More mandate ideas.

This is an edited version of my statement. I wanted to change something. I am taking a cue from the Canadian New Music Network FORUM 2009 in Montreal, to change my CREATIVE ARTS statement to CREATIVE CONCERT MUSIC.

Ryan,

I think that you are right about the question of semantics. There are just so many dimensions to classification. For instance, we have a broad definition of classical music which encompasses a long lineage that has evolved from a specific tradition. It often includes pre-classical and modern pursuits. Notwithstanding its vagueness, the terms serves a purpose (if not as a means for many to elevate it, and categorize it as more artful, or better, etc...). However, we also have the term classical, which refers to a certain period, and to those savvy to the genre, invokes a certain expectation.

To clarify/make ambiguous, we can draw reference to dance movements. Within dance, we have contemporary and modern movements, neither of which are currently contemporary or modern. To confuse things even more, in philosophic terms, we have Modern, which isn't always now, and Post-modern, which comes ambiguously after Modern, but might not be now either.

And so, we run into the same problems in music. We have new music, which isn't new, and contemporary music, which isn't contemporary. From this I have drawn a few conclusions that may be useful. Genres date themselves when they refer to a subjective point of time, ie: contemporary, modern and new. However, a movement that refers to somethings specific, whether a temporal period, or a style, seem to be more lasting. Jazz may be a good place to look for non-temporal genres (although, it also has "modern" jazz). Ragtime, swing, bebop (and all the other bops), free, fusion, all seem to evoke something specific. And so, as I reflect, I feel that we need something non-temporal, that reflects a grounding in an idea, or philosophy that we adhere to. As such, I would like to propose something along the lines of the CREATIVE CREATIVE CONCERT MUSIC.

I believe that it's broad enough to encompass many things, including media arts like the Electric Fields festival, but specific enough to weed out Strauss. In also invokes a philosophy of timelessness - always on the edge, pushing and creating new ideas, ways of thinking. Moving us beyond our comfort zone while drawing on a sense tradition (even in rejection of it, as nothing is without context).

I think these ideas will help us to chose and clarify our mandate.