The CMTRA (Centre des musiques traditionnelles Rhône-Alpes) is an association based in Villeurbanne that develops projects in the following areas: collaborative ethnomusicological research focusing on traditional music from here and elsewhere rooted in the Rhône-Alpes region; outreach and education in the humanities and social sciences; promotion of the region’s living and creative intangible heritage; networking of local cultural actors; and the dissemination of cultural diversity.
This talk aims to explore how musical practices can be mobilized as tools for understanding contemporary societies, while also serving as a means to build community at the local level.

Julie Oleksiak is the research coordinator at CMTRA and an associate researcher at the Georg Simmel Centre.