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Connecting Different Cultures through Distinctiven of Music Folklore in Montenegro

M.A. Jelena Martinovic- Bogojevic, Docent


M.A. Vedrana Markovic, Docent
University of Montenegro
Music Academy
Abstract: Multiculturalism has been the defining feature of the identity of the Balkans, which is
characterized by a centuries-long coexistence of different nations and religions, but also by
numerous interethnic bloodsheds. In the last war which marked the disintegration of Yugoslavia,
Montenegro, as a multicultural entity, has managed to preserve peace and avoid national
conflicts. Today, two decades later, Montenegro is dedicated to both safeguarding its
multiculturalism and developing a multicultural dialogue.
For intercultural connection among Montenegrins, Muslims, Serbs, Albanians, Croats, Bosnians
and other minority nations, a significant role is played by the music creativity of these
nations.Whether it is expressed through cultural-artistic associations, music festivals, or TV and
radio programmes, representation of music of all of the ethnic groups is important. A special role
in breaking down prejudice and openness towards difference is played by schools, where the
music culture courses, in a sophisticated and creative way, affirm diversity of cultural heritage.
As educators, textbook authors and University professors, we actively participate in the
promotion of interculturalism by focusing on music. Within the framework of the project Identity
elements in Montenegrin music as a basis for development of multiculturalism and
interculturalism, we have conducted research among the students of the final year of Music
Academy, with an aim of determining the degree of their knowledge, perception and
interpretation of music folklore as a resource of dialogue among cultures. The students involved
in the research belong to different ethnic groups. The results of the research shall be presented in
this work.
Key Words:Identity, Multiculturalism, Interculturalism, National music creativity, Music
Academy student

Introduction
Music culture is a teaching subject represented on every level of the education system in
Montenegro, starting with curriculum for preschool education, through elementary education, up
to grammar school. Beside developing creativity, tolerance and collective production, in a
multicultural environment such as Montenegro, music plays a significant role in development of
mutual tolerance and accepting diversity, as well as valuing own culture through which cultural
and national identity is built.With a thorough reform of the education system, which was initiated
in 2000, the system is harmonized with important documents that are based on democratic
principles: The Universal Declaration of Human Right (UN), Convention against Discrimination
in Education, Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN), Resolution on the European
Dimension of Education(Knjiga promjena/Book of Changes, 2001, 24, 24). Respecting all
national confessional groups, i.e. Montenegrins, Serbs, Croats, Muslims, Bosniaks, Albanians,
Roma, Egyptians and other nations, implied a higher degree of interculturalism in the teaching
programmes. In order to meet the needs of the citizens, a possibility is given to the teachers to
choose by themselves the 20 % of the content in the plans and programmes of open type,
depending on the requirements of students, schools and local community. By exploring how this
important segment of the education process practically functions today, we performed various
researches.1In this work we shall present the results of research performed at the Music Academy,
which includes the students of the final year within undergraduate studies.
Methodological Approach
In the framework of the project Identity elements in Montenegrin music as a basis for
development of multiculturalism and interculturalism2 we have carried out the research by
involving students of the final year within undergraduate studies at the Music Academy in
Cetinje. The subject of this research is knowledge of music tradition of the nations living in
Montenegro. The goal of the research is to determine to which extent the students of the final
1One of the important researches involved students of the junior class of the grammar school in three
multiethnic communities with an aim of determining to which extent they know the folklore music
tradition of Montenegro.
2 The project is approved and supported by the Ministry of Science and Ministry of Culture of the
Government of Montenegro.

