Blog 11

Today’s blog will be blog eleven which is about the Gullah people’s history, traditions, and culture. For my viewers who may not know about the Gullah people here is some history. The Gullah people are a distinctive group of black African Americans from South Carolina and Georgia who live in the southeastern area of the United States. The Gullah people live in little farming and fishing communities along the Atlantic coastal plain and on the chain of Sea Islands which runs corresponding to the coast. When watching the video clip about the Gullah people it was said that there ancestors came to the Island on slave ships as slaves to work in the plantations. “Between about 1750 and 1800, Bance Island was one of the major slave trading operations on the Rice Coast of West Africa.” Many Gullah people who come back to visit the Island today see how it’s being taken over with golf, tennis, and other courts for entertainment. The South Carolina and Georgia colonists in due course adopted a structure of rice cultivation that drew deeply on the labor patterns and technical knowledge of their black African slaves. As heard in the YouTube clip Gullah people are being forced to one part of the Island because of the amusement like park it being turned into. One person on the clip stated that she can hear the crying of her ancestors because that can’t rest in peace due to grave cites being dug up to make golf courts. As far as there music culture goes it’s a very abnormal in a way. The actual sing is not of good pitch or harmony but the music has rhythm. There are many membranophones such as different drums, tambourines, and ball like drum that shakes. The Gullah people enjoy lots of dance in the music culture and hand movements to represent there ancestors. They also use poem like lyrics in there music.

Performance Report 1

This performance report is about the “Shakespeare in Song” performance by the UT Dallas chamber singers and directed by Kathryn Evans. The performance entitles different plays with specific acts such as Othello, The Tempest, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and The Merchant of Venice. This performance was made from three sources which are the authentic songs, the solo songs of Roger Quilter a British composer, and the choral arrangements of the songs of Shakespeare by Juilliard graduate Matthew Harris. (Program notes)

Throughout the music performance there was a mixer of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass singers. Some of the songs sung were art songs which are poems set to music. As far as rhythm goes the songs were brief in clock time and held steady tempos. The piano player produced the beat of the songs as the choir sung along. The director and the piano player, Michael McVay signaled the loudness of the music. In the song “For the rain it rainth everyday” there was a fast pace and sung in different pitches by male and female singers. The texture of the overall performance would be homophony because there was a single piano melody accompanied by harmony of different pitches of voice. The musical instruments played was a piano in which is consider the resonator. The leader of the song in Hamlet looked as if it was hard to produce his notes so he used hand and body movements to produce quality sound. The women in the show sung most of the high pitches. I perceived that in the song entitled, “A winter tale” repetition occurred in the lyrics. Twelfth Night, Act II and scene two was harmonized without the piano player. There were a total of about twenty-five performers and one piano player. The piano player sat up straight on his stool throughout the entire performance and watched the director to see when to come in doing the performance. All of the performers had books with lyrics of there music to keep track while performing. I noticed that one of the singing female performers was blind because her music book was different then everyone else. She followed along using her fingers on this small type writer shaped object. The performers consisted of both male and female performers. All of the performers were dressed in Shakespeare like costumes, even the director and piano player. About six of the male characters had on hats and the females whore there hair down with flower head bands. The ladies also whore dresses or shirts while the males had on long black socks with black shoes and capri pants that stopped at the knee. In this performance the actors/ singers used props such as a beer bottle to bring more expression in to there performance. The performance as a whole an appreciative play with both talking and singing. Throughout the performance all the singers/actors didn’t perform in each scene. When the performance went from act to act the leaders of that song would step down from the staircase set and come to the front of the stage to direct attention to themselves from the audience. In Merchant of Venice: Act III, Scene 2; the girl actor looked down at her lyrics and never looked up at the boy who she was talking to but glanced at the audience a few times. The “Shakespeare in Song” performance was a public event in which I saw mostly UTD students but a few faulty and parents also. The performance was open to outsiders of the music-culture. The people with Shakespeare’ music backgrounds and knowledge are the insiders. People there to just observe for any reason are the outsiders. As a reaction of the performance there was a young lady who I detected slept through the whole performance, but everyone else in the audience looked content as a whole. When a scene was finished the audience would start clapping and the director would bow. After intermission there were a few people to walk out early which were noticeable because there wasn’t a full house. There were giggles and smiles from the audience to the performers. On Friday, March 26, 2010 around eight o’clock I attended the “Shakespeare in Song” performance which was held in the Jonsson Performance Hall. I attend the above event on that day because it was convenient for me as a student. The performance experience of UT-Dallas’ production was fairly energetic with cheers from the audience because it was opening night.

In conclusion, if you were not able to make it to this event I expect that you can now get a sense of the “Shakespeare in Song” performance.

