The Irish World Music Café: Performing and Recording as Tools for Sustainable Social Integration

Authors

  • Helen Phelan Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick
  • Julianne Hennelly Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick
  • Dominic Chappell Learning Hub, Limerick.
  • Andrew Nathan Roberts School of Culture and Communication, University of Limerick

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v17i3.939

Keywords:

Singing, Social Singing, Video Recording, Migrant, Intergation

Abstract

This arts-based and ethnographic research comprises two video submissions; ‘Elikya’ and ‘Irish World Music Café’ as well as an accompanying paper exploring the potential contribution of live musical performance and video recording to sustainable social integration for new migrant communities. The research is anchored in an exploration of an initiative called The Irish World Music Café in Limerick city, Ireland. The café is a community-based event promoting social singing for new migrants and Limerick residents in the heart of the city. The paper discusses the growing body of evidence concerning the role played by music (particularly singing) in supporting sustainable social integration. It also presents two video-based projects: the first captures the live performances of the café with the second focusing on Elikya, a Congolese music group associated with the café. The paper also discusses the growing importance of video documentation in supporting and disseminating live performance events such as the café. Using Turino’s categories of cultural formations and cultural cohorts (2008), it argues for the role of the café, both as a live event and a recorded phenomenon, in contributing to the development of alternative values and social change.

Author Biographies

Helen Phelan, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick

Dr. Helen Phelan is Professor of Arts Practice at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. She is coordinator of the Sanctuary cultural initiative for new migrants in Ireland and lead researcher in the Singing & Sustainable Social Integration research cluster.

Julianne Hennelly, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick

MA Community Music.

Dominic Chappell, Learning Hub, Limerick.

Dominic Chappell is the coordinator of Music Hub Studios, situated on the north side of Limerick City. For information visit musichubstudios.ie

Andrew Nathan Roberts, School of Culture and Communication, University of Limerick

Andrew Roberts is a video journalist and filmmaker at TheJournal.ie. Originally from Melbourne, Australia Andrew has recently completed his MA in Journalism and New Media at the University of Limerick.

Published

2017-10-03

How to Cite

Phelan, H., Hennelly, J., Chappell, D., & Roberts, A. N. (2017). The Irish World Music Café: Performing and Recording as Tools for Sustainable Social Integration. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v17i3.939

Issue

Section

Creating Space for Cultural and Religious Dialogues