ondary and tertiary level at least in the most progressive societies. Differences of content and teaching methods are being analysed (at least in the most progressive Western countries), as they are potential platforms for comparative studies and mutual enrichment.

Businesses have been traditionally resistant to advocate causes which lie beyond their commercial interests. As the main channels of technological advancement, they have prospered by following the game dictated by the logistics of their own industry. Although companies are usually favourable in undertaking and investing on research programmes, there has constantly been a conflict between market-orientated pursuits and genuine scientific or educational objectives. The second half of the 20th century, however, has seen crucial steps, such as the birth of MIDI in 1982, which opened a new way of looking at commercial collaboration between manufacturing companies. Not less importantly, we have witnessed the birth of institutions whose cause is to promote artistic and scientific research. France provided an exemplary model of how it is possible, within the political infrastructures of the state, to create and support independent centres of research where musicians and scientists can deepen their work far from the pressures of the commercial market. Ircam, the GRM, Bourges, the UPIC have become international poles of activities and important points of reference for the music community of the world. The availability of the Ircam Forum, the commercialisation of Ircam’s MAX software through OPCODE, the GRM tools, to mention but a few examples, have initiated a new circumstance where independent research, artistic priorities and educational agendas have become accessible through industrial and commercial channels. Similar trajectories have been undertaken by forward-looking educational establishments, particularly in the more commercially-minded societies such as the UK and the USA. Universities such as Stanford, the MIT, York have taken an active role in this direction since the 1960s. Their example has been followed by many other universities and independent institutes worldwide. These are gradually paving the path for an holistic attitude where compositional creativity, educational aims, scientific precision, production and diffusion techniques can grow hand-in-hand and away from the dictates of fashion and consumerism. Also, a more undiscriminating approach to contemporary styles of music and the arts is increasingly replacing much of the commercial and aesthetic single-mindedness of traditional music festivals and concert promoters. The market monopoly of the big music publishers and record companies is a reality of the past. With the advent of notation software programs, for example, the whole concept of music publishing is being seriously questioned. New artists-led umbrella organisations are gradually emerging as autonomous managements with effective artistic agendas that are in touch with the times, whilst proposing innovative directions of music promotion which make the traditional partition of music services, such as publishing, performing and recording, redundant.

These are a few examples of forward-looking individuals, companies and institutions whose range of strategies is far beyond that of traditional publishers, educational establishments, record companies and businesses, and can provide an genuine environment in the search for inter-cultural evaluation. More importantly, such activities are in continuous expansion. By encouraging information exchange,