Tell me about something you learned about another culture this term that surprised or intrigued you.

Oof this is a hard question! Out of everything, I think I’d have to pick quartertones in Arabic culture as the most intriguing! The way their melodies feel like they flow so easily, yet they move and slide at such small intervals. It creates such a beautiful and unique sound that is unlike any other culture to me. Most of the countries I’ve always dreamed of visiting have been in Europe, but the middle east has jumped into my list now! (As well as so many other places)

Tell me about something that you realized about your own culture through our discussions.

Throughout the past month, every culture we studied was so distinct, and from so many vast parts of the world, yet they all had so many similarities as well. In every culture, I noticed a trend of repeating similarities: the importance of family, of dance, of art, of tradition, and of course, music. Almost every culture has experienced some sort of hardship as well, and has encountered influences from other cultures. We’re all more alike than we think, and with so much hate going on in the world today, especially in our own country, I’ve realized our culture forgets that sometimes, or isn’t aware how alike we really all are. Our culture needs to become more expansive and accepting.

Tell me about something that this course has inspired you to learn more about.

Since so many cultures were very family oriented, it has inspired me to learn more about my own family, and my heritage, since my family hasn’t been in America very long. I have a few great aunts that have books of our family trees from Poland and Italy, and I plan on asking them to bring them next time they’re able to visit! I’m also interested to learn more about if my grand parents grew up listening to traditional music from where my great grandparents emigrated from! My grandmother briefly mentioned her mother playing polish music on piano growing up, but I don’t know much else, and hardly anything about my grandfather growing up.

I decided to step into Kazakhstan for the first part of my final cool stuff blog, and stumbled upon an ancient lap harp called the jetigen (жетіген)! It has a very gentle sound to me, and looks pretty similar to the other lap harps we’ve seen in different cultures. It is made from a hollow wooden bow with seven strings, sometimes made of horse hair, stretched across. The strings have rolling pins attached that allow the performer to change the pitch of the strings. What I found most interesting about the jetigen though was the story of its creation. On a Kazakh website, I was able to find the whole story, and it’s quite a sad one…

In ancient times in an old village lived an old man. He had seven sons, and he had a gracious living. But one cold winter there was a jute – a thick blanket of snow which causes a massive loss of livestock. The people were left without food, and the grief settled in the old man’s family. The death of one after another took away all his sons.

After the death of the eldest son Kania, the old man hollowed out a tool from the log of a dry tree, pulled on it one string of sheep’s veins, and placing a stand under it, performed kyu “Qaragym” (“My own”).

After the death of the second son Torealym, the grieving father pulls the second string and improves the kyu “Qanat synar” (“Broken wing”).
To the third son Zhaykeldi he composes the kyu “Qumarym” (“My Beloved”).

For the fourth son, Beken – kuy “Ot soner” (Extinguished flame)
For the fifth son Hauas he composed “Baiyt koshti” (“Lost Happiness”).
For the sixth son Zhulzar – “Kun tutildi” (“The sun is eclipsed.”)

When died the youngest son Kiyas, a grief-stricken old man pulls the seventh string and performs the kyu “Zheti balamnan aiyrylyp qusa boldym” (“Grief from the loss of seven sons.”).

Extracting from the instrument sounds full of sadness, the exhausted father in different in nature melodies shows the images of his sons. improvised melodies have been further developed and have come down to us in the form of instrumental pieces-kyues under the common title “Jetigennyn jeteui” (“Sevens of Jetigen”).

For some reason I always become interested in how different cultures incorporate mainstream aspects of music into their culture, so while looking into some modern Chinese music, I found some Chinese Rock! It came about around the 1980s, and honestly, some of it has a Beatles like sound to it. Chinese rock also has had a lot of small periods of moderation due to its regulation by the government, and of course received plenty of backlash as well, so it stays pretty isolated from traditional culture. Have a listen to a song by a band called Hedgehog (how cute right!?) below!

Of course I had to cover Mongolian throat singing! It is also sometimes called Hooliin Chor, meaning throat harmony, or Khoomei! Basically, Mongolian throat singing is a way to vocally sing multi-phonics, and is by no means an easy thing to do. The practice dates back very far, and is typically performed outside. Due to the open landscape of Mongolia, sound also carries a great distance, and singers will often travel far for the perfect location. Originally the practice was strictly for male herders, but women have begun practicing the technique as well! I’ve attached a video of a female throat singer below!

