International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance

A Non-Governmental Organization in Formal Consultative Relations with UNESCO

History of the governance of ICTMD

The present Executive Board of the Council consists of a President, two Vice Presidents, and nine Ordinary Members, who are elected by the membership. However, while there has always been a President, the number of Vice Presidents and of Ordinary Members has varied at different points in time. Before Board members were directly elected by the membership (since 2005), they were appointed by other members of the Board.

The Secretariat concerns the day-to-day running of the Council. The title of the person heading the Secretariat has changed through the years, as have the titles and functions of the person(s) assisting in this work.

The lists below celebrate the individuals who have served in these roles that are fundamental to the running of the Council. Information has been taken from Bulletins and the minutes of Executive Board meetings. We welcome any corrections.

You can click on table headers to sort rows by that column.

Executive Board

Presidents

Name  ▾ Country Period
Castelo-Branco, Salwa El-Shawan Portugal 2013–2021
Kaeppler, Adrienne L. USA 2005–2013
Karpeles, Maud UK 1963–1976 (Honorary)
Kodály Zoltán Hungary 1961–1967
Kunst, Jaap the Netherlands 1959–1960
Malm, Krister Sweden 1999–2005
Pettan, Svanibor Slovenia 2021–2025
Rhodes, Willard USA 1967–1973
Rovsing Olsen, Poul Denmark 1977–1982
Seeger, Anthony USA 1997–1999
Stockmann, Erich Germany 1982–1997
Vaughan Williams, Ralph UK 1947–1958
Wachsmann, Klaus P. UK 1973–1977

Vice Presidents

Name  ▾ Country Period
Araújo, Samuel Brazil 2023-2027
Barbeau, Marius Canada 1958-1969
Castelo-Branco, Salwa El-Shawan Portugal 1997-2001
Castelo-Branco, Salwa El-Shawan Portugal 2009-2013
Cherbuliez, Antoine-Elysée Switzerland 1948-1964
Collaer, Paul Belgium 1964-1970
Elschek, Oskár Czechoslovakia/Slovakia 1987-1997
Kaeppler, Adrienne L. USA 2001-2005
Kennedy, Douglas UK 1975-1976
Lewin, Olive Jamaica 1987-1995
Lorenzen, Poul Denmark 1947-1951
Mahdi, Salah el- Tunisia 1983-1987
Malm, Krister Sweden 1995-1999
Marcel-Dubois, Claudie France 1967-1987
Marett, Allan Australia 2005-2009
Marinus, Albert Belgium 1947-1962
Niles, Don Papua New Guinea 2013-2017
Niles, Don Papua New Guinea 2019-2023
O’Sullivan, Donal Ireland 1962-1966
Pettan, Svanibor Slovenia 2009-2011
Pettan, Svanibor Slovenia 2017-2021
Rhodes, Willard USA 1973-1980
Sandvik, Ole Mørk Norway 1954-1968
Stockmann, Erich Germany 1975-1981
Sultanova, Razia UK 2015-2019
Tan Sooi Beng Malaysia 2021-2025
Trần Văn Khê Vietnam 1979-1987
van Zanten, Wim the Netherlands 2005-2009
Wachsmann, Klaus P. USA 1970-1973
Wild, Stephen Australia 2001-2005
Wild, Stephen Australia 2011-2015

