Musical Acculturation in Iran

Abstract

Acculturation has been accomplished traditionally when a society has absorbed foreign elements originally superimposed by invasion or acquired through excursions and study in other countries. These traditional means have been supplemented more recently by modern forms of communication and rapid travel, which tend to aggravate the natural imbalance of acculturation and to raise the specter of a cultural imperialism attended by a decline in quality or a reduction in number of indigenous cultural undertakings.In Iran, with respect to musical acculturation, this hazard has been recognized for some time. For instance, Tehran's Conservatory for National Music was formally established by the Ministry of Culture and Art in 1949 with the specific objectives of systematically restoring national music and reviving the original Iranian instruments, and, in 1968, a High Commission of Culture and Art was formed to consider, among other matters, the question of acculturation.