International Music Council

Last updated
International Music Council
AbbreviationIMC
Formation1949;74 years ago (1949)
Type INGO
Headquarters Paris, Flag of France.svg  France
Region served
Worldwide
Official language
English, French
President
Alfons Karabuda
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Website IMC Official website

The International Music Council (IMC) was created in 1949 [1] as UNESCO's advisory body on matters of music. It is based at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris, France, where it functions as an independent international non-governmental organization. Its primary aim is to facilitate the development and promotion of international music-making.

Contents

The IMC currently consists of some 120 members, divided into four categories (National Music Councils, International Music Organisations, Regional Music Organisations, National and specialized organisations in the field of arts and culture). It is represented by regional councils in Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Their task is to develop and support programmes specifically tailored to the needs of the IMC members and partners in their region.

Initiatives and actions

Five Music Rights

The International Music Council advocates for access to music to all, through a set of values which are at the basis of the action of both the International Music Council and its regional councils. Those core beliefs have been gathered under the name of Five Music Rights. [2]

The Five Music Rights were first proclaimed in Tokyo during the International Music Council's General Assembly of 2001, and have since been promoted by the International Music Council and related bodies, through advocacy activities, programmes [3] and other initiatives (such as the Music Rights Awards [4] and the appointment of the " Music Rights Champions" [5] ).

The principles contained in the Five Music Rights (originally written in English) have been translated into French, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese. [6]

IMC undertakes many initiatives within the music ecosystem – such as developing projects, organizing conferences, awarding prizes, etc. Projects are international, regional and sometimes local and are often supported by international, intergovernmental and supranational organizations.

International Rostrum of Composers

One of the IMC's regular activities is the annual International Rostrum of Composers, a forum offering representatives of national broadcasting organisations the opportunity to exchange and publicize works of contemporary classical music.

IMC UNESCO Music Prize

The IMC UNESCO Music Prize was awarded from 1975 until 2005 by the International Music Council, as of 1978 in cooperation with UNESCO. The Prize was addressed to both musicians and musical institutions, in alignment with the purposes of the United Nations Charter and UNESCO's Constitution. The Prize was assessed by four categories: composition, musicology, pedagogy, and performance. [7] The last laureate of the IMC UNESCO Music Prize was Mikis Theodorakis. [8]

African Music Development Programme

The African Music Development Programme, [9] launched in 2014 by the International Music Council, took place in nine African countries.

The 3-years-long project was implemented with the financial support of the European Union and the technical assistance of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP), and aimed at supporting the music industry through a series of targeted actions.

Advocacy

The main arena for IMC advocacy is UNESCO, specifically the 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist, the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Some advocacy actions are carried out in alliance with other international organisations such as the #Culture2030Goal [10] campaign for the inclusion of culture among the Sustainable Development Goals.

International Music Day

The International Music Day was initiated in 1975 by Yehudi Menuhin, former president of the IMC. It is celebrated worldwide on October 1. [11]

IMC presidents

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yehudi Menuhin</span> American violinist and conductor (1916–1999)

Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin,, was an American-born British violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the great violinists of the 20th century. He played the Soil Stradivarius, considered one of the finest violins made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikis Theodorakis</span> Greek composer (1925–2021)

Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yehudi Menuhin School</span> Private day and boarding school in Cobham, Surrey, England

The Yehudi Menuhin School is a specialist music school in Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey, England, founded in 1963 by violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin. The current director of music is the British classical pianist Ashley Wass. The school is one of the five established musical schools for school-age children in the United Kingdom, along with Chetham's School of Music, Wells Cathedral School, the Purcell School and St. Mary's Music School, Edinburgh. It is mainly funded by the Department for Education's Music and Dance Scheme, by philanthropic foundations, by donations and bequests from individuals, and by regular support from the Friends of the Yehudi Menuhin School.