For my music and family blog, I knew immediately that I wanted to interview my grandmother! She’s come in contact with a lot of music throughout her life through her parents, who emigrated from Poland, and my grandfathers family, who emigrated from Italy. She also just has a lot of passion and curiosity for music that I’ve enjoyed since I was little! My grandmother loooooves to talk, so I didn’t get to ask as many questions as I had planned, but she answered ones I had intended to ask while she shared her stories. Overall, I asked her about her experiences with music from when she was little and throughout her life, and her involvement in music today. I also asked her about her favorite genres and songs, and how music has affected her life. One thing that she always stresses anytime I ask her about music is how much she enjoys watching her grandchildren play music for her, and it always puts a smile on my face. Whenever I visit my family, I make sure I spend a few nights at my grandmothers so she can hear me practice.

My grandmother wanted me to add a few things below the video that she forgot to mention about her mother (my Babcia 🙂). She mentioned her playing popular tunes on piano, but she told me after filming that her mother also played a lot of traditional Polish tunes from her childhood.

In Southern India, there is a genre of Carnatic music called Konnakol (there are many different ways to spell it). It is the art of performing vocal percussive sylables, and is the spoken component of solkattu, which refers to counting the tala in the hand while simultaneously speaking these Konnakol syllables. The phrases typically start off simple, giving an example of the tala about to be used, but as the Konnakol progresses, the rhythms around the main tala become increasingly more complex, and the syllables are spoken quite quickly and close together! While I listened, it almost sounded like reading tongue twisters to me! I’ve attached a few videos below that a think are great examples! The first one is a Konnakol duet between a man and a woman, and the other is a man who decided to pair it with the Fibonacci sequence. It’s honestly quite impressive to watch! Enjoy!

Because Arabic culture is so old, I didn’t think it would be allowed to branch into more modern genres of music, but after Dr. Vaneman showed us the video of Arabic rap, I was proven wrong, and became curious to what other modern Arabic genres existed. I then remembered reading in Zoe’s blog a couple weeks back about her encounters with electronic dance music in Germany, and wondered if there was also Arabic electronic dance music. Now here we are. It’s a lot more laid back than I thought it would be, and sort of reminded me of the music they use in the background of fighting games like mortal combat (I used to play games like that a lot with my siblings when I was younger haha). It hasn’t been around for very long though. Only for a couple of decades or so. Around the time that Arabic R&B and Hip Hip started to appear. I’ve attached a 2018 Arabic Electronic Dance Music Mix below!

One really neat and touching way that Indian music has adopted other cultures is through Indian folk music. I sadly had no luck finding dates to when it started to come around, but it most likely found its way to India during one of the periods of folk revival (There were quite a few. I think three or four). Like more typical Indian music, Indian folk music is also often orally passed down, not written. Almost all Indian folk music consists of an aspect of nature, but usually includes other topics such as talk of local customs, peace, and general love for music itself. I’ve attached a video of Bah Kerios Wahlang (and his family 🙂), a well known folk singer (in India) from Meghalaya. I hope you enjoy his sweet video as much as I did!

I knew the concerto for didgeridoo existed, but I had never listened to the entire piece, and didn’t know much else about it honestly other then I used to think it was bizarre. It was composed by Sean O’Boyle, an Australian composer and conductor, and recorded on a CD with the Queensland Orchestra in 2007. The CD also included another piece by the composer called River Symphony. A lot of components of his music from what I’ve understood from my findings is that he seems to incorporate elements of nature into his music, creating something quite intriguing, yet so wonderful. Concerto for Didgeridoo by Sean O’Boyle consists of four movements, each named after an element of nature: Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. Below, I have attached the fourth movement of the concerto, Fire (it ended up being my favorite), and if you dive into the YouTube search, I’m sure you can find the others. While listening to each movement, I felt like O’Boyle did a fantastic job composing ideas that were meant to sound like those elements, and they almost have that movie soundtrack feel to them too! I hope you enjoy as much as I have!

I’ve always contemplated learning jazz flute techniques, but I also feel like I’d be trash at it, so I always put the thought to the side. After hearing Dr. (Mr.) Vaneman’s presentation though, and hearing him practicing a blues piece the other week, I’ve found myself thinking about it again. The flute was rarely used in early jazz because it was so heavily associated with the classical repertoire, and many didn’t think it had the capability to swing. Another issue was that because the lower register of the flute doesn’t project as well as the upper register, it often had to play in the upper register when used in jazz (at least until sound amplification was invented), which was often a timbre that was not favored. By the time the 1950s rolled around though, the flute started to make a bigger dent in the jazz world! A common practice at the time, which is also very common today, was/is for saxophonists take on this jazz flute role. While the embouchure is drastically different, the fingering system of both instruments are very similar. When I listened to some jazz flute recordings, I felt like it almost has this breathiness to the timbre, which seems like it would give it a lazy sound, but for me it gives a sense of the notes just rolling off the instrument. It’s quite fun! Have a listen below!

