African Music Rostrum

Specific objectives

History
Organisation 
THE 2012 ROSTRUM

THE 2012 ROSTRUM

 This year's session will take the form of an African forum, gathering broadcasting organisations, interested organizations and individuals such as musicologists, students, educators, journalists, who would be invited to participate in the selection and dissemination of the previously recorded music.

The recorded music can be submitted in one of the following categories:

1.    Traditional African music (kasala mvett, griot)

2.    Western classical music (including classical choral music)

3.    Experimental music (research)

4.    Urban popular music (rumba, soukous, ... folk, fusion, rap, hip-hop, world music)

5.    Folk music (dance, mourning, twins...)

  Depending on the regional and local situation, the AFMR is organized by:

• Union of National Radio and TV Organisations of Africa (URTNA)
• African Regional Secretariat
• National Music Committee and National Radio Organisation of the host country
• IMC

History

The Rostrum of African Music was created in 1975 to support and highlight the music of the African continent through radio broadcasts, taking into account not only the diverse and rich music traditions of the continent but also the various popular and art music styles which were inspired by these traditions.

The following Rostra were held over the years:

The 1990 AFMR was organised by the IMC with the financial support of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and UNESCO, in co-operation with the Union of National Radio and Television Organisations of Africa (URTNA) and the technical assistance of the Senegalese National Broadcasting Organisation (ORTS).

Since 2002, IMC has been working on the revitalisation of this regional Rostrum, in close cooperation with its regional coordinator for Africa, IMC Past President, Professor Lupwishi Mbuyamba. The first AFMR under a new formula is scheduled for July 2005 in Kinshasa.

Specific objectives

 -          To promote, via broadcasting stations and similar organizations, authentic and valuable examples of different styles of traditional and contemporary music of Africa

-          To promote the production, dissemination and exchange of musics from the region through radio stations and other media such as television and the internet, but also through live performances

-          To establish and develop better cooperation among African broadcasters in order to achieve a broader dissemination of African music.

-          To facilitate music education in the region by providing specific examples of African music, as an educational tool to learn about the musics in the region

-          To contribute to a greater valorization of the rich heritage and musical traditions by raising awareness and building knowledge among the public, especially youth

-          To develop new strategies for the programming and dissemination of African music

-          To recognize and encourage young talents.