(third) year of the undergraduate studies know the music heritage of their country and whether
they recognize the characteristics of the folklore music.
In accordance with the defined problem, the established goal and determined tasks, we are
starting with the following hypotheses in this research:
Main Hypothesis: It is assumed that students do not have sufficient knowledge of music heritage
of the nations living in Montenegro.
Auxiliary Hypotheses: It is assumed that educators at the Music Academy do not pay enough
attention and time to music activities related to folklore songs, getting familiar with national
instruments, national dances and, generally, getting acquainted with music tradition of
Montenegro. Furthermore, it is assumed that students, beside specific contents in the framework
of subjects such as solfeggio, history of music, choir singing and music culture teaching method,
which are envisaged by the Music Academy programme, are not focused on national music
tradition enough, i.e. there is no interest in this form of music engagement.
Due to complexity of the topic that we are dealing with in the research, we have applied three
scientific and research approaches: rational-deductive, empirical-inductive and mathematicalstatistical. Having in mind that descriptive method is most frequently used in examining
educational practice, we decided to use surveying as the most acceptable technique and a survey
as an instrument of data collection. We would like to mention that this research is the first one of
this kind in Montenegro, therefore it has a special importance. Based on obtained results, the
critical-educational considerations can be done, as well as drawing conclusions which can help us
to get an insight into knowledge of the students, the future graduated musicians, in the field of
music tradition of the nations living in Montenegro. The research has an operational and
developmental character, because its consequence is improvement of educational practice at the
Music Academy in Cetinje, whereas in a long-term run it results in creation of conditions for
paying more attention to preservation of music tradition in a wider social context. We carried out
forming of the samples based on established goals and tasks of the research in the framework of
the population of students of the final year of the undergraduate studies at the Music Academy in
Cetinje. Bearing in mind that it is an educational institution that has a relatively small number of
students, the research covers all of the students of the final year, i.e. 30. The table of the sample

structure shows the course and the number of surveyed students. The process of surveying was
anonymous, and the students participated in it by free will. Data obtained through surveying have
been classified in accordance with the tasks and hypothesis of this research.
Table No. 1: Sample Structure
Department for General Music Education
18 students

Instrumental Department
12 students

After a thorough examination of educational literature, getting acquainted with the subject and
the research problem, we started the research. The research was performed during November
2013 (school year 2013/2014).
We carried out questioning of the students through the survey. Questionnaire consists of 10
questions of open and closed type that are related to knowledge of folklore songs and
instruments, as well as art music inspired by traditional music, i.e. folklore. Specific number of
questions refers to personal attitudes of examinees on music heritage and their relation to it. After
completion of surveying the envisaged students, we initiated the data processing. For processing
data, percentages as indicators of a phenomena structure were used. The results of the research
were presented individually following the order of the questions from the questionnaire. In the
following presentation we are stating the most important statistical results that were obtained
during the research. Starting with the defined subject, goal, task and research hypotheses, the
obtained results were first expressed textually, and then through graph display as well.
Survey Analysis
First question referred to knowledge of Montenegrin national instruments. Students listened to a
sound example, a short abstract of the national instrument diple, after which they were supposed
to circle one of the given answers to the question: Which instrument do you recognize?
80 % of the examinees gave a correct answer to this question, whereas 20 % answered
incorrectly.

Table No.2
Question No. 1

Correct answers in

Incorrect answers in

Which instrument

percentages
80%

percentages
20%

do you

recognize?

Second question should have given an insight into whether students feel and recognize
characteristics of the traditional music melody and rhythm. The students listened to 4 sound
examples; duration of each was around 40 seconds. The first example was an abstract from Bela
Bartok'scomposition Allegro barbaro;second abstract from Stevan Hristi's ballet Ohridska
legenda; third abstract from Borislav Tamindi's miniatureGuslar, and the fourthabstract
fromFrederic Chopin's Mazurkain h-moll.The students were supposed tomark the example which
was inspired by Montenegrin folklore by circling an answer. 80 % gave correct answers given to
this question, 5 % of examinees gave an incorrect answer, whereas 15 % of examinees circled
two answers, i.e. the first and the third example, which means that they consider the Bartok's
composition to be inspired by Montenegrin folklore as well, even though it has obvious elements
of Hungarian (pentatonic scale) and Romanian (chromatic scale) folklore. Regardless of the low
level of knowledge of the national music heritage of Montenegro which shall be shown by further
analysis and lack of interest of the students in this type of music, the results of the survey have
shown that the majority of students still carry the music heritage as an inner mark of national and
cultural identity.
Table No. 3
Question No. 2
Circle the correct answer

