The International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) is a scholarly non-governmental organization which focuses on the study, practice, documentation, preservation, and dissemination of traditional music and dance of all countries. Founded in London on September 22, 1947, it publishes the Yearbook for Traditional Music once a year and the Bulletin of the ICTM three times a year. The organization was previously known as The International Folk Music Council (IFMC). In 1949, it helped found the UNESCO International Music Council and remains a non-governmental organization in formal consultative relations with UNESCO.

As a non-governmental organization in formal consultative relations with UNESCO and by means of its wide international representation and the activities of its Study Groups, the International Council for Traditional Music acts as a bond among peoples of different cultures and thus contributes to the peace of humankind.

Conferences ICTM conferences have been held since 1948 and are presently biennial. In 2009, the site of the ICTM World Conference was Durban, South Africa, in 2011 it was St. John's Newfoundland, in 2013 Shanghai, China, in 2015 Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2017 Limerick, Ireland, and in 2019 it was in Bangkok, Thailand. The 2021 conference was postponed until July 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 47th ICTM World Conference was held between July 13, 2023 and July 19, 2023 at the ultra-modern Cedi Conference Center University of Ghana, Legon.

# Conf. Time Location Host institution47ICTM13–27 July 2023Legon Accra The Cedi Conference Center, University of Ghana, Legon46ICTM21–27 July 2022Lisbon NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities, New University of Lisbon (NOVA-FCSH)45ICTM11–17 July 2019Bangkok Chulalongkorn University44ICTM13–19 July 2017Limerick Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick 43 ICTM 16–22 July 2015 Astana Kazakh National University of Arts 42 ICTM 11–17 July 2013 Shanghai Shanghai Conservatory of Music 41 ICTM 13–19 July 2011 St. John's Memorial University of Newfoundland 40 ICTM 1–8 July 2009 Durban University of KwaZulu-Natal 39 ICTM 4–11 July 2007 Vienna Austria ICTM National Committee and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, in partnership with the Institute of Musicology at Vienna University, the Phonogrammarchiv of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and the Austrian Commission for UNESCO 38 ICTM 3–10 August 2005 Sheffield University of Sheffield 37 ICTM 4–11 January 2004 Fuzhou & Quanzhou Fujian Normal University & Quanzhou Normal University 36 ICTM 4–11 July 2001 Rio de Janeiro School of Music, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Universidade do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), and Conservatório Brasileiro de Música (CBM) 35 ICTM 19–25 August 1999 Hiroshima ICTM National Committee for Japan, The Society for Research in Asiatic Music, Tôyô Ongaku Gakkai, in cooperation with Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima University, and the Elizabeth Music College 34 ICTM 25 June – 1 July 1997 Nitra Institute of Musicology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences Bratislava 33 ICTM 5–11 January 1995 Canberra Canberra School of Music, Australian National University 32 ICTM 16–22 June 1993 Berlin International Institute for Traditional Music 31 ICTM 3–9 July 1991 Kowloon 30 ICTM 23–30 July 1989 Schladming 29 ICTM 30 July – 6 August 1987 Berlin 28 ICTM 30 July – 7 August 1985 Stockholm & Helsinki 27 ICTM 8–15 August 1983 New York Columbia University 26 IFMC 25 August – 1 September 1981 Seoul 25 IFMC 28 July – 4 August 1979 Oslo 24 IFMC 13–18 August 1977 Honolulu University of Hawaii at Manoa 23 IFMC 14–21 August 1975 Regensburg University of Regensburg 22 IFMC 26 July – 1 August 1973 Bayonne 21 IFMC 27 August – 3 September 1971 Kingston 20 IFMC 6–13 August 1969 Edinburgh 19 IFMC 28 July – 3 August 1967 Ostend 18 IFMC 26 July – 3 August 1966 Legon Accra 17 IFMC 17–25 August 1964 Budapest 16 IFMC 5–9 August 1963 Jerusalem 15 IFMC 13–21 July 1962 Gottwaldov ,now Zlín 14 IFMC 28 Aug – 3 September 1961 Québec 13 IFMC 24–29 July 1960 Vienna 12 IFMC 11–17 August 1959 Sinaia & Bucharest 11 IFMC 28 Jul – 3 August 1958 Liège 10 IFMC 22–27 August 1957 Copenhagen 9 IFMC 25–31 July 1956 Trossingen & Stuttgart 8 IFMC 29 June – 5 July 1955 Oslo 7 IFMC 16–22 August 1954 São Paulo 6 IFMC 9–15 July 1953 Biarritz & Pamplona 5 IFMC 14–19 July 1952 London 4 IFMC 8–14 September 1951 Opatija Unions of Societies for Culture and Education of Yugoslavia. 3 IFMC 17–21 July 1950 Bloomington 2 IFMC 7–11 September 1949 Venice Ente Nazionale Assistenza Lavoratori — Comitato Italiano Arti e Tradizioni Popolari 1 IFMC 13–18 September 1948 Basel Société Suisse des Traditions Populaires and the Fédération des Costumes Suisses

Publications Yearbook for Traditional Music (originally known as the Journal of the International Folk Music Council from 1949–1958) Bulletin of the ICTM (originally known as Bulletin of the IFMC)

World Network The Council is represented by individuals, called Liaison Officers, and representatives of organisations, called National and Regional Committees. They all act as links between the Council and the community of individuals and organizations involved with traditional music and dance in their country or region.

As of January 2019, the International Council for Traditional Music is officially represented in 129 countries or regions.

Presidents

Svanibor Pettan (2021–2025) Salwa El-Shawan Castelo-Branco (2013–2021) Adrienne L. Kaeppler (2005–2013) Krister Malm (1999–2005) Anthony Seeger (1997–1999) Erich Stockmann (1982–1997) Poul Rovsing Olsen (1977–1982) Klaus P. Wachsmann (1973–1977) Willard Rhodes (1967–1973) Maud Karpeles, Honorary President (1963–1976) Zoltán Kodály (1961–1967) Jaap Kunst (1959–1960) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1947–1958)

References

External links Official site