International Library of African Music (ILAM)

The International Library of African Music (ILAM) was founded by Hugh Tracey (1903-1977) in 1954 at the apex of 25 years of field recording and research into African music. This included 12 years of promoting African music as head of the Natal studios of SABC Radio (1936-47), production of numerous commercial 78rpm records with Gallo Records as head of their African Music Research Unit, and publication of his research findings in two significant books, 'Chopi Musicians' (1948) and 'African Dances of the Witswatersrand Gold Mines' (1952). Funding from a Nuffield Foundation grant matched by a contribution from the mining industry of southern Africa enabled Tracey to establish ILAM as an independent research center, archive, and library intended to expand upon the work of the African Music Society, which he founded in 1948. From its inception, Tracey’s vision for ILAM was to encourage respect for African music and perpetuation of its traditional styles through the following objectives: recording (documentation and preservation), research, publication, education and community outreach. Publication of the annual 'African Music Journal' began in 1954. In the 1960s, two major LP series - the 210-LP 'Sound of Africa' series for educational purposes with support from the Ford Foundation and the 25-LP 'Music of Africa' series for general release with Decca Records - were published by Hugh Tracey from his field recordings.

After Hugh Tracey’s death in 1977, his son Andrew Tracey became the Director of ILAM. In 1978 he moved ILAM to Rhodes University, where it was affiliated with the Institute of Social and Economic Research until 2005, when it was officially attached to the Rhodes University Department of Music and Musicology. With assistance from the Chamber of Mines and the Chairman’s Fund of Anglo-American Corporation, ILAM re-established itself on the Rhodes University campus. ILAM is now housed in a purpose-designed building erected in 1989 with funds raised by Andrew Tracey. In 2002 Prof. Andrew Tracey was honored with the Eastern Cape Premier’s Arts and Culture Award for his contribution to African music. He retired as Director of ILAM on December 31, 2005. Prof. Diane Thram was appointed to the position of Director effective January 2006.

The ILAM archival collections have been catalogued and digitized and are accessible online from its homepage online search options. ILAM publications include the annual accredited academic journal, 'African Music', and two textbooks that are illustrated with ILAM field recordings and images: 'Understanding African Music' (available in hardcopy or as an ebook) and 'Listen and Learn - Music Made Easy'. Community outreach activities include regular free concerts featuring community musicians, ILAM tours and workshops on African music, and opportunities for local musicians in produce recordings using ILAM’s studio. ILAM's travelling museum exhibition, 'For Future Generations - Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music' premiered at the Origins Centre Museum at Wits University in 2010, was featured at the National Arts Festival in 2011 and continues to travel continuously to community historical/cultural museums throughout South Africa.