Music.
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Music.
Sho's WorkAudrey's WorkAli's WorkTomo's WorkJuyoung's WorkLucile's WorkKio's Work |
Sho's work |
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Hi! I want to tell you about the Japanese traditional instrument "KOTO." I hope you will know about Japanese tradition after you read this. "KOTO" is one of the oldest instruments in Japan. Most Japanese people know the sound of "KOTO" because we have been listening to the sound since we were born. Also, people in other countries should know the sound. When we go to a Japanese restaurant, we can hear the sound of "KOTO." That is the most typical sound of Japan. "KOTO" is a kind of zither. It has been used as one of the main chamber instruments of Japanese traditional music style. The length of "KOTO" is 180 cm. A traditional "KOTO" has 13 strings, being arched tautly across 13 movable bridges along the length of the instrument. The player makes base pitches by moving these 13 bridges before playing. "KOTO" has a very original sound. We can relax and calm down. It is like a harp in Greece. When we play the "KOTO," we have to put three picks on fingers. We call these picks TSUME. If we don't, our fingers will be injured. "KOTO" is very difficult to play. My grandmother is a teacher of "KOTO." When she plays "KOTO," she always wears Japanese traditional cloths: the "KIMONO." It is a formal style for playing "KOTO." She often reads music of "KOTO." It is totally different from other music. Nobody can understand what it means except people who are learning "KOTO." Of course, my grandmother can understand music of "KOTO." I am very proud of her. "KOTO" is usually played on New Years Day and at weddings. We can hear the sound when the formal event is held. "KOTO" is a very historical and traditional instrument in Japan. "KOTO" is the soul of the Japanese. |
About ShoMy name is Shoichiro Yamaguchi. I am from Osaka in Japan. I have been here since last August. I am studying English in the IEP at UCA. I will go back to Japan after this summer semester finishes because I am a university student in Osaka. I have to go back to my university in Osaka. My major is linguistics in Japan. Mainly, I was studying English there, but I was also studying Chinese. My Chinese is not good. However, sometimes I can talk with my friend who is from China in Chinese. I think that it was good for me to study Chinese. I didn't like Japanese customs and culture before I came here, but I've changed my concept since I came here. I have been able to know more about Japan here than when I was in Japan. I can think about Japan objectively. I am proud that I am Japanese now, and I am proud of Japanese customs and culture. |
Audrey's Work |
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The most popular kind of music in Cameroon is "Makossa." It's a music which is essentially played for dancing alone or with one or several people and for moving the body in following the rhythm of the song. To play this kind of music the musicians use many instruments and machines like tamtams, batteries, guitars, trumpets, synchronizers, pianos, and many other electrical machines which make it sound very nice and powerful. Furthermore, arrangement of this music takes a lot of time because they have to coordinate sounds and images when they want to make a video. In addition, this kind of song is loved in Cameroon because it requires a lot of funny movements like shaking the bottom and moving the feet, which makes the dancer feel very happy. Sometimes the singers make improvisations and sing without electrical instruments during their concerts which show their power and ability. In conclusion, Makossa is the most popular and best kind of music in Cameroon because it combines a lot of Cameroonian rythms and makes people forget their bad moments in a short time. |
About AudreyHello Miss Bowles, I am Audrey Ouafo from West Africa in Cameroon. I have been at UCA for one semester and my major is Computer Engineering. I am really interested in music because I like to dance. |
Ali's work |
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In Niger, the most popular singer's name is Abdul. This singer was homeless, and one of several reasons that people appreciate him was his health condition because he was blind like Steve Wonder. The kind of music he used to sing was most often the traditinal kind. These sounds came from our country`s stories. He didn`t have any dancers, and the only insrument he used was a guitar. He sang alone and always improvsed like jazz musicians. He waited a long time for someone who could change his life around, and finally his dream was realized by a European producer. This producer put his songs on a record and found him many contracts to sing in other countries including Mali, Burkina Faso, Libia, and Algeria. His most popular song's name is "Irkoy si dirgan bolkulu," which means "God will never forget someone." He finally died when he was 30 years old, and his death day is still considered a holiday for all musicians of Niger. About AliMy name is Ali and I was born in 1981 in Niamey, Niger. I spent very little time with my parents because I moved to another country near mine to study just after my elementary school. I am very lucky because in my whole life I have failed my exams one time andI hope that`s the last time. After my admission to university, I decided to come to the US to continue my life. I have been in the US for four months and I want to stay here. My major is finance and I look forward to getting a job and getting married here. Another reason that I am here is because English is the most popular language in the world and if I want to stay her, I have got to learn it. The school`s level is easier in the US than where I was so I think that I`m not going to have a lot of difficulty to succeed here. |
About Tomo
