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Preservation and development in the transformative zone: Fusing disparate styles and traditions in a pedagogy workshop with Cuban musicians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2006

Joan Russell
Affiliation:
McGill University, Faculty of Education, 3700 McTavish, Montreal Qc, Canada H3 A 1Y2 joan.russell@McGill.ca
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Abstract

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This paper builds on the concept that fusion – the blending of styles and traditions resulting in new or hybridised genres – takes place in social interaction in the ‘transformative zone’ (Bresler, 2003). First I explore the issues surrounding the tension that can occur between the need, or desire, to maintain cherished traditions and the need to create and adapt forms of expression (Bebey 1969/1975) that are meaningful to practitioners. Next, I describe a spontaneous act of fusion that occurred during a music pedagogy workshop that I gave to music teachers in Cuba. Blending the tranquil mood of a Hebrew blessing, with lively Cuban polyrhythms the participants created a hybridised genre that reflected Cuban musical traditions and values. I suggest that while the blessing was transformed stylistically, its meaningful aspects were retained in the sense that the experience provided the conditions for a feeling of communion with others and the feelings of happiness that can arise from such communion.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press