India/China

INDIA

Welcome back!! So far, we have travelled to 12 different countries in 4 different continents. This week, we will head to INDIA!!

There are many different types of instruments, dances, and genres within the Indian culture. Some Indian music (from many many years ago) is based on mathematical theories.

We will be studying just a few of the MANY diverse musical cultures of India, including: Carnatic and Hundistani (classical music) and pop, which include: Film (Bollywood), Bhangra, Raga (rock) and Hip Hop. We will be looking at instruments of India as we study the music.

CLASSICAL INDIAN MUSIC

Carnatic, Hindustani and Raga

Carnatic music or Karnāṭak music or Karnāṭaka Saṃgīta is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

Hindustani classical music ([hin̪d̪us̪t̪ɑːn̪i]) is the Hindustani or NorthIndian style of Indian classical music. The style is sometimes called North Indian classical music or Shāstriya Sangīt or Klāsikī Mausīqī.

A raga is a musical mode in the Indian classical music tradition used in an improvised performance. Modes are collections of musical notes coupled with rules about how those notes should be used. There are two main Western modes: major and minor.

and who can forget the street performers and other popular instruments indigenous to India:

POP MUSIC IN INDIA

Bhangra, Film and Hip-Hop

Bhangra: Bhangra fuses Western pop music, Hindi film music and folkmusic from the Punjabi region. Traditional Punjab drums and string instruments are fused with Western instruments such as electric guitars. The harmony is usually simple, with one or two repeated chords.

Can you bhangra? Try your best, it's just for fun!

Bollywood: Bollywood film music is called filmi music (from Hindi, meaning "of films"). Songs from Bollywood movies are generally pre-recorded by professional playback singers, with the actors then lip synching the words to the song on-screen, often while dancing.

DANCE STYLES IN INDIA

Classical dance: The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight Indian classical dancestyles: Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (North, West and Central India), Kathakali (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odissa), Manipuri (Manipur), Mohiniyattam (Kerala), and Sattriya (Assam).

Ragamala Dance

Copy and paste the link below to learn more about this fascinating Indian style of dance!

https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/kc-connections/festivals/maximum-india-festival/ragamala-dance

WEEK 17

CHINA

Gung Hay Fat Choy!!

Happy Lunar New Year!!

*A quick overview of the story behind Lunar New Year.

Chinese Lantern Festival

The 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year, also known as yuán xiāo jié meaning "first night of the full moon". The day is as well known as Lantern Festival day.

THE LION DANCE

The lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance performed on big occasions, such as the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) for good luck, as it is believed that the lion is an auspicious animal.

Chinese Dragon Dance

Dragons are a symbol of China, and they are believed to bring good luck to people, therefore the longer the dragon in the dance, the more luck it will bring to the community. The dragons are believed to possess qualities that include great power, dignity, fertility, wisdom and auspiciousness.