Transcultural Musicking

Abstract

Abstract Continuing the eastward and southward trajectory of the case studies, this chapter focusses on transcultural musicking in Australia and finally in cyberspace. Intercultural composition traditionally means music made by and for members of culture A but drawing on attributes of culture B. But if the aim is to foster intercultural communication, this is not an effective way to achieve it. The first half of the chapter, drawing on work by Samuel Curkpatrick, is built around ‘Crossing Roper Bar’, a collaborative project combining Indigenous musicians (the Young Wägilak Group) and the Australian Art Orchestra. The second half explores practices of virtual musicking – for example in Second Life – and shows how they have given rise to new conceptions of musical affinity. It also develops the idea that music is itself a virtual world, one that is not located outside the actual world but rather augments everyday experience of it.