Ordinary Board Members

Name  ▾ Country Period
Alexandru, Tiberiu Romania 1970-1979
Almeida, Renato Brazil 1947-1964
Araújo, Samuel Brazil 1999-2001
Araújo, Samuel Brazil 2009-2017
Aretz de Ramón y Rivera, Isabel Venezuela 1964-1973
Avorgbedor, Daniel Ghana 2021-2023
Avorgbedor, Daniel Ghana 2023-2027
Ayyangar, Ranganayaki India 1981-1988
Baké, Arnold A. the Netherlands 1953-1955
Baké, Arnold A. the Netherlands 1958-1963
Bakka, Egil Norway 1999-2005
Barwani, Khalfan al- Oman 1994-1999
Baud-Bovy, Samuel Switzerland 1977-1982
Baumann, Max-Peter Switzerland 1991-1997
Bayard, Samuel P. USA 1956-1962
Béhague, Gérard USA 1995-1999
Bielawski, Ludwik Poland 1985-1991
Binson, Bussakorn Thailand 2017-2019
Blacking, John UK 1976-1979
Blacking, John UK 1987-1989
Bröcker, Marianne Germany 1997-2009
de Carvalho, João Soeiro Portugal 2019-2021
Castelo-Branco, Salwa El-Shawan Portugal 1984-1996
Ceribašić, Naila Croatia 2011-2023
Chaudhuri, Shubha India 1993-1999
Citro, Silvia Argentina 2019-2021
Citro, Silvia Argentina 2021-2027
Christensen, Dieter USA 1970-1991
Christensen, Dieter USA 1999
Cooke, Peter UK 1978-1987
Corrêa de Azevedo, Luiz-Heitor Brazil 1970-1976
Crossley-Holland, Peter UK 1963-1977
Czekanowska-Kuklinska, Anna Poland 1976-1985
Daems, Hendrik Belgium 1977-1982
Dal, Erik Denmark 1956-1969
Devčić, Natko Yugoslavia 1947-1953
Diamond, Beverley Canada 2001-2009
Diettrich, Brian New Zealand 2019-2025
Dragoi, Sabin Romania 1960-1966
Mahdi, Salah el- Tunisia 1973-1983
Elschek, Oskár Czechoslovakia 1971-1987
Emrich, Duncan USA 1947-1953
Euba, O. Akin Nigeria 1971-1975
Foley, Catherine Ireland 2015-2023
García, Miguel A. Argentina 2017-2019
García Matos, Manuel Spain 1962-1964
Gerson-Kiwi, Edith Israel 1968-1981
Haywood, Charles USA 1970-1978
Hemetek, Ursula Austria 2005-2013
Hughes, David UK 1993-1999
Jairazbhoy, Nazir Ali USA 1971-1985
Kaeppler, Adrienne L. USA 1999-2001
Katz, Israel J. USA 1977-1978
Kennedy, Douglas UK 1947-1975
Kidula, Jean USA 2009-2015
Kishibe Shigeo Japan 1977-1983
Kraus, Egon Germany 1953-1981
Kunst, Jaap the Netherlands 1949-1958
Lajtha Laszló Hungary 1947-1962
Lalendle, Lumkile South Africa 1997-1999
Lee Hye-ku Korea 1979-1989
Lee Tong Soon Singapore/USA 2017-2020 (ex officio)
Lewin, Olive Jamaica 1970-1987
Maceda, José Philippines 1984-1989
Malm, Krister Sweden 1983-1995
Mapoma, I. Mwesa Zambia 1978-1994
Marcel-Dubois, Claudie France 1947-1967
Marett, Allan Australia 1997-2003
Menezes Bastos, Rafael Brazil 1997-1999
Michaelides, Solon Greece 1948-1968
Mohd Anis Md Nor Malaysia 2013-2015
Muslu, Olcay Turkey 2023-2025
Nataletti, Giorgio Italy 1949-1956
Nettl, Bruno USA 1976-1977
Niles, Don Papua New Guinea 2007-2013
Niles, Don Papua New Guinea
2017-2019
Nketia, J. H. Kwabena Ghana 1959-1971
Nzewi, Meki Nigeria 1981-1985
O’Sullivan, Donal Ireland 1956-1962
Omibiyi, Mosunmola Nigeria 1974-1975
Omondi, Washington Kenya 1985-1988
Opondo, Patricia South Africa 2001-2009
Ostashewski, Marcia Canada 2019-2025
Ozah, Marie Agatha Nigeria 2015-2023
Ozah, Marie Agatha Nigeria 2023-2027
Palčok, Zoran Yugoslavia 1953-1955
Petridis, Petro Greece 1947-1951
Petrović, Radmila Yugoslavia 1971-1985
Pettan, Svanibor Slovenia 2001-2009
Pinon, Roger Belgium 1962-1971
Pop, Mihai Romania 1967-1971
Rajeczky Benjamin Hungary 1967-1979
Rhodes, Willard USA 1956-1967
Rice, Timothy USA 2007-2013
Ringer, Alexander USA 1967-1971
Rovsing Olsen, Poul Denmark 1970-1977
Sandvik, Ole Mørk Norway 1947-1953
Santaella, Mayco A. Argentina/Malaysia 2023-2025
Santos, Artur Portugal 1948-1951
Sardo, Susana Portugal 2023-2027
Sarkar Munsi, Urmimala India 2023-2025
Sárosi, Bálint Hungary 1978-1991
Saygun, Ahmed Adnan Turkey 1947-1962
Seebass, Tilman Austria 1999-2005
Seeger, Anthony USA 1987-1997
Seeger, Anthony USA 1999-2001
Seeger, Charles USA 1952-1956
Sheen Dae-Cheol Korea 2009-2011
Smith, Barbara USA 1966-1970
Sordo Sodi, Carmen Mexico 1976-1978
Stepputat, Kendra Austria 2021-2027
Stock, Jonathan P.J. UK 2004-2009
Stock, Jonathan P.J. UK 2013-2019
Stockmann, Erich Germany 1964-1975
Sultanova, Razia UK 2011-2015
Suppan, Wolfgang Germany 1985-1991
Szego, Kati Canada 2009-2017
Talam, Jasmina Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021-2027
Tan Sooi Beng Malaysia 2005-2011
Tan Sooi Beng Malaysia 2015-2021
Terada Yoshitaka Japan 2013-2019
Tô Ngoc Thanh Vietnam 1999-2005
Tokumaru Yoshihiko Japan 1983-1989
Torp, Lisbet Denmark 1987-1999
Trần Quang Hải France 2005-2017
Trần Văn Khê Vietnam 1975-1979
Trimillos, Ricardo USA 1978-1993
Tsao Pen-Yeh Hong Kong 1989-1993
Tsuge Gen’ichi Japan 1987-2001
Tsukada Kenichi Japan 2001-2007
Vetterl, Karel Czechoslovakia 1962-1970
Vodušek, Valens Yugoslavia 1967-1971
Wachsmann, Klaus Uganda 1947-1957
Wachsmann, Klaus UK 1958-1963
Wachsmann, Klaus USA 1963-1965
Wachsmann, Klaus UK 1966-1970
Wang Yaohua China 2001-2005
Wild, Stephen Australia 1989-1999
Wiora, Walter Germany 1955-1969
Wiora, Walter Germany 1970-1979
Witzig, Louise Switzerland 1947-1956
Witzleben, J. Lawrence USA 2009-2021
Wrazen, Louise Canada 2019-2023
Xiao Mei China 2011-2019
Yelemanova, Saida Kazakhstan 2013-2015
van Zanten, Wim the Netherlands 1996-2005
van Zanten, Wim the Netherlands 2009-2011
Zemtsovsky, Izaly Russia 1989-1993
Žganec, Vinko Yugoslavia 1955-1967

