World Music

Title of piece: Thumri Performer(s): Nina Burmi, Sanju Saha, and Pandit Ramesh Mishra Culture of Origin: India Instrumentation: Voice, Tabla, and Sarangi This performance is from the Darbar Festival in London, England which is home to some of India's finest classical music.  This piece is an example of improvised Indian classical music.  The creativity used in this piece is truly amazing.  The intricate melodies that the performer composes in her mind as she is singing are breath-taking.  I also find it intersting that the instrumentation (especially the tabla player) is able to echo and copy the improvised melodies sung by Nina Burmi. This piece would be an excellent showcase for students when teaching about improvisation in the classroom.  Campbell points out in her book that "The music section of The National Standards for Arts Education recommends the meeting of two separate standards, improvisation and composition and arrangement, calling for s...

Song Title: "Praise of Ghengis Khan" Performer: Unknown Culture of Origin: Mongolian Instrumentation: Voice, Morin Khuur The topic of authenticity is a complex one when dealing with world music in the music classroom.  Many music classrooms have limited resources available and limited time.  These two hurdles combined leave it difficult for a teacher to find authentic instruments to use and to find time do adequate research to perfect music techniques found around the world.  Koops points out in an article that several music education researchers believe that authenticity in world music is impossible to achieve in the music classroom.  The above video of a Mongolian throat singer would prove this suggestion to be true.  It would be difficult for a music teacher to master the art of Mongolian throat singing and then to teach the technique to students for a performance.  It would be possible, though, for a music teacher to find someone w...

Title: The Blood Still Works Artist:  Triumphant Worship Center Gospel Choir (Fairfield, California) Culture of Origin: Traditional Gospel Music Instrumentation:  Piano, Choir, Soloist, Drums Context in musical structure affects the performance outcome in many different ways.  Things such as available technology, aesthetic values, and performer-audience interactions play in to the context of music (Wade, 2013).  The listening example that I chose for this week's blog post is of traditional black gospel music- one of my favorite genres in which to be a part of a live performance.  I have had the opportunity to experience this genre in-person about a handful of times in my life and each time has been one of the most musically energetic and enlivening experiences!  Context plays a huge part in one's experience with this type of music, though.  There is a great deal of interaction between the audience and performers.  The two groups feed off ...

Title: Sombroso Artist: La Negra Tomasa Culture of Origin: Cuba Instrumentation:  Trumpets, congas, guitars, violin, string bass, voice Classification of instruments is a way in which to organize instruments based upon culture, sound produced, roles within an ensemble as well as many other forms of classification (Wade, 2013).  The idea of classification is important depending upon the method of classification being used.  For instance, in the ensemble above the classification of instruments aids in finding a mixture of instrumentation that will create an effective salsa band.  There is a rhythm section, a string section, a horn section, and a vocalist.  Other classifications of instruments such as the Sachs-Hornbostel system are used to help scholars and curators to identify, organize, and study instruments from around the world (Wade, 2013). Wade, B.C. (2013).  Thinking musically: Experiencing music, expressing culture.  New York: Oxf...

  (start at 11:38) Title: India Blue Artist: Ali Akbar Khan Culture of Origin: India Instrumentation: Sarod, Tamboura, and Tabla This piece is the perfect example of how world music can bridge the gap between ethnomusicology and music pedagogy.  Ethnomusicologists help to inform a culture or society of people about another culture's musical tastes and practices.  In this piece, there are several instruments used that would be foreign sounding to the western music listener.  Ethnomusicologists help to inform members of western society of music types of other cultures through educating music teachers in their teacher preparation programs and charging them with the importance of educating their students in the matter.  As Nettl states in his book, "The world of music has changed incredibly since the 1980s, and ethnomusicologists are recognized as having contributed to these changes, and sought as interpreters of what has happened.  Their wor...