Minority Sounds as Subjects of Ethnomusicological Studies in Serbia

Abstract

Even though the minority sounds have been a part of traditional music research as early as the pioneer stages of Serbian ethnomusicology, a comprehensive overview of these projects is still non-existent. Growing attention paid to research of minorities on a global scale, caused by significant changes in the demographic image of the world and approval of the potentials of applied ethnomusicology, inspired me to prepare a critical overview of the existent minority music research in Serbia. Special attention is paid to the current projects financed by the state funds. Several goals can be emphasized here: from the improvement of personal awareness about the state of minority music research on a national level, to the potential uses within the realm of applied ethnomusicology, to the benefits at service in various state bodies that define cultural and scientific politics. There is the potential to affect ideas and work within the discipline of ethnomusicology as well as in the governmental system, where individuals and institutions could profit by thinking of and treating culture as a sensitive ecosystem. Finally, my wish is to contribute to knowledge and understanding of the activities and works of Serbian ethnomusicologists as a pledge for coordinated activities in the future, with music research being complemented by disciplinary activism related to the cultural rights in the widest sense.

Čeprav so bili zvoki manjšin del raziskav tradicijske glasbe že v pionirskem obdobju srbske etnomuzikologije, pa celovitega pregleda teh projektov zaenkrat še ni. Vedno večji pomen manjšinskih raziskav v globalnem merilu, ki je posledica pomembnih demografskih sprememb in afirmacije aplikativne etnomuzikologije, me je spodbudil k pripravi kritičnega pregleda obstoječih raziskav glasbe manjšin v Srbiji. Posebno pozornost namenjam tekočim projektom, ki jih financira država. Tukaj je možno izpostaviti več ciljev, kot so: izboljšanje ozaveščanja o stanju raziskav glasbe manjšin na nacionalni ravni, uporabnost rezultatov v sklopu aplikativne etnomuzikologije ter pri delu državnih komisij, ki oblikujejo kulturne in znanstvene politike. V zvezi s tem obstaja možnost idejnega in praktičnega izboljšanja etnomuzikološkega raziskovalnega dela ter vpliva na državne organe v smeri obravnavanja kulture kot občutljivega ekosistema. Nenazadnje, s tem prispevkom želim prispevati k znanju in razumevanju dejavnosti in del srbskih etnomuzikologov in zagotoviti koordinirane dejavnosti v prihodnje, pri katerih bo raziskovanje glasbe povezano z disciplinarnim aktivizmom v smeri kulturnih pravic v najširšem pomenu.