WHAT IS ETHNO?
Ethno is Jeunesses Musicales International’s program for folk, world and traditional music. The program, founded in 1990, is aimed at young musicians aged 13-30 with a mission to revive and keep alive global cultural heritage amongst youth. Present today in over 13 countries, Ethno engages young people through series of annual international summer music camps, as well as workshops by working together with schools, conservatories and other groups of youth. Ethno promotes emerging artists by touring selected groups of talented musicians through its’ Ethno on the Road initiative. Ethno provides a unique opportunity for young people from across the globe to come together and engage through music in a manner that is characterised by the respect, generosity and openness.
At the core of Ethno is its democratic peer-to-peer learning approach whereby young people teach each other the music from their countries and cultures. It is a non- formal pedagogy that has been developed over the past 25 years and embraces the principals of intercultural dialogue and understanding. The goal is that through these interactions, musicians will be inspired to deepen their musical interests and build a global network to support their future careers. Each Ethno event embraces a combination of workshops, jam sessions, seminars and performances to develop young musicians both personally and technically.
Ethno is a platform for building respect and tolerance, preserving cultural heritage by ensuring that traditional, folk and world music live on within young people, and is transmitted from generation to generation. It widens and deepens relationships between musicians and cultures from around the world, whereby participants are able to build a greater appreciation of each other’s respective cultures through music. As such, Ethno uses music as a powerful tool to combat xenophobia, intolerance and racism.
OBJECTIVES
• Preservation/conservation of cultural heritage, keeping traditional music alive amongst young people.
• Fostering intercultural dialogue • Promote non-formal music education through peer-to-peer and experimental learning.
• Facilitate the mobility of young musicians and emerging talents, locally and abroad.
• Create equal opportunities for musicians of all genders.
• Celebrate young talent in an inclusive environment.
• Gain performance experience under professional conditions.
• Build confidence in young people’s talents and inspired them to further their musical and creative development by encouraging them to take to the stage with their current know-how, and develop both their strengths and interest in improving.
• Grow self respect and respect for others.
• Create awareness of oneself, one’s own culture and the world. • Create a democratic space for the creation/performance of music with hierarchy.
ETHNO IS A PROGRAM OF:
Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI)
Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) is the world’s largest non-profit organisation helping young people through music. JMI runs over 40,000 diverse musical activities per year reaching more than 5,000,000 young people from around 80 countries. From festivals to competitions, workshops to school concerts, masterclasses to jam sessions JMI covers the entire musical landscape embracing all styles and genres. JMI uses the universal power of music as a tool for empowerment and transformation, striving to make the world a better place for all.