Kam Ning is a violinist and daughter of the violinist-composer Kam Kee Yong (甘琦勇), and grandchild of Kam Beng Soo and Ooi Kooi Aun. Born in Singapore in 1975, she was given violin lessons at the age of six by the elder Kam, and had her early education at the Methodist Girls' School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oumou Sangaré</span> Malian singer

Oumou Sangaré is a Grammy Award-winning Malian Wassoulou musician of Fulani or Fula descent. She is often referred to as "The Songbird of Wassoulou". Wassoulou is a historical region south of the Niger River, where the music descends from age-old traditional song, often accompanied by a calabash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Book Capital</span> UNESCO award for cities promoting books

The World Book Capital (WBC) is an initiative of UNESCO which recognises cities for promoting books and fostering reading for a year starting on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day. Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital carry out activities with the aim of encouraging a culture of reading in all ages and sharing UNESCO's values. The nomination does not provide a financial prize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">José Antonio Abreu</span>

José Antonio Abreu Anselmi was a Venezuelan orchestra conductor, pianist, economist, educator, activist, and politician best known for his association with El Sistema. He was honored with the 2009 Latin Grammy Trustees Award, an honor given to people who have contributed to music by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Chen Jiafeng is a Chinese violinist. He was the first prize winner in the 2003 International Competition for Young Violinists K. Lipinski and H. Wieniawski and the second prize winner in the 2008 International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition, and the second prize of the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists</span> International violin competition

The Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists is an international music competition for violinists under the age of 22. It was founded by Yehudi Menuhin in 1983 with the goal of nurturing young violinists. In its early years, the competition took place in Folkestone on the south coast of England. Since 1998, it has been held biennially in different cities around the world. Several of the competition's past laureates, including Julia Fischer, Tasmin Little, and Nikolaj Znaider, have gone on to major international careers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Cities and Local Governments</span> Organization for cities, local and regional governments

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is an umbrella international organisation for cities, local and regional governments, and municipal associations throughout the world that is concerned with representing and defending the interests of local governments on the world stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UNESCO</span> Specialised agency of the United Nations for education, sciences, and culture

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It has 194 member states and 12 associate members, as well as partners in the non-governmental, intergovernmental and private sector. Headquartered in Paris, France, UNESCO has 53 regional field offices and 199 national commissions.

Richard Albert Letts is an music advocate and administrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture 21</span>

Culture 21, also known as Agenda 21 for culture, is a program for cultural governance developed in 2002–2004 and organized by United Cities and Local Governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paloma O'Shea</span>

Paloma O'Shea Artiñano, 1st Marchioness of O'Shea is a pianist, patron of the arts, founder and current president of the Reina Sofía School of Music, and founder and president of the Albéniz Foundation, which organizes the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition in Santander, Spain.

The European Music Council (EMC) is a regional group of the International Music Council (IMC) representing Europe. It was established in 1972 as the 'European regional group of the IMC' and was renamed the European Music Council in 1992. The IMC was founded by UNESCO in 1949, and is, today, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which still retains formal relations with UNESCO. Until 2000 the secretariat was based in Aarau, Switzerland, and is now in Bonn, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorge Chaminé</span> Portuguese baritone

Jorge Chaminé is a Portuguese operatic baritone.

Live Music Now is a charity working and campaigning to create inclusive, measurable social impact through music.

Fatou Jagne Senghore also known as Fatou Jagne Senghor is a Gambian Jurist, human rights advocate, women's rights and free expression activist. She is well known for her work in human rights in West Africa especially in The Gambia and Senegal She earned the nickname of "Senegambian Iron Lady" for her efforts defending human rights in The Gambia under the autocratic leadership of Yahya Jammeh.

Bacem Anas Romdhani is a Tunisian-British violinist. He lives in London. He plays on a contemporary violin made by Andreas Hellinge made specially for Lord Yehudi Menuhin.

References

  1. IMC relations with UNESCO. "IMC relations with UNESCO".
  2. Five Music Rights. "Five Music Rights".
  3. "IMC Programme Policy".
  4. Music Rights Awards. "Music Rights Awards".
  5. Music Rights Champions. "Music Rights Champions".
  6. Five Music Rights - languages. "Five Music Rights - translation".
  7. "IMC-UNESCO International Music Prize". International Music Council. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  8. Press release - Mikis Theodorakis. "Press release" (PDF).
  9. African Music Development Programme. "African Music Development Programme".
  10. "Culture 2030 Goal".
  11. "International Music Day". International Music Council. Retrieved 1 July 2021.