Works Cited: Evans, Kathryn. Program notes. Shakespeare in Song. March 26, 2010. Richardson: Jonsson Performance Hall. (Evans)

Blog 10

I choose this clip for my blog ten because I found the title of it to be interesting. The named of the song is Ave Maria meaning the angelic salutation or hail Mary, it is a traditional Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary which is the mother of Jesus. I found the title interesting because it’s a song on Beyonce’ Knowles new album but an original work of Donizetti. Beyonce Knowles is a popular American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. Its funny how popular opera really is because this song is also one of my favorite songs and I never thought it was apart of opera.

In this clip I noticed that there wasn’t an audience. There were two guys singing and one was playing the piano I believe. They whore white shirts and had notes in front of them to read. It looked like a rehearsal but singing opera. One man began singing as a bass singer and another joined in singing tenor, like a duet. There were quite a few high pitches while the music played under there singing. The guts used hand movements and facial expression to help produce notes.

I really enjoy opera and how evokes emotion but when watching this clip I would have to say Beyonce’ piece is better. Opera is very popular today but with a different vibe for the new generation when presented. Thanks for reading my blog views and I hope you enjoyed it.

Here is another clip I found which is Donizetti work to let my viewer see this song look more like it as opera. It has an audience that you can actually see. Looks as if it is in a nice performance hall where people usually go to see an opera. The performers are well dressed; there are two main singers, and they to look at notes while singing. They are also singing a duet but a woman and a man with good harmony. There is repetition in while singing the song because they both are singing the same thing but in different contours.

Musical Ethnography of a Dallas Music-Culture

The Dallas music culture that I will be introducing is gospel/ church music. Those who are wondering what I mean by gospel/ church music here is a definition to enhance your understanding. Gospel music is “a highly emotional evangelical vocal music that originated among African American Christians in the southern United States and was a strong influence in the development of soul music.” I choose this music culture because I enjoy music that involves emotions and praise. When you are in church it’s the one place you can be yourself and express devotion. This music culture is special in my opinion because it teaches, blesses, and gives hope while enjoying the music of the culture. For my readers who may not know what church is here is my definition. Church is a public place of worship to God in such is held in a building. I first thought of this Dallas music culture when driving by a church Sunday morning headed to the store. I recalled all the wonderful times I had as a child in church and decide its time to get back involved with this Dallas music culture.

Some ideas about my Dallas music culture are that it’s a form of praise to God through music which is also song. The function of music for this Dallas music culture can be considered as folk music. I state this because the music is sometimes played by amateurs from the community but in some cases the performers are professional because they play instruments for a living. Race, ethnicity, gender, region, and religion do play a role in who participates in this Dallas music culture. Most of the people in this music culture are consider christens but anyone who believes can be apart of this music culture. The gospel/ church music culture is based on religion. My short suggestion of religion is your belief in a higher God. When researched it states that religion is, “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” The type of music played in this music culture is gospel. There are also musical instruments in this culture like the, tambourine, piano, drums, and sometimes the guitar. For those who are reading and interested in where you can find church instruments here are a few listings; toy stores or super centers such as Target and Wal-Mart, sometimes at a warehouse, and online. Depending on the church and its economic status, you can even by instruments at church or a bible to read in your alone time. Some people just use clapping their hands as a form of music and praise. All of these instruments are played in church to give praise to the Lord with fine sound. In this musical culture it is said to come as you are but older women believe that you should dress business causal in a way. A nice loose fitting dress with some socking is okay to me. I think if it’s something you have to guess about, maybe it’s inappropriate. Being an audience member in Prestonwood Baptist Church and Greater El Bethel church of God and Christ I found that the heart of gospel music is found in a person but mostly the children of the church. To see a child with so much heart stand and sing for something greater bring tears of joy which I believe is beautiful. I think that there beliefs are in God but more as singing to praise not just singing. There music is a form praise to rejoice to the Lord. I noticed that in church more women tend to just jump up in sing that man do. I guess it’s a gender thing but at this point I am not sure. The music is transmitted from one person to another because you all just get this feeling inside that makes you want to participate. Also the gospel songs that are sung are general songs that are sung every Sunday so that most new and old church members will already know the songs. Music found in the church that I attend does have lyrics but sung in many different ways, things such as the pitch changes, different harmony, or changing phrases do to how you praise. I find it very interesting; especially in the way people choose what kind of gospel to sing in church.

Throughout this experiment I collected data based off of my involvement in church, questions to those at church who I know that knew God, and research about gospel/ church. My music culture is found in church, professional gospel events, and in movies sometimes. All the music in this Dallas music culture doesn’t have to have actual lyrics. It’s whatever you feel in your heart and soul. One thing I noticed about this culture is that the churches come in different shapes and sizes but also range from high to low income statuses. Before I end this paper I would like to state how easy going and helpful this Dallas music culture is as a whole. For example, when I attended an African American church it was common that you go out to eat with church friends after. I enjoyed this because it gives you time to talk about church, personal experiences, and laugh so that at the end of the day you feel wiser. Now that you know about my Dallas music culture I will end this research paper by saying, I enjoyed this assignment, thanks for taking the time to read it and have a fantastic day.

