already mentioned that the date of this event coordinated by the European Folk Network will be 23 September. The team is working to set up a specific website and articulate ways to participate. In the meantime, for those of you interested in keeping up to date with practical details as they develop, you can register here.
The project is co-funded by the MusicAIRE programme. MusicAIRE is a European Music Council/Inova initiative with funds from the European Union – see more details of the programme awards here.
Do you have a call of interest for our community that you want to share? Let me know asap.
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OPEN CALLS AND PROFESSIONAL EVENTS
If you have anything to share in this section in a future edition, let me know.
MUM, 7th Professional Conference on Music in Extremadura in Mérida. Call open for professionals who want to attend. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. It will take place in Mérida, Badajoz, Spain, on April 13-15. The information is in Spanish but it is open to international professionals too. This is the website. And this is the application form. For some kinds of professional they provide the accomodation and several meals, as well as the access to the professional events, but not the transportation to Mérida.
Mercat de Música Viva de Vic (MMVV): call for proposals open (for any music genres except classical). NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. MMVV’s 35th edition will take place in Vic (Barcelona) from September 13th-16th. This is their website. The artist registration period is open until March 31st, here. Artists will need to sign up and create a profile, as well as provide the required information. In the case of not having an management company, artists can fill in the gap with their own name. This is a relevant information for the artists and managers who make a proposal: “As been usual in the last editions of the MV, we work to offer two different program lines. For one hand, we have the MV PRO Catalan Arts! showcases which are addressed to professionals attending the fair so as to promote the booking of the new releases of the season. And for another hand, we have the Festival program, which includes proposals for general audience at the outdoors stages of Plaça Major and Zona Esportiva, on Friday and Saturday night. […] The artistic direction will select around 70 proposals based on the following selection criteria:
· Premiere of the performance or new album release.
· Identity, artistic risk and career of the artist/band.
· Experience and soundness of the artist management company.
· Economical and technical viability of the proposal.
· Definition of objectives (market, bookers profile…) and explanations about why is important for that project to be part of the program of MMVV.”
PIN International Music Conference. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. It will take place in Skopje, North Makedonia, November 24-26. The call for applications is open until April 15th, here. I will bring some useful information from the submission website: “For musicians, the opportunity to perform at PIN can be invaluable. It offers a chance to showcase their talent in front of a diverse audience of music industry professionals, including agents, managers, bookers, and promoters. Additionally, the conference provides opportunities for musicians to network and learn from experienced industry experts, as well as attend informative panels and workshops.
In the past 9 years we’ve hosted the most amazing and knowledgeable delegates from Exit, Pohoda, Sziget, Glastonbury and so on and so far. The venue has been turned upside down and back to normal from Molchat Doma, Trio Mandili, Buena Vista Social Klub, Grupo Compay Secundo, The Guru Guru, Extraliscio, Mambo Kurt and it is an amazing chance for you to present your music in front of our audience.“
SoAlive Music Conference. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. It will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on October 19-21. It is a Balkan focused music conference & showcase festival. On their website they give many interesting reasons to apply. For instance: “Touring on the Balkans is actually much easier and more reliable than people would expect. Starting in Sofia, which has a major international airport in the centre of the Balkans and is a 3 to 6 hour drive to most major cities in the region, you are looking at a perfect routing for a 2 weeks tour.” The showcase application period is open until April 30th, 23:59 CEST. This is the website of the application.
Visa for Music. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. “From November 22 to 25, 2023, will be held in Rabat, the 10th edition of the first festival and professional market of music from Africa and the Middle East! This year, about thirty artists and groups from Africa and the Middle East will be selected by a jury composed of professionals from the culture and music world. The deadline for submitting applications is April 1, 2023! For more information, please contact us directly at vfmshowcase@gmail.com” To apply, fill in this form.
- EXIB. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. It will take place in Setubal, Portugal, on October 19-21. It is focused in Iberian countries and Latin America. Some relevant info from their application website: “EXIB Música is an exhibition of Ibero-American music, a platform for the encounter, circulation and dissemination of the musical diversity present in Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean to Europe and the world. […] Upon confirmation of participation, the selected musical project will receive a stipend to support accommodation and subsistence expenses for artists. The organisation of the EXPO is not responsible for any investment and/or extra expenses beyond the stipend offered at the time of confirming participation. We expressly state that EXIB Música does not cover national or international transfers. […] Up to 20 artistic proposals will be selected and will be communicated before May 15, 2023 via email to the email addresses provided at the time of registration to this call. The curatorship of the IX Edition of EXIB Música will be in charge of a Curatorial Committee headed by 1 member of the EXIB Música team; 1 member of RedPem (Red de Periodistas Musicales de Iberoamérica) and 1 representative of the Portuguese music community“. The application is open until March 27th at 23:59 Portuguese time.
