Sounds from the Ancient East Beyond the Vast Ocean in New York
When I immerse myself in the composition ‘Touch of Scarlet,’ I am often enveloped by a nuanced blend of familiarity and mystery. The music, characterized by electrified traditional Chinese instruments like Erhu and Pipa, invites those with Chinese backgrounds or…
Alexander Rybak: A Tale of a Eurovision Legend
The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most prominent music events in the world. It was created in 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union as a way for national public broadcasters to work on a common project once a…
Rhoma Irama: King of Dangdut
In the 1970s a new style of music was being invented in Indonesia by Rhoma Irama, born Oma Irama. This music combined a broad range of influences from Indian film music, to western rock music, to the Indonesian orkes melayu…
From the Huangshan Mountain to the Yanshan Mountain
The formation of modern Beijing Opera has many historical factors, and a large number of people and groups are involved in the construction of modern Beijing Opera. But the origin of Beijing Opera is the “Hui Troupe Entering Beijing” event…
Brass from the Past! How Romani Traditions Shape Modern Balkan Brass
In the world of modern Balkan Brass, groups like Fanfare Ciocărlia and Taraf de Haidouks are well known and loved. The genre of Balkan Brass and music from the Balkan’s in general is shrouded in mystery. It’s regarded by many…
Run, Run, Run
by Ben Stoneking, Undergraduate student in Political Science “El Aparecido” (“The Apparition” or “The Manifestation”) is a Chilean song originally written and recorded by Víctor Jara which was included in the 1967 album Victor Jara. The lyrics tell the story of a man…
Buffy Sainte-Marie: The Voice of Resilience, Activism, and Musical Mastery
by Nick Brindle Buffy Sainte-Marie is an icon when it comes to music and, more specifically, Indigenous music. Sainte-Marie was born in 1941 on the Piapot Plains Cree First Nation reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada. Her Indigenous roots heavily influence her…
Fela Kuti: Pioneering Afrobeat and Political Movements Simultaneously
by Mark Petzing, undergraduate student in Honors Biology and Pre-Medical studies Fela Kuti was born and lived in Nigeria for most of his life, where he initiated many bands and political movements that were characteristic of his brand and music.(2)…
Teeth: Modernity in Indonesia Through Rock Music
Gigi, the Indonesian word directly translating to “teeth,” might seem like a strange place to start when naming a band, but Dewa Budjana (guitar) did exactly that in 1992 with fellow members Armand Maulana (vocals), Aria Baron (guitar), Thomas Ramdhan…
Wu Fei and the Magic of the Guzheng
I fell in love with Wu Fei’s music when I listened to her for an assignment in my Music Cultures class. She is an extremely talented musician. She went to the China Conservatory of Music, where she played the guzheng….