Sources • Modern Language Association (MLA): "religion." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 05 Mar. 2010. . • Prestonwood Baptist Church (Went to the above church to be apart of the audience and interview.) • Greater El Bethel Church of God and Christ (Went to the above church to be apart of the audience and interview.)

Some Interview questions 1.Who all can participate in this culture? 2.What are some beliefs in the gospel/ church music? 3.Who participates in the audience and music? 4.Does music have to have lyrics? 5.What instruments are played in this music culture? 6.Where can I buy a bible or church instrument?

Blog 9

In today’s blog I will be discussing the movie “Avatar” and its soundtrack. For my viewers who haven’t seen the movie “Avatar” here is a short review. “Avatar” is a 2009 American epic science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez and Stephen Lang. The film is set in the year 2154, when humans are mining a precious mineral called unobtanium on Pandora, a lush moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system. The expansion of the mining colony threatens the continued existence of a local tribe of Na'vi; a sentient humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. The film's title refers to the genetically engineered Na'vi and human hybrid bodies used by several human characters to interact with the natives of Pandora. Soundtracks are varies tracks of music on a CD that relates to a film. The dictionary states that a soundtrack is “a recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the synchronized recorded sound.” The film “Avatar” is a great sci-fi movie that I enjoyed watching. James Horner couldn’t have done a better job with the music in the film. I think that the soundtrack invokes emotions and adds audio to the film to produce a fantastic movie. The soundtracks ranged with different pitches that produce melodies and harmony. The soundtrack wasn’t huge on lyrics but sound such as drums and wind instruments. Here's the track listing: 1. "You Don't Dream in Cryo…" 2. Jake Enters His Avatar World 3. Pure Spirits of the Forest 4. The Bioluminescence of the Night 5. Becoming One of "The People"- Becoming One With Neytiri 6. Climbing Up – "Iknimaya – The Path to Heaven" 7. Jake's First Flight 8. Scorched Earth 9. Quaritch 10. The Destruction of "Hometree" 11. Shutting Down Grace's Lab 12. Gathering All the Na'vi Clans for Battle 13. War 14. I See You (Theme from "Avatar")

Blog-8

When analyzing about my music culture there was some difficulties that came about throughout the entire process. The first difficulty was the questioning of if I made a fair choice in the music culture I decided. The music culture that I decided was gospel/ church. I wondered if this was an actual music culture and if it could be of good quality. The next thing I had difficulties with was the interviewing process. It was had to find a good interviewing time because Sunday was actual church time, I had to work when not at school, and take care of my daughter when not working or at school. In order to fix that problem I just went to church on Sundays to observe and went to bible study with my daughter to interview. Once I got to start interviewing church members I found myself trying very hard not to offend anyone. I have a tendency to voice my opinion and emphasizes to others. Because of this I was careful in my wording and kept my opinions to myself so that I could understand the views of others. It was especially difficult to site sources without giving an actual definition from Wikipedia. When writing I like to ensure that all readers can understand work so I use definition a lot. In conclusion, you can see that I had no huge difficulties that I couldn’t handle. I still say that this assignment was a bonus to me and I really have enjoyed it. Thanks for reading my blog and have a nice day.

Blog 7

The music culture that I will be introducing is gospel/ church music. I choose this music culture because I enjoy music that involves emotions and praise. When you are in church it’s the one place you can be yourself and express devotion. This music culture is special in my opinion because it teaches, blesses, and gives hope while enjoying the music of the culture. For my viewers who may not know what church is here is my definition. Church is a public place of worship to God in such is held in a building. I first thought of this music culture when driving by a church Sunday morning headed to the store. I recalled all the wonderful times I had as a child in church and decide its time to get back involved with this music culture so this would be a bonus to me doing this assignment. I will now be going back to church so that I can give my viewers more information on my music culture.
Some ideas about my music culture are that it’s a form of praise to God through music which is also song. Most of the people in this music culture are consider christens but anyone who believes can be apart of this music culture. The gospel/ church music culture is based on religion. My short implication of religion is your belief in a higher God. When researched it states that religion is, “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” The type of music played in this music culture is gospel. There are also musical instruments in this culture like the, tambourine, piano, drums, and sometimes the guitar. All of these instruments are played to give praise.
Now that you know something about my music culture I will end this blog by saying, thanks for viewing and have a great day.
• Funny example of the music culture gospel/church: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X0s0EL7fuQ
Sources
• Modern Language Association (MLA):
"religion." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 05 Mar. 2010. .