Atlantic Music Expo. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. “The music professionals meeting for Cabo Verde, Africa, and all sides of the Atlantic”. Registration for Delegates and Stands is open. This is this website for the registration. Deadline: 7th April. It will take place from 10 to 13 of April in Praia, Cabo Verde. “Over eight editions, AME has become a powerful think tank around topics such as creolization, the role of culture in development, advocacy for the African music sector, reinforcing transatlantic music exchanges, and more. The 2019 edition drew over 370 happy delegates from 30 countries to Praia.”
Circulart. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. “Circulart/ElPauer has opened its call for the 14th edition of the market. […] This year it will have a programme from 4 to 7 Performing Arts and Music from 8 to 11.” The call is open for showcases of music from anywhere but the international ones are considered “special guests”, that means under the colaboration with governments or institutions. It is also open for the “business meetings”, for artists, agencies and record labels. For more information and applications (deadline: April 18th), click here.
- WOMEX 2023: call for proposals open. WOMEX will take place in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain, from 25 to 29 October 2023. The application for Showcases, Club Summit, Conference & Mentoring and Films is open until midnight Friday, 17 March 2023 (CET), here.
A SMALL SPACE FOR MAPAMUNDI’S PROPOSALS
I do not usually incorporate promotional content in this newsletter. On this occasion I am going to do so because I have several issues that make me particularly happy.
1. Vigüela has a new line up. Luis García Valera has been in the group since the beginning of 2017 until late 2022. I wish him all the best with his other initiatives and with the school of traditional music that he leads in the Sierra Norte de Madrid. Vigüela now includes veterans Juan Antonio Torres, Mari Nieto and Carmen Torres, David Mollón, who joined at the beginning of 2020, and now also Jonatan Mateos, who plays violin and hurdy-gurdy. Both are a new generation of musicians, with a solid academic background and an obsession bordering on madness when it comes to traditional music and its deepest intricacies.
This photo was taken in Huelva (Andalusia), in the replica of the Pinta caravel, one of the four that Christopher Columbus sailed in search of India. It was last February 17th, before Jonatan’s first concert with the band.
If you don’t know Vigüela yet, I invite you to watch this video recorded live for the Library of Congress.
2. The Ali Doğan Gönültaş’s website is ready in its English version. Well, I could actually highlight other events that make me very happy about him, such as the concerts we have confirmed in Europe this coming summer, which I will report on specifically at a later date. In the meantime, I invite you to learn more about it and, if you like it, at Contact you have a form to sign up for the emailing of news and exclusive announcements for subscribers.
3. Hudaki Village Band, crossing Europe next Summer. The wonderful Ukrainian band continue working and bringing the call of their land to everywhere where they are wanted. They will perform in Ibiza on 1st of July, in which will be their second concert in Spain. And in the mid of the month they will be crossing Europe. They have dates available!!! Contact me.
MEET ME AT
Will we meet? Drop me a line!
- 23-25 March 2023, Babel Music XP.
- 13-18 April. I will return to Istanbul for the new date of the concert by Ali that was postponed because of the earthquake.
- 28 June – 2 July 2023, Czeck Music Crossroads, Ostrava.
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.
WOMEX 2023: call for proposals open and jury announced. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. WOMEX will take place in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain, from 25 to 29 October 2023. The application for Showcases, Club Summit, Conference & Mentoring and Films is open until midnight Friday, 17 March 2023 (CET), 
TransAsia Music Meeting. NEW IN THIS NEWSLETTER. I came across this news on Glommnet’s Instagram. This is the text accompanying the picture: “Trans Asia Music meeting (TAMM) is an International Music Conference in Okinawa, Japan established in 2016. It is aimed at strengthening the Asian music network and at the same time introduces Okinawan music to the world. TAMM invites international delegates as well as local music professionals who join in discussions for the betterment and upliftment of the Asian music industry.
