Global Notes: UNESCO’s List of Traditional World Music

CHICAGO FOLKLORE ENSEMBLE
Photo courtesy of Chicago Folklore Ensemble Courtesy / CHICAGO FOLKLORE ENSEMBLE
CHICAGO FOLKLORE ENSEMBLE
Photo courtesy of Chicago Folklore Ensemble Courtesy / CHICAGO FOLKLORE ENSEMBLE

Global Notes: UNESCO’s List of Traditional World Music

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More than one hundred audio recordings of traditional music from around the world were collected over four decades by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music of the World was launched in 1961 in collaboration with ethnomusicologist Alain Daniélou and the International Music Council. The series wrapped up in 2003; however, UNESCO established a new partnership with the Smithsonian Institution in 2009 to make more than 100 albums of the collection spanning more than 70 nations available to the public. On this week’s Global Notes segment, Vocalo’s Beat Latino host and producer Catalina Maria Johnson will take us through the rich collection from countries like Japan, Vietnam, and Mexico to discuss the various art forms involved and its historical significance.