Vital Signs: Toward a Tool for Assessing Music Vitality and Viability

Abstract

The effects of globalisation have challenged the music practices of many peoples, particularly those of Indigenous and minority groups. In the context of renewed scholarly interest in the sustainability of music traditions (and other intangible forms of cultural expression), this article reports on a survey, based on the 12-part “Music Vitality and Endangerment Framework”, which gathered data on the vitality and viability of 101 music traditions around the world. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the validity, reliability and usability of the survey instrument itself. This article provides an overview of the findings, assesses the advantages and limitations of carrying out assessments of music traditions in this way, and reflects on implications for ongoing efforts to support the sustainable future of music traditions across the world.

Author Biography

Catherine Grant, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University

Catherine Grant’s book Music Endangerment: How Language Maintenance can Help was published in 2014 by Oxford University Press. She was awarded an Australian Academy of the Humanities Fellowship in 2014 and an Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Fellowship in 2015 for research in Cambodia, and received a national Future Justice medal for her advocacy and activism on issues of music endangerment and sustainability. She is chair of the Australia-New Zealand Regional Committee of the International Council for Traditional Music.

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Published
2017-06-21
How to Cite
GrantC. (2017). Vital Signs: Toward a Tool for Assessing Music Vitality and Viability. The International Journal of Traditional Arts, 1(1). Retrieved from https://tradartsjournal.ncl.ac.uk/index.php/ijta/article/view/4
Section
Articles