INFORMATIONAuthor(s): Naomi SharpSource: Fontes Artis Musicae, Vol. 43, No. 2 (April-June 1996), pp. 218-220Published by: International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres(IAML)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23508643 .

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INFORMATION

Help Needed in Cambodia

Joachim Jaenecke, IAML Vice-President with responsibility for outreach activities,

has forwarded an appeal for assistance from

Phnom Penh, Cambodia to all national

branches of IAML. We reproduce below a

letter from Ms. Naomi Sharp sent to IAML

Secretary-General Alison Hall in September

1995, together with a brief history and de

scription of the Department of Western Mu

sic at the Royal University of Fine Arts in

Phnom Penh prepared by Alex McLean in

consultation with Mr. Ven Path, Dean of the

Faculty of Music in Phnom Penh.

Dr. Jaenecke reports that material may

safely be sent to Cambodia by post, and that

he would be happy to assist members who

wish to donate material for the music library in any way in which he can. IAML also main

tains an Outreach Fund intended to help with

postal and customs charges for such dona

tions; those wishing to apply for this help should send details to IAML Treasurer Pam

Thompson.

The current priority of needs for the

Cambodian music library are 1) solo pieces at an intermediate or advanced level for all

instruments, but especially for flute, clari

net, saxophone, viola, and double bass; 2)

orchestral sets (beginner upwards); 3) min

iature scores; 4) chamber sets.

Dear Ms. Hall,

I have recently returned to the U.K.

from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where I have

been working for the last year under the

auspices of Overseas Missionary Fellowship as a music teacher. I teach at the Royal

University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh in the Western Music Department. The title sug

gests a rather grand establishment, but in

actual fact this is the equivalent of a High

School, and although it is the music school

in Cambodia, it is way behind its interna tional counterparts. The school flourished

in the 1960s, but had to begin again from

scratch after the Khmer Rouge regime of

the 1970s and might now be comparable in

standard to a good British state school, mu

sically speaking.

218

Together with two other volunteer

teachers from the U.K. I have begun setting

up a school music library. During my time at

home, I therefore went to get advice from

Mr. John Wagstaff, the music librarian at

Oxford University where I studied. He sug

gested that I contact you to enquire about

the IAML Outreach Initiative, and whether

any branch of IAML might be able to help us

out in Cambodia. Do you think this is a possibility?

Our most urgent needs at the moment

are for music for wind instruments, and or

chestral music of an intermediate standard;

after this, miniature scores of orchestral mu

sic, music for string instruments, and sets of

chamber music. We have not yet managed to

arrange listening facilities (there is no per manent power supply) but cassette record

ings are a future need. For the long term, text books in music history, theory and anal

ysis will be a need, but as yet only a few of

the Cambodian staff and none of the students

have the English to use such material. Eng lish is however the language which students

are mostly learning now.

My address in Cambodia is: OMF Box 570, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I will be happy to answer any questions that you might

have, and I look forward to hearing from

you.

Yours sincerely, Naomi Sharp

The Department of Western Music

at the Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

In 1959 a School of Music was founded by the Royal government of Cambodia in re

sponse to the rapidly growing popularity of

Western music in the country. In 1964 the

School of Khmer National Music moved its premises to the Western Music campus, and the two united to become the Faculty of Music, Royal University of Fine Arts. By this time the Department of Western

Music had sufficient musicians to maintain

a small symphony orchestra, a wind band, and a chamber ensemble. By 1975 the

Department had 200 students and over 50

teachers.

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INFORMATION 219

During the Khmer Rouge regime of are music history, theory, harmony, ear

1975-79, the University was closed, and the training, and traditional Cambodian music,

staff, alongside all educated people, were There is an orchestra, a wind band, a choir,

singled out for persecution and slaughter. a junior string orchestra, and a variety of

The University re-opened in 1980, barely smaller chamber ensembles,

a year after the overthrow of the Khmer Following graduation, students have the

Rouge by the Vietnamese army. The dere- opportunity to return to the department as

liction of the Faculty during 1975-79 re- "student-teachers." From this year the or

sulted in the loss and decay of buildings, chestra will retain its most talented mem

instruments, and other equipment. The bers after their graduation, thus maintaining

seven remaining teachers of Western music the momentum of this ensemble's rapidly

had to cobble together instruments from improving standards,

what was left in order to re-open their de- The high standards achieved at the De

partment—for example, cannibalizing three partaient of Western Music are the result of

broken pianos to assemble one playable in- the dedication and hard work of the staff and

strument. Resources were so scarce it was students. This is despite a daily struggle

not unusual for one violin to be shared by with the serious shortage of resources. In

five students. Sheet music was in desper- struments are low-quality and many are be

ately short supply, and replacing spare yond serious attempts at repair. Reeds,

parts, such as worn-out reeds and broken strings, and other spare parts are in short

strings, was difficult and sometimes impos- supply. The library has only a limited stock

sible. of sheet music, much of which is in very poor

Since these difficult times, the situation condition and inappropriate to the needs of

has steadily improved. More resources have the students. The collection of recorded mu

been made available, provided by the Royal sic (cassettes) is small, and there is no audio

