This article addresses the interceltic festivals of Porto (1986–2008) and Sendim in Terra de Miranda (since 2000), situated in northwestern and northeastern Portugal, respectively, from the perspective of European heritage festivals. It examines how these two festivals were used to promote tourism, urban regeneration, rural development, image-making, and place branding. We argue that the interceltic festivals of Porto and Sendim are entangled with the Europeanisation of Portugal, involving new possibilities for identification with Europe’s Atlantic fringe, a space that is symbolised by the Celtic imaginary.

Chilean musical and political themes were an important element of East German life during the socialist presidency of Salvador Allende (1970–1973) and the violent military dictatorship (1973–1990) that overthrew him. The musical movement nueva canción (new song) was critical in mobilising solidarity with Chile around the world. In East Germany, the state-sponsored Singebewegung (singing movement) and the Liedermacher*innen1 (song makers) who were sometimes more openly critical both performed Chilean themes and covers. In addition to promoting solidarity, both groups drew on the musical identity of this group to arouse political participation towards different ends.

This article discusses reciprocity in research as engaged scholarship and, more specifically, applied ethnomusicology. It draws on two ethnographic studies and their associated activism in Cape Town, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria. The article investigates the histories of engaged scholarship and applied ethnomusicology and suggests that each community requires a method of engagement based on its contextual specifics. Hence, the case studies may be seen to animate workable approaches in different socio-cultural contexts. The paper concludes that these methods may serve as frameworks for developing site-specific strategies of engaged scholarship in other parts of Africa.

Damaru is a Singaporean Indian folk drumming ensemble that promotes pan-Indian identity and Indian folk drumming in the city-state. This article examines how Damaru navigates and carves a niche in Singapore’s multicultural milieu with the concept of a pan-Indian folk drumming ensemble, and how drummers create artistic products that engage an audience of different sociocultural backgrounds. An analysis of two of Damaru’s rhythmic compositions suggests that drumming, mixing Indian folk drums and rhythmic patterns, and performing the rhythmic patterns in sequence have helped Damaru’s rhythmic compositions reach a broader audience, enabling the ensemble to win state grants and performance opportunities.

This article critically considers how the musical piece, “Al-Burda,” has introduced ground-breaking formal and rhythmic innovations within Arab contemporary traditional music. I explore the centrality of Mustafa Said’s musical adaptation of Arabic prosody in generating new rhythmic modes whilst highlighting Said’s claims of continuity with an Arab literary and musical tradition through the musical adaptation of the poetics of mu’arada, which means building upon pre-existing models. This article draws upon postcolonial theory as a fundamental tool of analysis for the underpinning socio-political commentary present at every stage of creation and production of “Al-Burda.”

Today, the trajectory of Lebanese diva Fairuz’s career has become synonymous with the development of a Lebanese national subjectivity. Her performance of musical works by the Rahbani Brothers at Lebanon’s Baalbak International Festival from the 1950s–70s helped to form a Lebanese national musical style. Through close listening and analysis, this article explores the entanglement of Fairuz’s early music with both the Baalbak Festival and early Lebanese nationalist efforts, arguing that this music’s sound and style consciously laboured to articulate an emergent sense of national identity.