When it was first established, Utah State University's Fife Folklore Conference was an annual event to introduce people to the broad field of folklore. That far- ranging and often difficult task was ambitious to do in a week's time, so the conference was adapted to focus on one specific topic each summer, said Barre Toelken, head of USU's folklore program. This year the topic is music, traditional music and folksong to be exact.
Music provides a common ground for everyone.
The 1999 Fife Conference is June 7-11 on the USU campus and registration begins March 29. Conference brochures with detailed information are available. Students and educators, along with folklore professionals, are the prime audience for the Fife Conference. From music to literature to social studies, teachers attending the conference can learn how people express themselves within specific cultures using music. This information can be incorporated into many of today's multicultural courses.