MUS 3B: World Music Performing Tradition Through Sound

MUS 3b: World Music – Performing Tradition Through Sound Spring, 2015

Tues/Thurs 2 – 3:20 pm, Slosberg 212, other venues as announced

As of Jan 15 - SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Instructor: Prof Judith Eissenberg [email protected] Office: Slosberg 125 Office hours: BY APPOINTMENT, on Mon/Wed 1:30-3:30; (Tu/Th) after class. If these don’t work and you need to see me, contact me.

The TA: Derek Strykowski [email protected] Office hours: BY APPOINTMENT, Tuesdays 3:30-4:30 and Thursdays 1-2. If these don’t work for you, contact Derek directly. Required Textbook/Resources:  Textbook: Excursions in World Music, Sixth Edition. Nettl, Rommen, Capwell, etc. 2012. Pearson. (Our bookstore can help you with this)

The textbook has an associated web resource called MyMusicLab that you must purchase. MyMusicLab includes the music that goes with the Listening Guides in the book. MML includes other resources as well, including an etext and audio text version of the book.

 All other required reading, listening, viewing (video) will be assigned and posted on latte

1 CLASS DESCRIPTION

“Every time I open a newspaper, I am reminded that we live in a world where we can no longer afford not to know our neighbors.” - YO YO MA

Every culture we know of has music of some kind. Why? What is music? Why do humans need music? How do we use it in our lives? What does the music tell us about the people who play it, dance to it, and listen to it? Are there universals in music?

We’ll begin the semester with the question, what is world music? Throughout the semester, in order to listen more deeply, we’ll develop a vocabulary to talk about what we are hearing…practicing in whatever cultural tradition we find ourselves.

We’ll look at what ethnomusicologist Steven Feld calls the “celebrations and anxieties” of world music…here he is bringing up, through music, the ethical concerns that come from globalization…we’ll address those early on, through a few interesting case studies.

Our first guest is Maure Aaronson, founder and head of the Boston’s Music/Crash Arts concert series. Maure worked with some of the musicians involved in Paul Simon’s Graceland project in South Africa. This semester we will ‘visit’ Sub – Saharan Africa, learning about a variety of musical traditions from the continent, including hands-on experience with the polyrhythmic drumming from Ghana, led by Brandeis’s new director of the Ghanaian music and dance ensemble, Fafali. We’ll have a virtual (video-conference) visit with the Q’eros of Peru, who continue to practice traditional rituals that go back before the Inca. We’ll explore how music expresses identity through gugak from Korea, touching on court music traditions, but with a focus on folk music. Do Yeon Kim, gayageum player, will come to teach us about sanjo and demonstrate the beautiful movements in Korean dance. In March, vocalist Fargana Qasimova and her ensemble will share songs of the bardic tradition of Azerbaijan and Sufi-inspired mugham. We will have the chance to hear about cultural advocacy from Toni Shapiro-Phim of the Philadelphia Folklore Project, and how a group of women in Liberia are working for change through their music – Fatu Gayflor, vocalist in the group will share her work. Our final guest will be international tabla star Sandeep Das, who will teach us, in traditional guru-style, some of the intricacies of classical raga from India. Later that week, Sandeep will join the Lydian String Quartet in a piece for string quartet, tabla and pipa (Chinese lute).

2 Goals of the course:  To listen deeply  To appreciate the values and knowledge that a culture/society holds dear – through experiencing its music  We’ll do this by:  Sampling some of the diversity of world musics  Developing language to talk and write about music  Figuring out how the musics ‘work’ (listening from the inside)  Exploring connections between musical aesthetics and cultural/social values  Looking at ethical considerations in ‘world music’ production

Grading:  This course covers a LOT of material and uses listening, video, reading, and doing. It is really important that you do the assignments so that you are prepared for class. Therefore, I use online written responses as a graded assessment - these prepare you for the following class. See LATTE site for response guidelines

Your final grade (100 points): 70 points from responses 30 points from quizzes

11 Online Responses: (two types)  FIVE 10-point responses: there are four essay responses, one listening response (50 possible points)  SIX 5-point responses (30 possible points)

Here is how you can earn the 70 points: Example 1: Five 10 point-responses (50) plus four 5-point responses (20) = 70 Example 2: Four 10 point-responses (40) plus six 5-point responses (30) = 70

If you want to do them all, you are welcome to choose the highest scored responses. You can use one extra response (up to 5 points) for extra credit to your final grade.

