About the ICTM

The AIMS of the ICTM are to further the study, practice, documentation, preservation and dissemination of traditional music, including folk, popular, classical and urban music, and dance, of all countries. To these ends, the Council organizes meetings, World Conferences, Study Groups and Colloquia. In addition the Council maintain a membership directory and supervise the preparation and publication of journals and bulletins.

The ICTM was founded on 22 September, 1947, in London, England, by scholars and musicians as The International Folk Music Council. Ralph Vaughan Williams became its first president, followed by Jaap Kunst, Zoltan Kodaly, Willard Rhodes, Klaus P. Wachsmann, Poul Rovsing Olsen, Erich Stockmann, Anthony Seeger, Krister Malm, and currently, Adrienne L. Kaeppler. In 1949, the Council was one of the Founding Members of the International Music Council - UNESCO, and is currently an NGO in Formal Consultative Relations with UNESCO. Through its wide international representation the Council acts as a bond among peoples of different cultures and thus serves the peace of humankind.

ICTM World Conferences

ICTM world conferences are held biennially and offer the general membership and the public opportunities for exchanges on a broad scope of issues.

Our next World Conference will be hosted by Shanghai Conservatory of Music in Shanghai, China from 11 to 17 July 2013.

Please check this website on a regular basis for updates and new information.

Recent Conferences

Study groups

Study groups are comprised of members in a common area of scholarly study. Study Groups currently active include: Anthropology of Music in Mediterranean Cultures, Applied Ethnomusicology, Computer Aided Research, East Asian Historical Musical Sources, Ethnochoreology, Folk Musical Instruments, Historical Sources of Traditional Music, Iconography, Maqam, Multi-Part Music, Music And Dance In Southeastern Europe, Music and Gender, Music and Minorities, Music Archaeology, Music of the Arab World, Music of the Turkic Speaking World, Musics of East Asia, Music and Dance of Oceania and The Performing Arts of South East Asia

Study Groups are an essential part of the ICTM. They hold periodic meetings and publish the results of their ongoing research.

Colloquia

Colloquia have been organized by invitation since 1981. These events focus on selected themes intensively discussed by smaller groups of scholars and representatives from related fields.

The Council maintains official representation through its National Committees and Liaison Officers in numerous countries.

ICTM National and Regional Committees

ICTM National and Regional Committees act as official representatives of the ICTM in their regions and as liaison between the Council and their constituents. They hold their own conferences and meetings and report in the Bulletin. National and Regional Committees of the ICTM are established in the following countries: Australia and New Zealand, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, USA, and Vietnam.

ICTM Liaison Officers

Liaison officers represent the Council in these countries: Albania, Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, Guatemala, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Laos,  Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico,  Nigeria, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Zambia.

Publications

The Council currently publishes the Yearbook for Traditional Music (established 1949 as Journal of the International Folk Music Council) and the Bulletin of the ICTM (established 1948 as Bulletin of the IFMC). For more information please refer to the Publications sections of this website