Secretariat

Secretaries General and equivalent positions

Name  ▾ Country Period Position
Band, Robin W. I. UK 1963-1965 Executive Secretary
Christensen, Dieter USA 1981-2001 Secretary General
Ejlers, Christian Denmark 1967-1968 Executive Secretary
George, Graham Canada 1969-1972 Honorary Executive Secretary
George, Graham Canada 1972-1980 Secretary General
Hemetek, Ursula Austria 2017-2021 Secretary General
Karpeles, Maud UK 1947-1963 Secretary
Krader, Barbara USA 1965-1966 Executive Secretary
Lee Tong Soon Singapore/USA 2021-2025 Secretary General
Matthews, Connie Jamaica/Denmark 1968-1969 Executive Secretary
Pettan, Svanibor Slovenia 2011-2017 Secretary General
Seeger, Anthony USA 2001-2005 Secretary General
Stallman, Felicia UK 1966-1967 Executive Secretary
Wild, Stephen Australia 2006-2011 Secretary General

Executive Secretaries and equivalent positions

Name  ▾ Country Period Position
Band, Robin W. I. UK 1962-1963 Executive Secretary
Christensen, Nerthus USA 1981-2001 Executive Secretary
George, Tjot Canada 1969-1980 Assistant Secretary
Gwynn Williams, W. S. UK 1948-1955 Honorary Treasurer
Gwynn Williams, W. S. UK 1956-1966 Treasurer
Kirkiacharian, Chakée Denmark 1968-1969 Assistant Secretary
Matthews, Connie Jamaica/Denmark 1967 Assistant Secretary
Proberts, Lee-Anne Australia 2006-2011 Executive Assistant
Rovsing Olsen, Poul Denmark 1967-1969 Treasurer
Parkinson, T. H. R. Canada 1970-1976 Treasurer
Salloum, Kelly USA 2001 Membership and Publication Coordinator
Salloum, Kelly USA 2002-2005 Membership and Publication Coordinator/Treasurer
Skillen, Jane UK 1965-1967 Assistant Secretary
Yoder, Carlos Argentina/Slovenia 2011-2022 Executive Assistant
Yoder, Carlos Argentina/Slovenia 2022-2025 Executive Secretary