The fall of 2004 marks my return to academic studies in the field of ethnomusicology at the University of Toronto. My motivation for undertaking these studies is a direct result of ten years of freelance performing in Toronto, and tours that have taken me around the world. There are specific challenges that face performers, creators and arts presenters in a multicultural society. More extraordinary, though, is the potential to create dynamic new works, ways of performing, and teaching that will show Canada as the country most representative of today’s global village, and Toronto as the most cosmopolitan city in the world.

Following is an extract from my Ph.D. proposal. It outlines some of the questions for which I seek answers. I invite any and all relevant ideas, comments, and criticisms. Please direct your responses to: academic@parmela.com

• What is the impact of globalization and post-colonialism on contemporary music-making? How does trans-cultural performance affect categorization of musical styles? I believe that the desire of musicians across genres to perform onstage together necessitates a re-evaluation - not discounting a complete abandonment - of existing stylistic categorization.

• Is it possible to recategorize music? How can categorization of music-making reflect the polystylistic and transcultural musical community currently developing?

• How do we initiate transcultural musical dialogue and experience for a multicultural society? What are the issues involved - ie. generational,  religious, aesthetic and culture-specific? Is improvisation an important element of the dialogue insofar as it most readily expresses the essence of a musical language, and breaks down boundaries?

• Given the increase in multi-disciplinary and transcultural artforms, how relevant are traditionally defined public performance spaces? To what extent do traditional performance venues inhibit cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary performance and attendance?

• How do we define “contemporary composition” from an ethnomusicological (ie. global) point of view?

• How can music schools and post-secondary musical institutions reflect the ethnic diversity that is representative of our population? What are the issues that prevent this from happening? What are the different aesthetics and concerns brought into the formal study of music by non-European, ethnically diverse students?

• What kinds of musical skills should (and could) a student possess at the end of 4 years’ post-secondary study, and what should (or could) their skills be upon entering the faculty? I believe we need to redefine what kind of student should be graduating from our music programs over the next decade. This leads to another question of redefinition. Can we, in a post-colonial and legally mandated multi-cultural Canada, redefine a professional music student and musician for the 21^st-century global village? Globalization implies a liquification of borders and globally shared social commonalities. Does multiculturalism inhibit or promote transculturalism?