While on the search to find music that stemmed from the older cultures of Mexico, I stumbled upon this craze about an Aztec death whistle, which immediately caught my interest. When Aztec temples where first staring to be excavated, archaeologists found small, skull shaped items within the temple of the wind god Ehecatl, but thought they were mere ornaments. However, this was not the case, and it wasn’t until many years later that archaeologists discovered what they really were. They were whistles, and when blown into, they make a sharp, piercing cry that is thought to mimic the sounds of human screams… Experts believe that these whistles may have been used for ceremonies, sacrifices, or during battle to scare away their enemies. I sure would be scared. Hear for yourself below!

Throughout my life, I actually didn’t enjoy listening to popular music often (I was very much into Disney as a kid), and what little popular music I listened to always tended to be different than those around me, so I didn’t start to notice gender differences in music until I joined band in middle school. Even today I listen to a wide variety of music that others normally don’t, so a lot of my experiences have been more specifically “classical” music and gender.

My middle school band wasn’t a very big one, but when it was time to pick our instruments, I noticed that the boys had favored percussion and brass more, while girls seemed to lean more towards woodwind instruments. I myself did pick the flute, so I lumped myself into that stereotype, but from the knowledge I’ve gained over the years, it’s quite a bizarre stereotype. Specifically, more towards flute, it has really become known in our generation as such a “girly” instrument, yet so many well-known flute players in the world have been men: Emmanuel Pahud, James Galway, Philippe Gaubert, Marcel Moyse, Claude-Paul Taffanel, and many others. There are also many wonderful female flautists: Jeanne Baxtresser, Paula Robison, Alexa Still, Laurel Zucker, Elaine Shaffer, and once again many more, so I honestly believe the playing field is pretty even.

Of course, as middle school goes, any stereotype comes with its fair share of name calling, especially for those who go against the odds. I definitely wasn’t the “rebel” female percussionist, but still received the occasional bullying. I often kept my flute with me in my bookbag throughout the school day, and of course loved having my case referred to as a lunchbox or pencil box (although a bit long, don’t you think?). As I got into high school though, those lunchbox comments from little boys turned into not so appropriate ones… I learned to brush comments like that off after a while. Thankfully I was able to leave that all behind though once I started my time at the Governor’s School, and now college, but I’ve also noticed that changes in environment cause different issues between gender. Despite Govie being mixed gender as my old high school was, there were discrepancies between both genders there, yet this time with a more competitive motive, and single gender here at Converse (music department) causes holes needing to be filled in ensembles where the “less female” instruments exist (brass/percussion).

Another difference I’ve noticed more recently between gender and (classical) music is in the aspects of dating. I know I still have a lot of life left to experience, but on the few dates I’ve been on, the pure mention of classical music was a bore, or I would get some typical “oh cool” response. My last ex-boyfriend also wasn’t very supportive of my passion to be a musician, and often told me he didn’t care when I talked about music despite also being a musician himself (you can see why he’s an ex). My current boyfriend I met earlier this school year has been quite supportive though and is always excited to hear me perform or talk about what I’m working on, so I suppose that’s a bright side to what I’ve typically experienced. 🙂

Very briefly, and quite some time ago, I remember learning about the neck elongating practice of the Padaung people in Myanmar but was unaware that it was also a practice in Africa! It is also practiced by the Ndebele tribe in South Africa. Similar to the Padaung, the rings (called Idzila by the Ndebele) represent their women’s wealth, as well as their faithful bond to their husband, who the rings are usually provided by. The Ndebele women would also begin to wear more colorful and elaborate dresses after marriage. Unlike the Padaung though, rings were not worn until a woman was married, and could be worn around the arms and legs as well. Ndebele women would only remove the rings after their husband’s death. The tradition is no longer commonly practiced in the tribe today. I didn’t have much luck finding a video that contained much more about them, but I was able to find one of a Ndebele woman who works to keep their traditions alive mainly through art.

Kill the Indian, save the man… This was the solution to our nations so called ‘Indian problem’ during the 1860s. The Bureau of Indian Affairs established Indian boarding schools that were meant to assimilate Indian tribes into mainstream America, and ‘civilize’ the native culture. Indian children were taught a basic academic education such as math, science, reading, writing, and speaking the English language. Children were also taught Christian traditions. The end goal was for Native American culture to be eradicated. By the 1860s, around 60 schools were established for 6,200 children who were often separated from their parents. The video below shows a few Native Americans sharing their experience on how this movement affected their lives!

During World War II, many Native Americans served in the armed forces and were highly regarded. They fought all across the world on all fronts. Their most vital use in the war though was their role as “code talkers” using the complex Navajo language. Several hundred Native Americans who spoke both English and Navajo were recruited and trained to foil enemy understanding. An interesting part that made the code even more fool proof was that even native Navajo wouldn’t be able to decipher it without training. Due to the amount of non-translatable words, such as words for war machines, weapons, and foreign countries, the code talkers had to come up with words that would represent those words. For example, Britain was referred to as “between waters”, and Germany was referred to as “iron hat”. Some of my other favorites were that grenades were referred to as “potatoes”, and dive bombers were referred to as “chicken hawks”. I found this video of a code talker sharing his experience, and there was also a movie made about them called Windtalkers. I attached the video and trailer below!