3 Listening quizzes: (30 POINTS TOTAL) For the three larger units (Korea, Sub-saharan Africa, Raga from India). Primarily listening/id, worth 10 points each.

NO MIDTERM, NO FINAL

3 Class participation: While I don’t put a point value down for participation, it matters to me. It can have an effect on your grade, especially if it is thoughtful. I know that there are varying comfort levels, especially with large class discussion, so there are a number of ways that you can participate and have it impact your grade in a positive way.

Types of participation: Big/small group class discussions, partner Engagement in in-class activities, guest artist visits/activities Quality of responses Attending concerts that have relevance to this class.  For example, the Fargana Qasimova concert on Saturday, March 7; the Lydian concert on Saturday, April 18 with guests Sandeep Das (tabla) and Chen YiHan (pipa). Both require tickets ($5 for students) and are at Slosberg Recital Hall. Talk to me if you are interested in others.

See LATTE site for  A more in-depth description of what I expect for responses, including that I do not accept late ones!  My policy re attendance. Please read it carefully.  Complete, up to date class schedule, with access to supplementary reading/listening/viewing  Computer in the classroom policy

If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see the professor immediately. Retroactive accommodations cannot be provided.

FYI! I know that most of you are not music students – that is one of the aspects of teaching the course that I most enjoy! Music is my professional life; my goal in this course is to explore it with you.

4 Class Schedule (subject to change, always check latte as it is up to date). This class schedule will give you an idea of the flow of the class; all details about readings, video, listening, assignments posted on latte.

1. Tuesday, January 13 - Intro to the Class, World Music In class: Class overview Mystery Music Discussion about the nature of music Intro ppt Preview of assignment Assignment for next class: Read Nettle: Preface and Chapter 1 See related posted youtubes)

2. Thursday, January 15 – What are we hearing, how do we listen? How do we talk about music? Preview of assignment Go over listening/reading We’ll practice using the terminology, Sound/Behavior/Ideas model, instrument id Preview assignment Assignment for next class: Read Feld “A Sweet Lullaby for World Music” Listen/view associated youtubes Do Essay Response #1 (all responses submitted online).

3. Tuesday, January 20 – Celebrations and Anxieties of World Music In class: Feld discussion, music and globalization, celebrations and anxieties of world music. Preview of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” assignment and prep for first class visitor, Maure Aaronson (Director of Boston’s premiere World Music presenting organization: World Music/Crash Arts Assignment for next class (to prepare for guest): Read: Meintjes “Graceland, South Africa, and the Mediation of Musical Meaning”

4. Thursday, January 22 – Guest: Maure Aaronson (last day to drop class) In class: Maure will speak about music and politics in South Africa during the time of Paul Simon's project "Graceland". Maure worked with some of the musicians that were a part of it. The project was controversial, as it took place during Apartheid. Ladysmith Black Mambazo (of South Africa) gained the international stage through Simon's project. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is playing in Cambridge on Feb. 7, presented by WM/CA. Assignment for next class: Do Essay Response #2

5 5. Tuesday, January 27 – Graceland Discussion: Music and Politics, Preview Q’eros of Peru Discussion of the Graceland Project – Celebrations and Anxieties Preview of our visit to the Q’eros (ppt) Using the three-part model (from 10,11 of textbook): Sound, Behavior/Idea Assignment for next class (to prepare for virtual guests): See Wissler documentary “From Grief and Joy we Sing” Read Wissler “Grief-Singing and the Camera: The Challenges and Ethics of Documentary Production in an Indigenous Andean Community”

6. Thursday, January 29 – Virtual Visit with the Q’eros of Peru We will have video-conference class in Cusco, Peru to meet some of the Q'eros who live high in the Andes. Ethnomusicologist Holly Wissler will introduce, give some context, and interpret for the Q'eros as they share their music and experiences with us. Assignment for next class: Read an introduction to Korean cultural/political history/music Read an introduction to Korean dance: court, ritual, folk Peruse photos of traditional instruments Do Big Listening Response #3

7. Tuesday, February 3 – Music and Ritual, Preview of Korea In class: Intro to Korea ppt: cultural history, music and identity Unpacking your three part models of mystery gugak (from response) Assignment for next class: See documentary “Intangible Asset No. 82” Do Video Response #4

