Candidature
Member Cities of Music
Seville
The city of Seville, Spain was appointed UNESCO's first City of Music on 30 March 2006.
Not only is the city of Seville a highly recognized center of creativity and musical activity, but it is also a rich reflection of centuries of musical tradition and influence on a global scale. Extraordinary musical events bring together artists from all walks of life, attracting quality, passion and diversity to a city that continues to support and boost its industry with great pride.
In Seville, music is everywhere and above all engages everyone. From symphonies, operas and public open spaces dedicated to music, to foundations, youth organizations, schools and conservatories, the city offers all of its citizens a way to become involved in creating and appreciating music.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/creativity/creative-cities-network/music/seville/
Bologna
The city of Bologna was appointed a UNESCO City of Music on 29 May 2006.
As the first Italian city to be appointed to the Network, Bologna has demonstrated a rich musical tradition that is continuing to evolve as a vibrant factor of contemporary life and creation.
Also a member of UNESCO's International Coalition of Cities against Racism, Bologna is reaping the universal nature of music as a vehicle for communication, reinventing the way in which people from all walks of life, young and old, are living and interacting with one another.
Helping foreign students to overcome language barriers, some Bolognese schools are organizing music workshops to encourage socializing among students regardless of their language skills.
Orchestra do Mundo, an international musical collaboration between the Italian city and the favelas of Sao Paulo, is another example of how Bologna is engaging communities well beyond its borders not only to reinterpret ethnic music in the electronic form but also to help break the cycle of poverty by giving voice to those who are rarely heard.
By mobilizing international teams, exploring new forms of urban animation and redefining public space, Bologna is drawing on music as a natural and abundant raw material to achieve very concrete goals.
http://cittadellamusica.comune.bologna.it/en/bologna-city-of-music/
Glasgow
Glasgow was named UNESCO City of Music in August 2008.
Its legendary music scene stretches across the whole spectrum from contemporary and classical to Celtic and Country. Its venues are equally varied and include King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (consistently voted the top live music venue in the UK), the Barrowlands, O2 Academy, the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow Royal Concert Halls and many pub and clubs throughout the city.
Glasgow is home to four of the five National Companies (including Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra) alongside other national organisations including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scotland, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) and the Scottish ensemble.
Among the musicians/bands hailing from the city are: Franz Ferdinand, the Fratellis, Snow Patrol, Travis, Teenage Fanclub, Belle and Sebastian and Glasvegas. DJ’s such as Naeem, Paul N’Jie, Ray Woods, Kash and Gavin Sommerville have pushed the urban sound for years and opened Glaswegian ears to the possibilities of the genre.
The city hosts an average of 130 music events each week (more than any other Scottish city) and it is estimated that music businesses generated some £75 million a year for Glasgow’s economy.
http://www.glasgowcityofmusic.com
Ghent
The city of Ghent, Belgium was appointed UNESCO City of Music on the 8th of June 2009.
The city of Ghent has a reputation as a well-established centre for music with a rich tradition and inclusive approach to culture. The city possesses a complete infrastructure of creative and performing activities, with an impressive number of concert halls, education facilities and research centers.
There is a solid support given to a variety of music genres, through a wide range of festivals such as the Festival of Flanders and different organizations, including the Federation of Music Festivals in Flanders (FMiV) and the European Festivals Association (EFA). In addition, training and research activities are considered of core importance to the city with diverse education possibilities for local young artists, enabling them to develop their interest and career in the music field.
http://www.gent.be/eCache/THE/1/66/866.cmVjPTE2Njg1Nw.html
Bogota
Bogota was appointed UNESCO City of Music on the 7th of March 2012.
It is recognized foremost for its fast growing musical sector and dynamic music scene as a major centre of musical creation and activity in Latin America.
In accordance with the mission of the Creative Cities Network, the city promotes music as a tool for socio-economic improvement and cultural diversity. With its unique profile as a cultural exchange hub on a national and regional level, Bogota is expected to strongly increase international cooperation opportunities for the Network.
