Cultural translation and music: A theoretical model and examples from Japan
by David Hebert
Symposium proceedings article - Cultural Translations: Research on Japanese Literature in Northern Europe. Nichibunken (International Research Center for Japanese Studies), Kyōto, 2011. Pages: 17-37.
Explores various ways that intercultural analyses of musical meanings may offer theoretical insights applicable to the... more Explores various ways that intercultural analyses of musical meanings may offer theoretical insights applicable to the broader field of cultural translation. Music, like language, qualifies as a field in which “ideological horizons of homogeneity have been conceptualized,” and postcolonialist scholars such as Homi Bhabha and Paul Gilroy have acknowledged its critical role as an emblem of identity within the very sites of hybridity that particularly interest scholars of cultural translation. While much has already been theorized regarding how foreign musical genres may be transplanted, adopted and fused with indigenous traditions, the notion of cultural translation may most accurately fit the specific objective of intentionally representing significant aspects of one musical tradition through the techniques of another distinct tradition. Artistic choices to (or not to) explicitly aim for this mode of cultural translation are routinely made by contemporary musicians active in hybrid genres, and analysis of specific examples from such ensembles as the Helsinki Koto Ensemble, Yoshida Brothers, Moscow Pan-Asian Ensemble, and Tokyo Brass Style illustrate how cultural translation can be either conscious or unconscious, and deliberately highlighted or shunted in such music projects. A theoretical model is proposed as one way of conceptualizing various approaches to cultural translation in music.
Rethinking the Historiography of Hybrid Genres in Music Education
by David Hebert
In V. Kurkela and L. Vakeva (Eds.), De-Canonizing Music History. Published by: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-4438-1391-4; 1-4438-1391-5. Pages: 163-184.
The work of mainstream educational leaders and institutions has typically taken center stage in official histories of... more
The work of mainstream educational leaders and institutions has typically taken center stage in official histories of the field. Music education history has thus neglected examination of multicultural identities, social inequalities, and the experiences of common music learners among newly emergent genres outside formal educational contexts. Research on the systems of power and ideology associated with institutionalization is rarely encountered in historical accounts of music education. The historiography of the field lacks narrative depth, so the ways that we go about doing historical research in music education, and the ways that we explain history to our students may require substantial and immediate change. Describing cases of hybrid music ensembles as exemplary sites of musical innovation and potential wellsprings of new musical traditions, the author argues that the developments associated with the emergence and institutionalization of hybrid music genres merit inclusion in the historiography of music education.
Editors' Introduction:
"David Hebert’s article continues the critical self-examination of music education history by arguing that “the work of mainstream educational leaders and institutions has typically taken centre stage” in official histories of the field. Music education history has thus neglected “examination of multicultural identities, social inequalities, and the experiences of common music learners among newly emergent genres outside formal educational contexts.” According to Hebert, research on the systems of power and ideology associated with institutionalisation is rarely encountered in historical accounts of music education. Because the historiography of the field lacks “narrative depth,” “both the ways that we go about doing historical research in music education, and the ways that we explain history to our students, may require substantial and immediate change.” Describing cases of hybrid music ensembles as exemplary “sites of musical innovation” and “potential wellsprings of new musical traditions,” Hebert argues that the “developments associated with the emergence and institutionalization of hybrid music genres merit inclusion” in the historiography of music education."
Wind Bands and Cultural Identity in Japanese Schools
by David Hebert
Hebert, D. G. (2012-published). Wind Bands and Cultural Identity in Japanese Schools. Dordrecht and New York: Springer. (Series–Landscapes: arts, aesthetics, education).
This well researched volume tells the story of music education in Japan and of the wind band contest organized by the... more
This well researched volume tells the story of music education in Japan and of the wind band contest organized by the All-Japan Band Association. Identified here for the first time as the world’s largest musical competition, it attracts 14,000 bands and well over 500,000 competitors. The book’s insightful contribution to our understanding of both music and education chronicles music learning in Japanese schools and communities. It examines the contest from a range of perspectives, including those of policy makers, adjudicators, conductors and young musicians. The book is an illuminating window on the world of Japanese wind bands, a unique hybrid tradition that comingles contemporary western idioms with traditional Japanese influences. In addition to its social history of Japanese school music programs, it shows how participation in Japanese school bands contributes to students’ sense of identity, and sheds new light on the process of learning to play European orchestral instruments.