Cambodian Government and foreign donors. equipment on which to play them. Basic fur

For example, the majority of students now niture such as chairs and music stands is also

have sole use of an instrument, although needed.

these are often of extremely poor quality. The University is funded by the Ministry

Foreign teachers have been boosting the of Culture whose own resources are seri

ranks of the Cambodian staff since 1981, and ously overstretched, despite the recognition students who have graduated from the Fac- by the Royal Government of the vital role

ulty are now returning as teachers them- cultural activities play in Cambodia's struggle

selves. In addition, a considerable number for peace and development. The Depart

of students took advantage of scholarships ment receives aid, in the form of funds and

abroad that were available during the 1980s, donated equipment, from foreign agencies,

and most have since returned to teach in the but this is limited and sporadic. The enthu

Department. siasm of staff and students result in a lively

The Department of Western Music now department, but can only partly counter the

has over 150 students and 30 teachers. It limitations on study imposed by this lack of

provides specialist music training in the access to resources and equipment,

mornings, and students receive a general

secondary education in the afternoons. Ad- MLA Presents Awards

mission is by audition, and instruments are

provided by the Department. At its 65th annual meeting, held in Seattle

The music curriculum is broad-based, February 7-11,1996, the Music Library As

with a strong emphasis on performance and sociation presented awards recognizing gen

practical musicianship. Students receive two eral achievement and specific projects. An

hours individual tuition per week on their MLA Citation, the highest award the Asso chosen instrument. Other subjects studied ciation gives, was presented to former MLA

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220 FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE 43/2

and IAML President, Don Roberts. The MLA's quarterly journal Notes, went to

handsome framed certificate describes Don Stephen Miles for a review of Wireless Imag

as "a dedicated and devoted leader of the ination: Sound, Radio, and the Avant-Garde

world community of music librarians," add- appearing in the September issue (51:65—

ing, "his generous and broadly inclusive vi- 68). In its report the Publications Awards

sion of musical life serves as an inspiration Committee wrote "Critiquing a collection

for all of us." Members of IAML will want to he describes as 'brilliantly excessive and

join in the sentiment and congratulate Don flawed,' Miles skillfully weaves commentary

on his honor. on a variety of essays into a unified discus

At the same time, MLA also presented sion of musical modernism in the throes of

a Distinguished Service Award to John its struggle with early sound technology."

Howard, music librarian at Harvard Univer- MLA also recognizes on-going scholar

sity. Given for extraordinary achievement in ship and research in its framework of

a particular project, the award recognized awards. The first Dena Epstein Award for

Howard's work with the RISM Center in the Archival and Library Research in American

USA, particularly his path-breaking develop- Music was given to Dr. Norm Cohen who is

ment of electronic programming to make compiling a checklist of pocket songsters

data from the United States compatible with published in the United States between 1860

systems at the international RISM Center in and 1899. The grant of $1,000, made possi

Frankfurt. ble through the generosity of long time MLA

Annual awards for publications appearing member and American music scholar Dena

in 1994 were also given. The Vincent Duck- Epstein and her husband Morton, will enable

les Award recognizing the best book-length Dr. Cohen to examine collections of song

bibliography or research tool of the year sters in California, Tennessee, and Washing

went to A Catalogue of Handel's Musical ton, D.C.

Autographs, by Donald Burrows and Martha

Ronish and published by Oxford University

Press. "This richly detailed study serves Musik-Almanach 1996/97

as a powerful demonstration of what can

be learned from watermarks and rastra A comprehensive yearbook and directory

measurements when considered in the con- documenting all facets of musical life in

text of a large and coherent repertory of Germany is a joint publication of Bären

sources," remarked the recommending reiter and Bosse in Kassel. Sponsored by

committee. the Deutsche Musikrat (German Music

Barry Kernfeld and Howard Rye were Council), the Musik-Almanach 1996/97 in

the recipients of the Richard S. Hill Award eludes statistical information, extensive di

for the best article of a music-bibliographic rectory listings, and articles on the current

nature, "Comprehensive Discographies of state of such subjects as publishing and the

Jazz, Blues, and Gospel," which appeared in music industry, broadcasting, amateur music

MLA Notes 51:501-47, 865-91 (1994). "In making, popular music, and musicology. this masterly double article, two eminent Joachim Jaenecke contributes a survey of

authorities have provided non-specialists current music information and documenta

with a thorough and lucid guide to an impor- tion sources, while Marion Sommerfield is

tant but very confusing area of music bibli- responsible for listing public and research

ography," said the committee. music libraries. Weighing in at a hefty 1,146 The Eva Judd O'Meara Award, which pages, this invaluable reference work is

recognizes the best review published in priced at 72 DM.

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