Following the news that Cardiff has been selected as the city to host
WOMEX, the leading world music expo, in 2013, what will WOMEX bring to Wales?
The obvious answers are the economic gains of visitors and tourism but there are many other opportunities that come along with the prestigious international showcase event.
Bringing the world music market to our doorstep, it is the first major arts trade showcase Wales will host.
There is a real opportunity to develop the music industry in Wales on the back of WOMEX and to build on international projects that are already taking place- One example being the Indigenous Australian performance group
The Black Arm Band Company and members of Welsh band
9Bach coming together for a unique project exploring place, identity, culture and the preservation of language.
Supported by the
British Council, 9Bach have travelled to Australia to spend a month with members of The Black Arm Band Company, first in Melbourne, then in the Northern Territory region of Papunya.
The two musical ensembles, from opposite sides of the world, have a similar approach – both perform and record in their respective country’s historical languages. For 9Bach, it is the Welsh Language; and for The Black Arm Band Company, it is the many tongues of the Australian Aboriginal people.
The musicians will re-develop The Black Arm Band’s 2009 production,
dirtsong, to produce a new work, tentatively titled Mother Tongue
which will be staged as part of the River of Music event at the
London 2012 Cultural Olympiad in the UK.
Wales has a musical heritage that has both cultural and economic value and WOMEX could act as a catalyst to develop music in Wales.
WOMEX 13 Cardiff will bring an opportunity for traditional music in Wales to be given international exposure and to showcase our talents to a much wider market.