Introduction
In the world of music, musical circulation is a fascinating concept that involves the distribution and dissemination of songs and musical styles across different cultures, regions, and media. It is a process that interacts with cultural identity, globalization, technology, among other themes. Whether it's the 'sertanejo universitário wave' that flooded the country a few years ago, or a Rio funk song that goes viral on TikTok, musical circulation is happening.
Contextualization
What makes musical circulation relevant is that it is the way in which cultural and musical influences spread. Music is a powerful means of cultural expression, reflecting the identity of a place, people, or individual. And when music circulates, these identities and expressions are shared, often beyond cultural and geographical barriers.
In the modern era, musical circulation has been significantly impacted by technology, which has facilitated the global circulation of music. Music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have made it possible for artists to reach a global audience, whereas before they were limited to their local geographical areas.
Practical Activity: Musical Route
Project Objective
The Musical Route project aims to explore the circulation of music in different regions of Brazil. Students will investigate the cultural and technological influences on musical circulation in the South, Southeast, Midwest, Northeast, and North regions, extracting relationships between music, regional cultural identity, and technology.
Project Description
Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people. Each group will receive a region of Brazil to study. The project will be divided into four main stages:
- Research
- Create the Musical Route
- Slide Presentation
- Report
Necessary Materials
- Internet access
- Computer
- Presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Prezi)
- Map of Brazil
Step by Step
1. Research (2-3 hours)
Students should research the predominant music genres in their assigned region, prominent local artists, and the means of music distribution and consumption. They should also investigate how technology has played a role in music circulation in that region.
2. Creating the Musical Route (2-3 hours)
With the information obtained in the research, students should create a 'Musical Route,' which is an imaginary map that portrays the trajectory of music in the assigned region. The route should reflect musical diversity, circulation agents and means, as well as the influence and impact of technology.
3. Slide Presentation (2-3 hours)
Students will create a slide presentation depicting the created Musical Route. The presentation should be visually appealing and informative, including the music genres, artists, and circulation means identified during the research.
4. Report (2-3 hours)
Finally, students must write a report explaining the project. The report should include: an introduction contextualizing the theme of musical circulation and the assigned region, a development that explains the theory behind musical circulation, the activity of creating the Musical Route, the methodology used, and finally, present and discuss the results obtained. In the conclusion, students should revisit the main points, explain the learnings obtained, and draw conclusions about the project.
The bibliography should be appropriate, consisting of the sources they relied on to work on the project.
Project Deliverables
The project deliverables will be the Musical Route, the slide presentation, and the report. The Musical Route and the slide presentation will be used in the project presentation to the class, while the report will serve as a written record of the work done by the students.
The project will allow students to learn about musical circulation from a practical standpoint, while developing research, teamwork, time management, critical and creative thinking, presentation, and writing skills.
