Cantaré, Latin American Music the Legend of Viracocha - Pre-Columbian Music an Interactive Performance

Cantaré, Latin American Music The Legend of Viracocha - Pre-Columbian Music An Interactive Performance Program Summary: Folktales, melodies and rhythms from the Andes, the Rainforest, Central America and the Caribbean. Students will take a journey back in time to experience the rich music and culture of the Indigenous people of Latin America. Audiences sing, play instruments and participate in the folktales. Related events: Hispanic Heritage, American Indian Heritage Month, Cinco de Mayo, International Day About the Group: Cantaré performers Cecilia Esquivel and Dani Cortaza are very active in the Washington area music scene and have extensive training in performance and music education. Vocals are accompanied by string and percussion instruments from Latin America with bass, percussion and keyboard backing tracks. STUDY GUIDE FOR TEACHERS WITH COMMON CORE CONNECTIONS PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: a) To share with students an appreciation and understanding of different cultures; b) To establish bridges of understanding between children of different cultural backgrounds by learning about the connections and similarities that exist among them; c) To encourage children to learn a different language; d) To dispel stereotypes and promote a positive perception of Latino culture; e) To increase self-esteem among students of Hispanic descent and help them feel proud of their cultural heritage; f) To build confidence in students and in their expressive abilities; g) To encourage students to learn more about Latin America; h) To let students experience the joy of music through active participation in the program. The Legend of Viracocha Teacher Study Guide - Cantaré, Latin American Music 1 www.cantaremusic.com [email protected] Students will… 1. Sing along to songs from Latin America 2. Hear and participate in folktales from the Indigenous people of Latin America 3. Play some traditional indigenous instruments from Latin America 4. Hear that Native Americans were the original inhabitants of the continent 5. Understand that instruments are made with the materials that are available in each environment 6. See Latin American countries on a map of the Western Hemisphere 7. Experience the diversity that exists within Latin American music and culture INTRODUCTION: Latin America is the area that extends from Mexico, in the southern part of North America, through Central America and the Caribbean basin to the lower tip of South America. Latin American music is comprised of a large number of distinct rhythms that have been developed regionally. Despite the variations in rhythm, style and instrumentation that exist throughout Latin America, three major cultural influences are generally evident in Latin musical forms: A) The Indigenous (Indian) cultures of the peoples who inhabited the region prior to the arrival and conquest of the region by Spain and Portugal, B) The European influence, specifically the Iberian cultures of Spain and Portugal, C) The African influence from the enslaved peoples brought by the Europeans. While these influences have been combined in many ways to form new styles of music, each of them contributed particular elements that are easily distinguishable. The indigenous cultures of the Americas constructed and played a wide variety of wind instruments such as the quena, a vertically-held bamboo flute, the zampoñas or panpipes, the ocarina, a globular flute made of clay in the shapes of animals, and percussion instruments such as several types of drums, the chajchas, made of goat hooves tied together, sea shells, turtle sells and seed rattles. The Europeans contributed their languages (Spanish and Portuguese, among a few others), as well as instruments that preceded the modern guitar. These served as models for the great variety of string instruments made by indigenous people in Latin America, such as the charango, a small ten- stringed instrument made from the shell of an armadillo and the regional versions of the tres, cuatro, mandolina, etc. The African influence is evident in the use of drums and other percussion instruments and in some of the dance styles which are common in many regions of Latin America. Today’s performance focuses on the Indigenous influence in the music and culture of Latin America. The Legend of Viracocha Teacher Study Guide - Cantaré, Latin American Music 2 www.cantaremusic.com [email protected] Activities for Further Research and Exploration ELA Common Core-Based Extensions 1. Discussion/Activity: Found Objects as Musical Instruments During the performance, Cantaré played some percussion instruments made with objects such as goat hooves. The following activity personalizes this concept for the students. a) Whole-Class Discussion: Emphasize the concept introduced during the performance that people make instruments with the resources that are available in their environment. How does climate affect what is available for making instruments? (Ex: armadillos, turtles, goat hooves, gourds, wood, metal, and skin). b) Small-Group Activity: Find common objects in the room that can be used on their own or assembled together as a musical instrument. (Look for things that you can shake, scrape, strike, pluck or blow.) As a group, come up with a name for your instrument. c) Student Sharing: Share with the whole class the name of your group’s instrument, describing how it was created and explaining and demonstrating how it works. d) Jam Session: All groups can play their instruments to accompany a musical recording or live song. Addresses the following ELA Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. The Legend of Viracocha Teacher Study Guide - Cantaré, Latin American Music 3 www.cantaremusic.com [email protected] 2. Story Reading and Creative Writing: How Did This Come to Be? In the performance, Cantaré sang about the legend of the Zompopo, an ant that played an important part in Nicaragua’s corn harvest. Many traditional Latin American songs describe real events, and many others celebrate legends or explain – often fancifully – how things came to be. a) Have students read folk stories from Latin America. Look for legends that explain the creation of plants, instruments, animals, etc. (Check the resource list for additional resources). b) Challenge students to write an original fictional story or song describing how a phenomenon they find interesting came to be. Examples: a kickball champion, the smell of bacon, a school pet. Addresses the following ELA Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well- structured event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Fun Online Ant Science Activity http://www.intplay.com/uploadedFiles/Assembly_Instructions/MayanAntInvasion.pdf The Legend of Viracocha Teacher Study Guide - Cantaré, Latin American Music 4 www.cantaremusic.com [email protected] (3) Research and Oral Presentation: Culture and Geography of Latin America Using a globe or map, identify the regions that comprise Latin America. Locate Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Identify major differences among regions and countries: geography, climate, language, traditions, food, etc. Find out if there are students in the class whose parents or grandparents come from Latin America. Then, have students deepen their knowledge: Individually or in small groups, students research one country and present their findings to the class. a) Talk about its climate and geographical make-up (is it a jungle, beach, mountain, desert, etc.). b) Talk about animals found in the region. c) Talk about foods, clothing and traditions from the different countries. d) Talk about the music in the sound of language. If possible, have examples of different languages in song. Use the globe to locate the area as you listen. e) Find out more! Cocoa, corn, tomatoes, vanilla, cinnamon and chewing gum all come from Latin America… Addresses the following ELA Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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