Correct
80%

Incorrect
5%

Partially Correct
15%

Third question dealt with the feelings that are provoked in students by listening to a folklore
song sang by one of the best interpreters of Montenegrin folklore songs. The students listened to
the sound example which was followed by answering the question: what do you feel when you

listen to this song? 5% of examinees answered they were bored, 15% answered they werent
interested, 60 % said that the song provokes pleasant feelings, and 20 % of examinees said they
liked the song and they would listen to it again. Even though the questionnaire also envisaged the
answer I don't like it, I wouldn't listen to it again, none of the examinees circled that answer.
Table br. 4
Question No .3

Boredo

Disinterest

Feeling

Like it

Dont like it

What do you feel

m
5%

15%

pleasant
60%

20%

0%

when you listen


to this song?

Fourth question should have provided the insight into knowledge of students when it comes to
writing down the notation and text of the folklore song based on listening. The teacher has
vocally performed the folklore song Bolna Mara, and communicated the initial pitch. The song
was performed twice in its entirety, followed by singing twice each of the three units which the
song is consisted of. 65 % of the examinees wrote the notation correctly, 15 % wrote the partially
correct notation, whereas 20 % of examinees did it incorrectly. These results can be explained by
a fact that within teaching practice in the framework of solfeggio class, the students write down
only melodies performed on a piano, and the practice of writing down a song which is vocally
performed with the text is not represented in the teaching practice, therefore the students do not
have practical experience in the creation of such a music dictation.
Table No. 5
Question No. 4
Foklore song as a music dictation

Correct
65%

Partially correct
15%

Incorrect
20%

Fifth question dealt with knowledge of national instruments. In the group of six instruments, the
examinees were supposed to circle an instrument which doesnt belong to the group, where they
had to determine themselves why a certain instrument represents an intruder. Even though the
given instruments differ on the manner of creation of the tone, the production material and other
parameters, in the aforementioned group only cymbal represents an instrument which is not used

in the Montenegrin music folklore practice. We got a surprisingly small percentage of correct
answers to this question - 30 %, with the majority of examinees making the discrimination of
instruments in a wrong manner.
Table No.6
Question No. 5
Circle the instrument which does not belong

Correct
30%

Incorrect
70%

to the group

Sixth question also dealt with knowledge of national instruments. For each of the five
instruments it was required to determine in which group it belongs. As correct answers we
considered those with 5 accurate assignments, as partially correct those with at least 3 accurate
assignments, and the other answers were considered incorrect. The fourth of the examinees gave
a correct answer, 65 % gave a partially correct answer, whereas the 10 % of examinees gave
incorrect answers.
Table No. 7
Question No. 6
Groups of instruments

Correct
25%

Partially correct
65%

Incorrect
10%

Seventh question was supposed to provide an insight into a manner in which the students see the
music heritage of their people. The results show that 15% of examinees see the music heritage of
their people as something archaic and obsolete; 45 % see it as a part of their national and cultural
identity; and 5 % of examinees are proud of the music heritage of their people.
Table No. 8
Question No. 7
How do you see folklore

Archaic

Part

of

15%

identity
45%

own Always
topical
35%

Proud
5%

of your people?
Eight question should show what the students think about the level of their knowledge of
national music heritage. Only 10 % of examinees think they know the folklore music creativity of

their people well; a big percentage, as many as 80 % think they dont know their music heritage
well but would want to know it; 5% of examinees said they dont know their music heritage well
and dont wish to familiarize themselves with it, and the same percentage 5% says they are not
interested in music heritage at all.

