Neo-traditional musical genres combine features of established local musical traditions with modern and western genres. Musics such as Bulgarian Wedding Music, many localised Country Musics, Thai Phleng Luk Thung, Hungarian Tanz-haus, Argentinian tango, Zulu Isicathimiya, Yoruba Ju-Ju, share many characteristics. Some are entertainment genres for particular groups, others may be culturally emblematic. In many cases their social and political status is complex and contentious. This unit will study these and similar musics and students will critically evaluate theories of musical fusion, cultural appropriation and globalisation, cultural revival, musical subcultures and micromusics,... -- Course Website
Instructor: Graeme Smith