8. Thursday, February 5 – Gugak: Korean Traditional Music Continuing to listen/watch Korean performances to identify what makes Korean music, Korean Looking at state ritual, court music, folk music genres Assignment for next class: (in prep for our guest) Read about the dance genre of Salpuri See associated video Read about sanjo See DoYeon’s youtube of her sanjo performance

9. Tuesday, February 10 – Guest Artist Kim DoYeon: sanjo and dance DoYeon is a gayageum player who has come to Boston to study in the jazz program at New England Conservatory. She studied traditional Korean music (gugak) and dance. She will be teaching us the changdans (rhythmic cycles) that accompany sanjo, a traditional form of instrumental folk music. We will then accompany her as she plays a sanjo composition on gayageum! DoYeon will also dance, demonstrating Salpuri - a dance that is part of a Shaman ritual. (RECITAL HALL) Assignment for next class: See youtube on Shamanism in Korea Read Park “Rituals Revisited: The Case of Chindo Ssikkim-kut” Do Essay Response #5

6 10. Thursday, February 12 – Discussion on preservation of tradition Discussion on the pros and cons of preservation More on folk music, focus on p’ansori Assignment for next class: See short youtube intro to p’ansori Read selection on p’ansori See film “Chunhyang” or “Sopyonje” Do Video Response #6

11. Tuesday, February 24 - Discussion on P’ansori, Review of Korean Unit Discussion on the film and on the folk genre of p’ansori Review Assignment for next class: Prepare for listening quiz

12. Thursday, February 26 Quiz, Sufism, Preview of upcoming guest visit from Azerbaijan Quiz Short presentation on Sufism Preview of our guests: Fargana Qasimova and Ensemble Assignment for next class (to prepare for guests): Read Naroditskaya “Female Musicians: Women’s Voices Defying and Defining the Culture” See youtubes of Fargana in performance (Optional readings on Sufism posted) Do Reading Response #7

13. Tuesday, March 3 - Visiting Artists: Fargana Qasimova and Ensemble For Fargana Qasimova, the passionate lyrics of Azerbaijani mugham and spirited songs of the bardic ashiq tradition provided the soundscape of her childhood. Now a consummate vocalist in her own right, Fargana has developed her own distinctive style that builds on the formidable artistic legacy bequeathed to her by her father, the renowned musician Alim Qasimov. Accompanied by the same quartet of young musicians as her father, Fargana offers a brilliant example of tradition-based music performed with a contemporary sensibility. (RECITAL HALL) Assignment for next class (to prepare for guests): Read two articles on the Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change Read excerpt of article on the impact of dance in social transformation See short youtube of LWCC Listen to Princess Fatu Gayflor

7 14. Thursday, March 5 – Music and Social Transformation with guests Toni Shapiro-Phim received her Ph.D from Cornell University in cultural anthropology, exploring the relationship between war, migration and the art. She is presently Director of Programs for the Philadelphia Folklore Project. “Princess Fatu Gayflor, the golden voice of Liberia" is a member of the Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change. Naming and lamenting the injustice of domestic violence, encouraging women to make their voices heard, or paving possible paths to peace, these award-winning vocalists are using the power of their traditional songs as an inspirational call to action on the pressing issues facing local Liberian and other African immigrant communities. (RECITAL HALL) Assignment for next class: Do Reflection Response #8

15. Tuesday, March 10 – Discussion on the Power of Music in Social Transformation, Preview of Music of Sub-Saharan Africa In class: Discussion Preview of next unit: basic history of W Africa, instruments, short preview of mbira, Mbuti of the Ituri Rainforest, the griot tradition, Ewe of Ghana Assignment for next class: See a mbira performance Follow the listening guide for mbira music

16. Thursday, March 12 – Mbira, Listening to Polyphonic Textures Discussion of mbira, the bira ceremony Go over listening guide Mbira today (ppt) Mbuti (ppt) Kora and the griot/jeli tradition Use three-part model for each – look closely at behavior, what do the musical values represent? Assignment for next class: Read about Mbuti vocal music and social structures Read about kora music in the Mande tradition Follow the two related listening guides