I am very well. I started this year by confirming some concert dates that make me very happy. Others I can even announce now. For instance, 
Jornadas Profesionales de la Música en Extremadura (MUM2023). NEW IN THE NEWSLETTER. I include this specially for the Spanish and Portuguese artists because of the location of the event and because the information is only in English, but I see nothing to indicate that an artist from another country cannot propose. This event is also building connections, so it can be interesting for organizers and institutions from other countries. It will take place in Mérida (Badajoz, Spain) from 13 to 15 of April. The call for proposals is open until January 31 at 23:59h. More info and application form, 
hroughout these 15 years I have continued to collaborate with Wafir in various line-ups. He is still in Madrid. The Hristovs, however, returned to their country several years ago. We lost them to Spain, a country that is not exactly known for treating non-commercial artists well. But they returned to their country and that seemed to me at the time, and still seems to me, very good.
It has given me a lot of reflections and a certain sadness as well. Sadness because these songs have been on Youtube for 6 months and the one with the most views, 
On the previous edition of this newsletter I already talked about Sébastien Laussel and his incorporation as the director of Zone Franche.
I have long noticed that many artists do not have a website and do not have a mailing list to collect the contacts of their followers. They rely on third parties, such as Instagram or Facebook, to contact their fans. There are known cases of hacked Facebook accounts with thousands and thousands of followers, which have never been recovered.
For artists who live in Canada, have a Canadian passport, or are led by a Canadian; who have PR status or an application for PR or refugee claim: applications for Global Toronto are now open. NEW IN THE NEWSLETTER.
For artists settled in the USA. NEW IN THE NEWSLETTER. Applications are open for the 2022-23 cycle of the Performing Arts Discovery (PAD) Showcase program
Tallinn Music Week 2023, open call. Artist submission will close at 23.59 (CET) on 12 December 2022. Dates: “Music festival: Thu, 11 May – Sat, 13 May. Around 150 artists from various genres and scenes from all over Europe and beyond in Tallinn’s best venues play to an audience of around 15,000 people and to 1,000 music industry professionals from international markets and Baltic-Nordic region.” Check their proposal and apply 
“”Mil Mundos” is an opportunity to explore and showcase the immense musical richness that is usually left out of the media: the folk-inspired music of the world’s cultures, from its most traditional facet to the reworkings and experiments of the most restless and daring artists.
European Folk Network annual meeting / Fira Mediterrània de Manresa. The anual meeting of the EFN is hosted by Fira Mediterrània de Manresa, that will take place from 6th to 9th of October. The registration for the Fira is open 
Pro/Press accreditation for Visa for Music 2022, open. “Accreditation requests are now open ! If you are a music professional or a journalist/media, ask for your accreditation by filling the google form linked to the button.” It will take place in Rabat, November 16th-19th. To request the accreditation (it seems to be still open) click 
Hello, how are you? I’m fine, sending this letter from home with the t-shirt of the Viljandi Folk Music Music Festival. It is a really nice design, I’m loving to wear it. I share some more insights about the festival here below.
Call for talent-hunters: the Afro Pepites Show is a tool dedicated to talent-Hunters. “The committee members will receive the instructions by e-mail. You will have to select 5 musical projects and 5 other projects (painting, dance, sculpture, short film….), in the quiet of your home, between 03/10/22 and 23/10/22.” Learn more, 
How are you? I’m fine, a bit late than I would like to be but the truth is that I’m really busy this month and I also have something to tell you that has gone on for a long time and I think it’s interesting.
Ben explained about that mythical meeting where this miscellaneous set of music was baptized as “world music”. He explained that in 1987 there was no marketing concept of “world music”. A group of people, mainly from the UK, developed a marketing campaign to identify what was already there. They raised money for an ad campaign and voted for the name. They invested £3,250 in a three-month campaign. They started putting “File under: world music” on the records, so that the shops would know where to put the music and would make a space with that label. All this is no secret. The minutes of the meeting are publicly available, for example, here: 
Will we meet? Drop me a line!
As mentioned above, the WOMBA conference will soon take place in Novi Sad: from 7 to 10 of July. It will happen within the framework of the EXIT festival. In addition to the conference, the festival has a stage dedicated to world music: the Pachamama Stage, powered by MOST. This is how they present this stage: 