Personally, religion has always scarcely been a part of my life, so I tend to consider myself mainly agnostic and partly humanist. I do however have quite a bit of friends and family members who are religious, so as I’ve grown up, and became more involved in the music world, the more I became involved in religious activities. Since I’m not much of a religious person, I’ll give some background on what I’ve experienced and how it pertains to how I make music apart of my culture today.

When I was little, the only time I went to church was if I was with my grandparents for the weekend and my grandmother would take me to catholic mass with her on Sunday. My memories from that point in time of the music are very vague, but I remember that the choir master would start the “song” (hymn), and the rest of the “people” (congregation) would then join in. As I got older, I started to have friends from school invite me to come to church with them, so for the experience and curiosity, I would occasionally go, and each church/denomination was pretty distinct from each other musically. Some churches played Christian rock, while others sung typical hymns with piano accompaniment or gospel. A lot of the meaning was still difficult for me to process though, and it wasn’t until I became more involved with playing my flute for churches, and of course a little bit of maturing too, that I understood it all a bit more. I personally started to find myself enjoying it more as well. The melodies I play are typically simple but sweet, and the joy others show to guests joining them is always something I think fondly of. I realized that music was a way to enhance the meaning of the words too. Religion might not be a main part of my life, but music is, and sharing the gift of music with others has always felt important to me. Learning how much religion has changed and supported music for many millennia has also caused me to further appreciate it a lot more.

Throughout these experiences, I’ve learned a lot about what kind of music I feel like I should be listening to day to day, as well as how I should view the music I study or come in contact with. I generally try to listen to music that reflects my own beliefs, strikes my emotions, or supports my studies. I also try to maintain a high amount of respect for other people’s beliefs, and the music and culture that goes along with it, especially since I know how important I view my own beliefs and the music that is a part of my life. For what I would consider my own “culture” I suppose, I avoid music that supports negative aspects of life such as drugs, hook up sex, alcohol, etc. I also tend to not enjoy and avoid lot of solely electronic music since I feel as if it has contributed to a decline in the classical arts. Another important aspect of my music and beliefs is that I try to maintain my exposure to a wide variety of music both sacred and secular. I’m a strong believer that a lot can be learned about a person by the music they surround themselves with, and I like to think that mine speaks for my high curiosity of all in life and how much I try to remain positive even in the bleakest situations!

Up until about three or four years ago, I never had the chance to experience much from different cultures. Sure, I’m from upstate New York, but I moved when I was fairly young, so my memories from there are slim to none. I’ve spent the majority of my life in the small town of Greenwood, South Carolina, and my family rarely ever travels, so obtaining cultural experiences that way wasn’t happening. Unless I happened to be watching a movie that had a more culturally expanded soundtrack, the only music I grew up hearing was what my family played. Since my parents were born in the 70s, they tended to play a lot of 80s rock music: Metallica, ACDC, Van Halen, etc. When we would go to my grandmothers though, she usually had 50s/60s jazz tracks playing on the stereo. I suppose joining band in middle school started to open up another window of opportunity to expand my music exposure, but I sadly did not take much advantage of it until a bit later.

Some of my first major cultural music experiences were when I started high school. During band class, it didn’t take long for my director to take note of my enthusiasm for music and would let me scavenge through the music library weekly. I flipped through chamber music and wind band scores from a variety of composers, but what caught my eye the most (of course) was solo flute music, and I immediately fell in love with the melodies of French composers like Chaminade, Faure, and Gaubert. I then was able to become exposed to the music of Mexico and other Latin American countries while taking Spanish I-III. During class, my teacher typically played Hispanic music while we took quizzes and tests, and incorporated music in his lectures often.

My next major experience, and probably the most influential, was my time spent at the Governor’s School in Greenville. Russian violinists, folk singers, jazz saxophonists, and many other performers would constantly play throughout the streets, and the school itself was extremely influential. Prior to Govie, I had never been exposed to orchestral repertoire, and it has now become my favorite genre to play. I miss my youth orchestra and Dvorak’s 8^th Symphony very dearly. I then discovered the wonderful world of opera and other vocal works as I watched my friends perform pieces in a range of languages including German, French, Italian, Russian and Latin. Taking my first music history course also allowed me to study music as far back as Ancient Greece and up to the twentieth century.

The more I become exposed to different genres of music, the more it encourages me to expand my musical knowledge. I currently keep six different Spotify playlists, and add to them consistently. During my time at Converse, I hope to expand my global music even further through in-depth music courses, exchange students, and studying abroad! Looking forward to the next three years!