Part 7: Bridging Cultures

Listening theory is key to bridging cultural music traditions.

As the world becomes more globally connected, our knowledge and appreciation of different cultures, ideologies, and histories has grown. This worldview has altered how the western musical tradition is approached, with universities introducing more courses on diverse and ethnic music, and large ensembles actively performing works by non-western composers.

As we shift away from the old Eurocentric canon into something new and more diverse, I believe we need a connecting element to maintain the best of what is already found in western musical practices while making room for the best of other practices. Beyond preserving the best and most effective elements of western music, this will also show us what aspects can be dropped or de-prioritized in the canon or the traditions of musical study that have been established in western universities. What is that connecting element? It’s the universal approach to music: listening. 

With a system that identifies how you listen, musicians discover how their own listening may prevent them from accessing something new, beautiful, and transcendent. Listening theory has the capacity to bridge different cultures, allowing listeners to appreciate the strengths and differences in any style of music. It also grounds listeners by identifying approaches that aren’t truly foundational, and help listeners achieve a less situational approach to music through the lens of listening. When considering different cultures and different musical traditions, listening theory is key.

This article is part seven of a series on listening theory. Stayed tuned for more next week!