Table No. 9
Question No. 8

Know well

Don't know and Don't

know Not interested at all

don't feel the well, but wish


How much do
you

need to know
5%

10%

to know
80%

5%

know

folklore

Ninth question should have examined the attitudes of examinees on representation of content
from the field of folklore music creativity in the educational programmes at academic level of
music education. The results show that 40 % of examinees think that contents from the field of
folklore music education are not present at academic level of music education, 50 % of
examinees think that these contents are present but not sufficiently, and 10 % thinks that contents
from the field of folklore music creativity are present to an extent which enables acquiring of a
satisfactory level of knowledge of music folklore.
Table No.10
Question No. 9

Not present

Present

To what extent are the

40%

sufficiently
50%

but

not Sufficiently present


10%

folklore elements present


in

the

Academyprogrammes?

In the framework of the tenth question the students had the task to write down a melody and the
text of the folklore song they know or like. The correct record was given by only 45% of

examinees; partially correct records were given by 20 % of examinees, whereas incorrect records
were given by 35 % of examined students. Such poor results work in favour of the starting
hypothesis that, beside the acquired knowledge of different music subjects, the students have
poor knowledge of music heritage and have significant difficulties to translate what they know
into a written music text.
Table No.11
Question No.10

Correct

Partially correct

Incorrect record

Write down a melody and text of a

record
45%

20%

35%

folklore song you like


Conclusion
Based on results of the conducted research, the established hypothesis that students do not
know the music heritage of Montenegro sufficiently has been confirmed. The auxiliary
hypothesis that not enough attention is paid to folklore at the Music Academy is also
confirmed. One of the possible reasons is inexistence of the Department for ethnomusicology, as
well as abolition of the subject Folklore which used to be a part of the programme at the
Department for general music education until 2008. 3 Having in mind the attention given to music
heritage through subject programmes in the elementary and grammar school, it is necessary to
study folklore at the Music Academy more systematically, especially due to the fact that future
music culture teachers are educated at the Department for music education. In the current
curriculums, the folklore music creativity is represented only in the subjects Solfeggio and Music
Teaching Method. These contents cannot replace to a sufficient extent the ethnomusicology
aspects and a more meticulous familiarization with music heritage which would encourage higher
level of interest by students through research work. Driven by the results of the described
research, we shall be committed to introduction of contents from the field of folklore music
heritage to the teaching programmes of the Music Academy in Cetinje as soon as possible, so that
3One of the reasons for abolishing the subject is also a lack of academic personnel in Montenegro for this subject
which used to be lectured by professors from the Faculty of Music Art in Belgrade.

the future generations of graduated musicians have better knowledge of music heritage of
Montenegro. This will surely contribute to development of multiculturalism and encourage
intercultural dialogue in Montenegro.

Literature
1

Becking, G. W., (1933): Der musikalische Bau des montenegrinischen volksepos,

2
3

Amsterdam
Bleking, D., (1992): Pojam muzikalnosti, Belgrade, Nolit
Dizdarevi-Krnjevi, H., (1997): Utva zlatokrila, Delo Tvornost tradicije, Belgrade,

Filip Vinji
Drobni, I., (2005): Koaptacija smerova postavki elementarne muzike pismenosti u
muzikom obrazovanju od specifinih strunih problema do pragmatinih reenja,

PhD thesis defended at the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Eastern
5

Sarajevo, Bijeljina.
Eurydice, (2009): Lducation artistique et culturelle lcole en Europe,

Commission europen, Bruxelles.


Knjiga promjena (2001): ur. prof. S. Backovi, Ministry of Education and Science,

Podgorica.
Martinovi Bogojevi, J., Markovi V. (2013): Narodno stvaralatvo u muzikoj
pedagogiji od potrebe do anahronizma, Belgrade, Pedagogija LXVII, 2, page 293-

301
Martinovi Bogojevi, J., Markovi V. (2013): Odnos tinejdera prema narodnom
glazbenom stvaralatvu putovi i stranputice, Zagreb, Tonovi, magazine of music

and dance educators No. 61, page 71-78


Osnove za obnovu nastavnih planova i programa (2002): Ministry of Education and
Science, Podgorica.

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