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My name is Tomonori Ito, and I come from Japan. I have been here almost one year. I have not decided yet about my major. My friend who majored in music can play the guitar, but I have never experienced the guitar; the guitar is made in America. In contrast, the Japanese guiter is called Shamisen, so I'd like to tell you about the Japanese instrument Shamisen. Shamisen is a Japanese, traditional, musical string instrument. It came from China through Okinawa and spread throughout Japan, where it developed independently from the original style. It has become the representative instrument of Japan since the Edo Period (1603-1867). To Shamisen accompaniment, people sing their own folk songs called "Minyo" in their districts. Minyo is played exclusively by means of Tsugaru Shamisen, which is different from an ordinary type Shamisen, above all in the thickness of its neck. When a Tsugaru Minyo singer is accompanied on such a Shamisen, it shows its own character more impressively by making awfully admirable sounds, expressing every kind of one's emotions - a moment of violence, deepness, gentleness, mildness, or fineness. Not only for the purpose of accompaniment but also just for playing, the instrument is very often used by a single player or in a small or large group. I never played the Shamisen. Playing the Shamisen or listening to it, we have the most pleasant time. If you want to know more information, you can get it from this address. |
About Juyoung
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Hi! My name is Juyoung Park and I come from Seoul in Korea. I studied animal science and biology in Korea. I've been here in Conway since this January and came to the US last July only to study English. This August, I'll go back to Korea, so before I leave here I'd like to introduce one of beautiful Korean traditional music: SAMULNORI. SamulNori is a type of music, which is played with traditional Korean percussion instruments: the puk (drum), the changgo (hourglass-shaped drum), the ching (large,flat,lipped bronze gong), and the kkwaenggwari (small,lipped,flat bronze gong). There was no name for SamulNori before 1978, and the origin of Samulnori came from Nong -ak, which is a kind of Korean traditional music that is performed outdoors. Kim duk-soo gave birth to "SamulNori" on February 2, 1978. He is the leader of SamulNori and synonymous with SamulNori. "The sounds generated by these instruments are based on the sounds of nature. The tinny sound of the kkwaenggari with short and brisk beats is similar to thunder from the heavens. The lingering boom of the ching with a deeper resonance symbolizes stormy winds as they sweep the earth. The rapid beat of changgo conjures up the patter of falling rain. The slower and meditative beat of the puk brings to mind the image of clouds slowly floating through the sky. It is a unique representation of Korean spirit and craftsmanship. The kkwaenggari is played by the leader of the SamulNori band to signal rhythmic patterns to the other musicians." SamulNori's sound is compound tension and relaxation, so the audience is immersed in SamulNori sound, which makes slow progress to rapid progress gradually. SamulNori has become popular not only in Korea but also worldwide. Moreover, what was originally a personal pronoun referring to the unique formation of the four musicians playing the four percussive instruments has now come to be used more generally. SamulNori, therefore, no longer belongs to a single group or organization. SamulNori has become a genre of music,and Kim duk-soo's SamulNori group has become synonymous with it. |
Lucile's Work. |
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Pierre Akendengue is the one who represents the best traditional Gabonese music. His distinctive pulsating vocal style, and musical experimentation has made him famous world wide and the favorite of mine for years. Because it is unclassable, he hasn't had completely the career which he deserves. He's one of the most gifted artists and most complete of his generation. He sings in French, Punu, one of the Gabonese's languages, and in Myene, his maternal Gabonese language. An engaged singer, poet, author, composer, dramatist, his music is a kind of Afro-pop song, a mix of electrified and urban music. The most successful album known in the world is without doubt "Lambarena", where he and the productor Hugues De Courson mixed traditional African sources with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, the classical musician. This album is dedicated to Albert Schweitzer. This meeting between the Cantatas of J.S. Bach and the songs of the equatorial forest included 250 of its fellow citizens for the songs and about fifty French traditional musicians. Despite being weakned by near blindness, this poet, humanist, and peace campaigner still composes clear, ethereal music in a highly personal styl. His fine handling of voices, drawing on his deep knowledge of the musical traditions of the forest is the constant and inimitable hall mark of his music. Biography Pierre Akendengue was born on April 25, 1943 in Aouta (Gabon). He left his country at 22 years to finish his studies in France and to look after his fragile eyes. Installed first at Orleans, he obtained his doctorate in 1976, parallel to his artistic activities. He registered his first album in 1967. Now he lives in Gabon where he still continues his artistic activity. |
About Kio
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My name is Kiyoko Horie. I’m from Japan. My hometown is Hiroshima, known for the atomic bomb attack during World War Two. I grew up there during my childhood. Nowadays, there are many tourist attractions and events in Hiroshima. Of course, there are countless tourist attractions and events in Japan. In my family, we always went to our grandfather’s house to have summer vacation every summer. During every summer vacation, there were annual summer festivals, so we’d enjoy the annual festival each year. We could also dance at the festival. At this time, one of the Japanese traditional musical instruments, Taiko, was used to compose the music. Taiko is one the oldest musical instruments. It is a kind of drum. It is usually made of wood and two pieces of animal skin. ”A taiko evokes shudders to those who know of its resounding voice. It can be traced back centuries, predating many "western" percussive instruments, which claim to be original. Taiko was introduced to Japan through Korea, by way of China, with the introduction of Buddhism from India, some time before 600 A.D., in the Nara period of Japan's history. Although an exact date cannot be pinpointed, scrolls and temple records show its usage for ceremonies.“ ”It is told that the borders of a mura (village) could be marked by the farthest distance that the sound of the drum could travel. It would seem obvious that this would lead to carefully crafting drums which had a resounding voice. The skill of the player would also have a direct social and economic impact on his community and their landholdings.“ |