In addition, the city boasts an outstanding infrastructure for the creation and promotion of all music genres from classical music to popular music as well as the many public and private cultural spaces provided for performing music. It clearly demonstrates solid experience in hosting a wide range of events from festivals to international business meetings for music professionals equally engaging the public and private sectors in the music industry.
http://en.investinbogota.org/news/bogota-creative-city-music
Brazzaville
The city of Brazzaville was named UNESCO City of Music on October 18, 2013.
Cradle of the Congolese rumba, Brazzaville is a cosmopolitan city which combines many of the customs and practices that constitute a factor of social cohesion through respect for cultural identities and their mutual enrichment.
As Brazzaville, the Congolese rumba is a music born of multiple influences and continuously enriched external inputs. Synthesizing the traditional rhythms of Central Africa and Afro-Cuban music, has generated other genres like Soukous, the Ndombolo or Coupe quirky. These variations and the many contributions of African music Brazzaville are the epicenter of musical creation on the continent.
Music is an essential component of all stages that mark the social life: baptisms, weddings, funerals, initiation rites character, religious practices. Churches neighborhoods within them choirs which everyone can take part and animate all ceremonies. These choirs act as real music schools. Equipped with adequate instruments and places, they are places of learning music theory and singing, instrumental and dance practices.
It is a Congolese specificity in cultural practice: SAPE which emerged after independence in Kinshasa and Brazzaville SAPE (read, the Society of Ambianceurs and Elegant People) is a practice to compete elegance wearing luxurious clothes. The followers of SAPE are thousands and meet frequently in the late afternoon to show off their chic outfits as fashion parades danced called "diatance".
The centrality of music in the identity of the city is celebrated through major events. The capital of Congo hosts the headquarters of the Pan-African Music Festival (FESPAM) initiated in 1996 under the auspices of the African Union. Held every two years in Brazzaville FESPAM is one of the major events dedicated to African music.
Brazzaville has also numerous private and community initiatives such as: the lights festival Brazza biennial dedicated to traditional music from Congo and Africa. Lights Brazza moves in the city, each edition highlighting the history and identity of a specific area by fully involving different communities from Brazzaville through various activities: exhibitions, craft village, scientific symposia, etc.
The “sanzas de Mfoa” created in 2003, rewards the best attribute Congolese and African artists in many areas: music, literature, sculpture, painting, film, fashion. Organized every year this event is one of the most followed on the African continent; Tam -tams gold, specifically devoted to music, they recognize each year the best artists of Congolese music across 11 categories. Since its creation in 2005, more than a hundred artists have been awarded.
In a more institutional registry, the international diffusion of Congolese music is through animation of cultural aspects of twinning arrangements between the Brazzaville and other cities of the world and that through the concept of "night Congo", in partnership with a private operator, which is to organize each year in a city in the world an evening dedicated to Congolese music on the theme "music, tourism and elegance".
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/creativity/creative-cities-network/music/brazzaville/
Hamamatsu
The city became affiliated with the UNESCO Creative City Network in the field of Music in December 2014. Now, as a UNESCO Creative City, the city plans to hold international conferences on cultural diversity through music in 2015, and the World Music Festival in Hamamatsu in 2016.
Hamamatsu is internationally known as a center of musical instrument manufacturing. Electronic musical technologies such as the synthesizer not only contributed to the development of modern music, but have significant influence on subcultures around the world.
The city also has an abundance of projects and facilities with international appeal, such as the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and the Museum of Musical Instruments.
Mannheim
Mannheim was nominated City of Music in December 2014. The city offers classical, pop, jazz, hip hop, indie and electro events, Music Theater, a Germany-wide excellent higher education in music, individual funding opportunities for young musicians and young creative enterprises and a unique festival scene.
Hannover
Hannover is a UNESCO City of Music. This was announced on 1 December 2014. Hannover is known for Musical education, training and peaking unrivaled. The young music scene is known for its passion. The choirs of the city of Hannover is an international brand. And music and creative industries prove that creativity can also be implemented in hard cash. The city promises an intense, exciting and profitable cooperation with many partners in a reliable and motivated international network with a lasting effect.