Content Level » Research
David G. Hebert, PhD is a Professor of Music with the Grieg Academy, Bergen University College, Norway. He previously held academic positions with universities in the USA, Japan, Finland, Russia, and New Zealand, and has directed (or currently directs) music research projects on 6 continents. Widely published and cited as a scholar of global music education, he is chair of the Historical Ethnomusicology special interest group of the Society for Ethnomusicology.
Keywords » All-Japan Band Association - European orchestral instruments - Japanese composers - Japanese influences - Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra - Yamaha - japanese schools - music education - wind bands - young musicians
Foreword (by Bonnie Wade).- Part I: A social history of wind bands in Japanese schools. Chapter 1: Introduction: The world’s finest school bands and largest music competition.- Chapter 2: Where are these bands from?: An historical overview.- Part II: An ethnography of wind bands in Japanese schools. Chapter 3: An invitation to the Tokyo middle school.- Chapter 4: The band rehearsal ritual and its participants.- Chapter 5: Instruction in the Japanese school band.- Chapter 6: Scenes from the 50th AJBA national band competition.- Chapter 7: Winning in the band: Views from beneath and within.- Chapter 8: Winning in the band: Views from above and beyond.- Chapter 9: Japanese composers and wind band repertoire.- Chapter 10: Leadership and duty in the ensemble.- Chapter 11: Cooperative learning and mentorship in band.- Chapter 12: Organizational training of the Japanese band director.- Chapter 13: Corporate giants: Yamaha and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra.- Chapter 14: Metaphors of a Japanese band community.- Chapter 15: Musical identity in the band: Social class and gender.- Chapter 16: National identity in the Japanese school band.- Chapter 17: Ensemble ethos: Theorizing cultures of musical achievement.- Chapter 18: Conclusions.- Afterword.- Glossary.- Index
Music transmission in an Auckland Tongan community youth band
by David Hebert
International Journal of Community Music
This article reports on findings from a 2006 ethnographic study of a Tongan community youth band in Auckland, New... more This article reports on findings from a 2006 ethnographic study of a Tongan community youth band in Auckland, New Zealand. To begin, the study's rationale is discussed in relation to previous research, followed by a description of the band's repertoire and rehearsal strategies, instrumentation and uniforms, notational practices and institutional context. The youth band's role in the Tongan community of Auckland is then considered in relation to previous descriptions of ‘community music’. The band's significance in terms of musical identity and its socio-economic context are also examined, followed by a discussion of this study's implications for community music workers in other settings. The findings suggest that community ensembles rooted in musical hybridity may generate innovative models of music learning and play a unique role in cultural preservation.
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Download (.pdf) The Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra: A Case Study of Intercultural Music Transmission
by David Hebert
Journal of Research in Music Education
Instrumental music education in Japan has long emphasized wind bands, and in recent decades, Japanese bands have... more Instrumental music education in Japan has long emphasized wind bands, and in recent decades, Japanese bands have achieved a level of performing excellence that arguably rivals all other nations. This case study of Japan's premier wind ensemble provides insights applicable to bands throughout the nation. The study explores the influence of the ensemble's repertoire and educational activities, traces its religious origins, and examines Frederick Fennell's role as musical ambassador. The findings suggest that Japan has not only assimilated and mastered the band genre, but it has transformed the tradition. Moreover, the subculture of wind bands is argued to be a domain of internationalization that challenges Japanese notions of gender roles and ethnic identity.
Music Transculturation and Identity in a Maori Brass Band Tradition
by David Hebert
Hebert, D. G. (2008). Music Transculturation and Identity in a Maori Brass Band Tradition. In R. Camus & B. Habla, (Eds.), Alta Musica, 26 (pp. 173-200). Tutzing: Schneider.
Keywords: Maori music / Brass bands / Ratana bands / Juji Nakada
Genre: Original cross-national historical... more
Keywords: Maori music / Brass bands / Ratana bands / Juji Nakada
Genre: Original cross-national historical research.
