Dr Lyudmila Nurse: Sociologist/Researcher, University of Oxford

European National and Regional Identifies (ENRI)-East

'Cultural Identity and Music' was a pilot study in the ENRI-East project.
The 'ENRI-East' project sought to provide a deeper understanding of the ways in which modern European identities and cultures are formed and inter-communicated in the Eastern part of the European continent.

The project worked in The Baltic Region: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia; Eastern Europe: Poland, Belarus, Ukraine; Central Europe: Germany; The Carpathian Basin: Western Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary. Within these areas the project worked with communities and explored the cultural characteristics that define identities, communities and connectivity.

Through utilising SongTrees' unique 3G Musical Memories methodology, high-calibre research by Oxford XXI analysed the determining factors of nationalist and international expression through musical forms and their inter-generational evolution.

The project also featured a special musical event planned in several localities, coordinated with local ministries of culture, specialist music schools and representatives of the local professional or amateur music groups/orchestras. All interviewed families and local population were invited. Depending on the locality, musical groups performed concerts, including songs shared by the communities.

The findings were presented in Brussels by Dr Lyudmila Nurse and Dr Chika Robertson, and used to provide input to the development of EU cultural and educational policy.