17. Tuesday, March 17 Continuing with Polyphonic Textures, Drum Polyphony in Ghana Review of listening guides (compare) Immersion into the Ewe drum polyphony as preparation for our next guest visit Assignment for next class: Read about Asanti (Ashanti) social order Read Paulding’s intro to Kete See youtube of kete performance

8 18. Thursday, March 19 – Guest Artist Ben Paulding teaching us! Ben Paulding is leading Fafali, Brandeis's Music and Dance from Ghana ensemble. He teaches 87b Music and Dance from Ghana. Ben will focus on Kete - a royal drumming piece from the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He has written extensively on Kete, and spent the past two years in Kumasi playing it. We will be learning to play the polyrhythms of Kete, and if there is time, a little of the dance. LOCATION TBD. DRESS COMFORTABLY! Assignment for next class: Read Duran’s short intro to music of Mali from the Rough Guide Read Duran “The Woman is a Slave” Listen to the youtube of Oumou Sangare singing “Womotan” Do Reading Response #9

19. Tuesday, March 24 – Discussion, Review of Sub-Saharan African Unit Discussion “The Woman is a Slave” If time, Fela Kuti and “Music is the Weapon” Review of the Sub-Saharan Africa Unit Assignment for next class: Prepare for the listening quiz

20. Thursday, March 26 – Quiz, Intro to Classical Music from India In class: Quiz Intro to Classical Music from India (short history, dance, instruments) (ppt) If time, listen to Ruckert’s composition OR surprise (dance) visit Assignment for next class: Read excerpt from Hamilton Indian Philosophy – A Very Short Introduction

Watch/listen to beginning of Raga Unveiled (Intro and Philosophy & History) Do Essay Response #10

21. Tuesday, March 31 – Philosophical Context of Raga, Elements of Music In class: Reflections on philosophical/musical journey More intro to the music (ppt), including dance, musical elements, raga If time, listen to Raga Yaman together Assignment for next class: Read from Chapter 2 of textbook See short video of sitar/tabla performance of raga Follow listening guide for Raga Yaman

9 22. Thursday, April 2 – Exploring Raga In class: Go over Nettle Listening Guide for Raga Yaman What is really going on in the music, and why does it draw us in? What makes tension in this music? How does raga explore the possibilities in rhythm? How does improvisation ‘live’ in a composition that has such strict guidelines? Assignment for next class: See The next section in the video Raga Unveiled (Note and Melody) Read Alves selection about the melodic details of raga; make sure you play the cd excerpts that go with this reading as you make your way through it. Do the posted listening guide (posted on latte, not in your textbook) for Raga Khamaj.

23. Tuesday, April 14 – Inner Journey In class: Getting deeper into the music by exploring how this very beautiful raga is built and how it was ‘unveiled’ in this performance by one of the greatest sarod players of the 20th century. We’ll analyze all the little building blocks that make up the whole. We’ll count the tala to appreciate the organizing of time, and how time weaves in and out of the melody. Assignment for next class (to prepare for our next guest): See the next section in Raga Unveiled (Tempo & Rhythm – Laya & Tala) See the youtube of the renowned tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain. He speaks the bols (rhythmic syllabals) then plays them on his tabla…you’ll be amazed!

See the youtube with our guest, tabla player Sandeep Das

24. Thursday, April 16 - Guest Artist Sandeep Das, tabla In class: Grammy-nominated Sandeep Das is considered one of the leading tabla players today. One of the favorite disciples of the legendary tabla maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj ji of the Benaras Gharana, Das has carved out a niche for himself around the musical world. His concerts have taken him to major centers of music around the globe, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royce Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Hollywood Bowl and the Petronas Tower Hall in Malaysia. Sandeep will play for us, and teach us, guru-style. (RECITAL HALL) Be prepared to sit on the floor! Assignment for next class: Do Reflection Response #11

10 25. Tuesday, April 21 – How was the journey? Review of Raga, Contemporary Expressions In class: Discussion of the raga encounter…if we haven’t yet heard Ruckert’s composition, let’s do it! Analyze raga using three part model: sound, behavior, idea Contemporary expressions, from Bollyhood to fusion Assignment for next class: Prepare for the listening quiz

26. Thursday, April 23 Quiz and….? In class: Quiz Possibly we’ll look at Adiemus,, possibly Quiz Show with prizes, as in past years….