World Music Exploration - Yoshinao Nakada

For Week 21 of our World Music Exploration, my students are learning about Yoshinao Nakada. He lived from 1923 - 2000.Born in Tokyo, Nakada sensei was the son of an organist. He studied at Tokyo Music School. This WWII vet has composed piano music, choral works, songs for TV and radio and children's songs. His compositional style is extremely lyrical.

Music students in Royal Conservatory or Conservatory Canada are probably familiar with The Song of Twilight (Grade 3), Dance of the Aborigines (Grade 5), The Gear-Wheels of a Watch (Grade 7) and Etude Allegro (Grade 8). The following clip is of a young musician performing Etude Allegro:

What a fine introduction this young musician gives us!

(c) 2011 by Musespeak(TM), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

World Music Exploration 2010/11 Week 15 - Traditional Russian Music

After a well deserved Christmas break, combined with some computer challenges, we continue our musical exploration this month with Russia. Kalinka is considered one of Russia's best known Russian folk songs. It was composed in 1860 by Ivan Larionov. Some translations say that "kalinka" means "little snowberry". Others translate it to "juniper berry".

I first heard Kalinka when I was a child, playing Tetris on my Gameboy.

Here is a video with people dancing and performing with traditional costumes and instruments:

I also stumbled upon this neat techno remix of this traditional folk song by Dj Tiesto

(c) 2011 by Musespeak(TM), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

World Music Exploration 2010/11 Week 4 - INXS

My students and I wrap up our exploration of Australian music this week with the popular rock band INXS. The group first performed as the Farriss Brothers in Sydney, Australia in 1977. Original band members included Michael Hutchence (vocals), Kirk Pengilly (guitar/sax/vocals), Garry Gary Beers (bass), Tim Farriss (guitar), Andrew Farriss (keyboards/ guitar/ percussion/vocals) and Jon Farriss (drums).

Throughout the band's 30 year history,INXS has sold over 30 million records worldwide. They have performed all over the globe, most notably at Wembley Stadium (with the band Queen), the HFS-Tival, the US Festival, the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. INXS has won numerous awards and accolades, including International Live Act Of The Year (1986), Rolling Stone Magazine Awards (1991) and ARIA Hall Of Fame inductees (2001).

The death of singer/songwriter Michael Hutchence in November 1997 was a devastating blow. The band continued to perform with guest artists Terence Trent D'Arby and Jon Stevens, however, it wasn't until 2005 that a new lead singer was found. That year, INXS launched their search with a reality TV show “RockStarINXS.” Out of the 100+ singers who auditioned, INXS chose Canadian JD Fortune as the band's new lead singer.

Here's this week's clip: What You Need

(c) 2010 byMusespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

World Music Exploration 2010/11 Week 3 - Visions of a Nomad

This week, my piano students and I are listening to Visions of a Nomad, an Australian jazz fusion/groove pop band that is accompanied by the didgeridoo, an Australian indigenous instrument. Band members include: Michael Cuming (didgeridoo, keys, percussion, classical harp, clarinet, guitar, vocals), Silvana van Dijk (drum kit, small percussion, congas, vocals), Tim Berry (trumpet, flugelhorn,trombone) and Adama Storey (double bass/electric bass).

This group has received rave reviews on its international tours, from theatres to concert halls and from festivals to the club scene.

Career highlights include: Tour of United States in 2005, Diversions Festival Ireland, Holland Theatre concert tour, Cultural Olympiad Greece, Ireland Theatre tour, Japan concert tour, Powerhouse Theatre Brisbane Australia and Conservatorium Theatre Australia. Michael Cuming and Silvana van Dijk were asked by the Olympic committee to produce and aboriginal show to be performed on the ruins of the Acropolis and Olympia.

Here's a clip of Australia White Birds:

We are also exploringThe Edgethis week.(c) 2010 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

More Exercises for Music through the Ages Exploration

This is becoming more and more enjoyable as the days go by. I stumbled upon a new approach towards the end of the week for the Music through the Ages Exploration: comparing and contrasting the evolution of a genre through the decades.

Angie, a high school student, decided to explore pop at her lesson. She picked Kalafina, a Japanese band formed in 2007. She contrasted and compared that to ABBA, the 70s pop/disco group from Sweden. Finally, we came back to North America with Celine Dion, the pop sensation from the 80s - today. We had a great discussion about music texture, timbre and compared and contrasted pop not just from the 70s to today, but from one continent to the next.

Today, some of my students explored Bee Gees, ABBA, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Elise Estrada, UVERWorld, The Eagles, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus and Merle Haggard. Regardless whether it was young Mia or elementary student Emma, we were able to have intelligent conversations on:

• instrumentation/timbre: My students dutifully reported that country music still uses primarily voice, guitar and percussion and that there are more crossover artists these days. Those crossover artists have more electronic music sounds and "sugar pop" drum grooves. They added that pop/rock has gone more electronic.

• the development of the music videos: They express a great appreciation for Michael Jackson's and Madonna's pioneering contributions.

• the evolution of dance in live performances: "They just stood there and sang in the 70s. There's more dancing and acting now."

• the deterioration of melodic shape, dynamic contrast and rhythmic variance: Some were quick to notice that the melodies are getting flatter and that the rhythms are getting more basic. Ostinato seems to be the modus operandi. As for dynamics, "everything's louder", "it's just one level" and "they yell more" were popular comments.

As for me, I'm happy to report that I sill know the lyrics to Billie Jean, Material Girl, Dancing Queen and most of Desperado.

[October 29, 2009 update] My singing teacher recently said that today's country is yesterday's rock.