MWC Final Questions

Provide a short definition of khoomi.

A biphonic singing method utilized by Tuvan throat singers.

Provide a short definition of Agbadza.

An Ewe song and dance performed in Acra, Ghana for social gatherings and funerals.

Provide a short definition of raga.

Indian system for organizing melodies according to their distinctive pitch content and range of associations.

Please provide a short definition of Playback Singer.

A singer in India who would record filmi git to play in the background of Bollywood films that a different actor would lip-sync to.

Provide a short definition of ethnomusicology.

Methodology that unites the study of music with the concerns and methods of anthropology.

Provide a short definition of a Guitarron.

A large, plucked, four or five string bass chordophone with an expanded belly that serves as the bass instrument in a mariachi ensemble.

Provide a short definition of Tala.

An Indian term denoting time cycles consisting of a fixed number of beats. Sometimes an individual will use hand gestures and clapping to emphasize this when playing in an ensemble.

Provide a short definition of Atumpan.

A large, goblet-shaped talking drum with a bamboo head frame that is emblematic of the Akan peoples in Ghana.

Describe the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival that occurs in Mumbai.

People fill the streets in Mumbai to celebrate and worship the deity Ganesh, but over the last few decades the celebration has become a multi-cultural and multi-religious celebration. The locals of the street drum membranophones as they parade through the streets and sing Kriti, traditional devotional songs.

What is the name of the rite-of-passage event celebrating the transition to womanhood in many Latino cultures?

Quinceanera

David Hykes, founder of the Harmonic choir, performs concerts in large, resonant spaces, where he often improvises solos over choirs utilizing _____, a singing technique he learned from international recordings.

Khoomi.

Describe the Homowo Festival in Acra, Ghana.

The Homowo festival celebrates health in its citizens and their success over famine, as the name of the festival translates loosely to “no hunger.” They utilize aerophones and membranophones as they celebrate, also incorporating social dances.

A raga is different than a Western scale because:

It often has emotional, seasonal, temporal, and other associations.

In Celtic traditions, the bagpipe has traditionally been associated with:

Military, Marching, and Lament.

The traditional music and dress of mariachi comes from their origin as:

Cowboys from Western Mexico.

Discuss how a bagpipe works.

There is a large bag that fills with air to give the musician a sustained pitch while many pitches can be played using their fingers.

Unlike more flexible types of musical meaning, raga nilambari always maintains its associations with:

Lullaby and sleep music.

Name two different musical traditions making up the soundscape of Mumbai, India.

Raga and Filmi Git.

Besides the hero corrido, name one other type of corrido that emerged in the 20th century.

The narco corrido (drug ballad)

What musical activities did Vietnamese communities maintain in the U.S.?

Home performances of chamber music and events called “night dances.”

The Fisk Jubilee singers were:

An ensemble of college musicians known for their renditions of slaves songs.

Describe what push/pull motivations are with respect to immigration.

Push migrations are factors that drive people out of their respective country. Pull factors motivate people to come to a specific country.

Who was Uncle Ng?

A Chinese immigrant who performed songs publicly in NYC.

Describe what occurs in a New Orleans jazz funeral.

There are two phases. In phase 1, the procession slowly walks down the street playing laments and dirges, mourning the life of the deceased. In phase 2, the mood changes and upbeat spirituals are played while the second line follows singing and dancing, celebrating the life of the deceased individual.

In general, how would you describe the musical style of “Gregorio Cortez?”

The melody and rhythms are simple and repetitive throughout.

Pham Duy’s composition, The National Road, is a group of songs inspired by the concept of:

A traveler’s journey through Vietnam from North to South.

Louis Armstrong made a trip in the 1950s that helped popularize jazz through its publicity. What was the nature of this trip?

He visited the Gold Coast, attending drumming exhibitions and concerts.

Briefly describe the purpose of a Santeria ritual.

The performers play drums to connect and worship the orishas, and the goal is to be possessed by the spirit of the orisha through this process.

Both secular and sacred rituals, especially those that occur as rites-of-passage, tend to follow this format:

1. Separation
2. Transition
3. Incorporation

Why is the Italian Madrigal significant when studying music in the global marketplace?

It was one of the first music genres published in print and owned by the general public.

Briefly describe the 12-bar blues.

It contains 12 bars of 4 beats with the most common chords being I, IV, and V. This progression is commonly followed by blues and jazz bands.

In general, what was the concept behind the Silk Road Project?

To form a collaborative music project modeled after historic trans-Eurasian trade routes.

Describe the role of music in a Capoeira event.

The toques affect the way in which the performers move around the ring, often provoking them to make sharp and sly movements.

In general, how did bhangra change when it was brought out of its homeland?

The traditional rhythm remained, but it was influenced by rap and electronic music, and was associated with dance clubs.

What musical instrumentation is typically used in Santeria?

Three different sizes of the sacred drum, bata, the largest of which has bells tied to it.

In Sterling Stuckey’s article, “The Music in One’s Soul,” the author argues that in order to understand the origin of jazz and the blues, we need to understand:

Dance, music, and emotions in black churches during slavery.