Discusses: "some musical implications of the historical relations between Maori prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana (1873-1939) and Japanese Rev. Juji Nakada (1870-1939), as reflected in contemporary brass bands and liturgical practices."
New forms of hybrid musical discourse: an exploration of stylistic and procedural cross-fertilisation between contemporary art music and electronic dance music
(Forthcoming) Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC 2011)
The following paper will provide a brief overview of my hybrid compositional work, exploring stylistic and procedural... more
The following paper will provide a brief overview of my hybrid compositional work, exploring stylistic and procedural cross-fertilisation between contemporary art music and electronic dance music (EDM). Drawing on a series of examples, I will examine and discuss various compositional strategies for hybridising the two main genres under consideration, including formalisation of hybrid compositional procedures and exploration of established and newly developed forms of musical borrowing, which function as tools of negotiation in the transference of materials within my own creative practice.
An important part of my research has comprised looking in detail at the tools of production used in the creation of EDM by various artists. The output of this research into the functionality of the equipment and deliberate ‘creative subversion’ of its intended normative use has been used to develop a vocabulary of compositional techniques for use within my own work. These techniques will be discussed during the course of the paper.
Mutations (megamix): Exploring notions of the “DJ set”, “Mashup” and “Remix” through live piano-based performance
Published in eContact! 13.2. This article details the concept, design and composition of my interactive work for piano and electronics, 'Mutations (megamix)'.
Mutations (megamix) is an interactive work for piano and electronics, which explores notions of the “DJ set”, “mashup”... more Mutations (megamix) is an interactive work for piano and electronics, which explores notions of the “DJ set”, “mashup” and “remix” through live performance. Conceived by Robert Ratcliffe, this project has been developed through a variety of different approaches to performance, the most recent of which utilises a custom-designed software application constructed within Max/MSP. The following article will trace the development of Mutations (megamix), featuring a description of the various components and compositional techniques employed, and a technical explanation of the custom electronics used to facilitate the performance. There will also be a consideration of performance practicalities and issues relating to the realisation of the piece, together with an evaluation (in terms of the aesthetic and technical goals), and the consequences for future work. The article is intended to stimulate thought for creative practitioners interested in the field of musical hybridism, and specifically hybrid performance practice which combines traditional components with elements sourced from electronic dance music and DJ culture. In addition, it is hoped that the article will highlight the practical advantages of custom-designed software to aid the realisation and accessibility of a performance.
Between Calvinism and Islam: Mimicry, Hybridity and Ali Ufki's Ottoman Psalter
by Lucas Freire
Draft only. Presented in the EXCEPS PG Conference (Exeter, May 2011).
In this paper I analyse the form and contents of Ali Ufkî’s ‘Turkish Psalter’, elaborated in the 17th-century Ottoman... more In this paper I analyse the form and contents of Ali Ufkî’s ‘Turkish Psalter’, elaborated in the 17th-century Ottoman court, as an illustration of ‘mimicry’ and ‘hybridity’ in counter-hegemonic cultural production in a colonial context. Ufkî (formerly Bobowski, a Polish Calvinist poet), was taken to the Ottoman court as a slave after being captured by Tartars. He became a Muslim but nevertheless made a Bible translation into the local language, as well as a Psalter using adaptations of tunes of the Genevan Psalter. Being an expansion of an earlier Huguenot Psalter, the Genevan Psalter (final edition, 1562) is generally regarded as one of the most long-lasting contributions of Reformed cultural production of the early Reformation. The potentials of its use as a popular vehicle for vernacular Biblical Psalms in metrical format was immediately captured by John Calvin himself, who was very enthusiastic of congregational psalm-singing. Metrical Psalms soon became great ‘battle hymns’ of the French Reformation. At least in part, they were quickly translated into Hungarian, English, Czech, Italian, Polish and German. Today, modern translations are sung to the same tunes of the Reformation in churches across the world – including Brazil, Canada, Japan and Spain. A closer look at Ufkî’s Psalter as a hybrid work, compromising and mixing two identities as a reaction to cultural hegemony in his context, will uncover some of the lost story of the transmission of the Genevan Psalter across the world (even outside Christendom) in the Early Modern Period.
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