The “From Folklore to World Music” Colloquy takes place traditionally at the end of July, within a week-long Folk Music Holiday festival in Náměšť nad Oslavou, Czech Republic. The colloquy was launched in 2003, was repeated after a year-gap in 2005, and since 2007 it has been organized each year. Over the years, the colloquy has become a household name within the festival: not only because of its structured programme, but also for the core of its regular presenters and even for regularly attending visitors, though their number keeps increasing every year. The colloquy scope is quite wide; it invites presentations and discussion on ethnic music, traditional folk music, contemporary folk music, and world music. The speakers come both from a scholarly environment, and from music media: they are ethnologists, ethnomusicologists, ethno choreologists, musicologists, and aestheticians, as well as editors and writers, and quite often musicians as well. In fact, the meeting in one room of professionals from two opposite sides of the music field was the original intention of the colloquy founders. The theme of the colloquy differs each year (because it is related to the theme of the festival), but the attendees are united in their aim to discover all possible aspects of music “from folklore to world music”, to discuss it and to present their own special interest within the theme. Each year, presentations from the colloquy are published in a reviewed volume, which is available both in paper and electronic forms.
The 22nd international colloquy on folk music, modern folk music, ethnic music and world music
From Folklore to World Music: Purists and Innovators
Náměšť nad Oslavou, July 28 – 31, 2025
Call for paper / call for attendance
The Municipal Culture Centre in Náměšť nad Oslavou and organizers of the 39th Annual Folk Holidays Festival (Folkové prázdniny) are pleased to announce the twenty second international colloquy on folk music, modern folk music, ethnic music and world music. The colloquy will take place on July 28 - 31, 2025, on the premises in the hall of the CETT complex in Náměšť nad Oslavou as part of the week-long Folk Holidays Festival (folk music and world music). The colloquy is made possible with a financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
The title of 2025 From Folkore to World Music colloquy is: Purists and Innovators.
The theme of this year’s colloquium, “Purists and Innovators” may at first glance give the impression of a search for opposites. A glance at a dictionary would suggest that the term purist means an attempt to purify or cleanse national languages of foreign influences, while innovation is the renewal, improvement or introduction of something new. However, we think that the creative efforts of purists or innovators do not always have to be opposites, because both paths, despite their different starting points, lead side by side and those who follow them need each other. When Karel Čapek reflected on the Czech language in this dichotomy, he wrote, among other things: “The conflict between the purists and the rest of us is unnecessary: for purists, the school is important; for us, it’s more about speaking, communication, and poetry – and from time to time, just as one sometimes has to go back to their multiplication tables, we go back to the pure grammar of our speech.”
The organizers of the colloquy are looking forward to proposals from scholars, musicians, ensemble members, organizers, journalists, and others, who are close to folk music, modern folk music, ethnic music, and world music. The colloquy will be held in two languages: Czech and English. Presentations are limited with time (15 minutes) and space (5 pages, or 9.000 characters). Selected presentations will be published.
Send your applications and proposals (about 200 words) in English to the address below by May 31, 2025.
Your application should include:
- the title of your presentation
- a summary of your presentation in about 200 words
- your requirements on equipment
- your name (your academic titles)
- the name of the organization or institution you represent
- your mail address
- your e-mail
- your phone number (your fax number)
Send your applications and proposals to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The deadline for applications is May 31, 2025; you will be informed about the acceptance of your proposal and your slot in the colloquy program by mid-June. A general preliminary program of the colloquy will be included as well. The registration includes free access to festival concerts from July 28 to July 31, as well as one free copy of colloquy proceedings late on.
© 2025