"An rud is annamh is iontach"

The above quote is Celtic, meaning "The thing that is seldom is wonderful." It is supposed to serve as a reminder not to overindulge, but also to enjoy something while you have it. As in many cultures, the Celts have a history of story-telling, and often there is a "moral of the story." Although they have some fantastic fables of fighting and famine and the music to go with them! I chose to write my final blog on the Celts because they have many tales to tell, and what better way to tell a tale than through song? The piece below is one of my favorites, and an excellent example of Celtic music:

A Brief History of the Celts: 

Many people believe that Celtic is synonymous with Irish. Today, that is mostly true, however that was not always the case. In 500 B.C.E., the Celtic people migrated from Central Asia to Europe, flocking towards Britain, Ireland, Spain and France. They were driven out of their land as a result of wars started by Julius Caesar (the guy on the Little Caesar's pizza boxes, "Et Tu, Brute", got stabbed a few times, ringing any bells?). By the first century C.E., Celts were ruling most of Europe. They did not become the prominent culture in Europe by invasion or force, instead they lead with innovation and advancement in technology. Unfortunately, the Romans could not let go of the fact that the Celts had moved on, and were happy in their new relationship. So, around 43 C.E., the Romans invaded, and slaughtered, and all the other things that come with attempted world domination. A few Celts were able to hide and "mingle" among the people of western Europe, which is the only reason that their music and small traces of their culture still exist today in Ireland and Great Britain. 

Leftovers:

We all know there are leftovers that are good (pizza) and leftovers that probably should have just been thrown out (egg and tuna salad). Luckily, the leftover Celtic culture goes the way of pizza and can be enjoyed with a pint of cider. Today, we can still experience their language, food, and stories of butch warrior women. Traces of their language can still be found in Wales and Ireland, thanks to the passing-down of stories and songs from those who survived the Romans. If you're curious about Celtic food and would like to try some, you can find many recipes here. One of the richest parts of Celtic culture and history is their music. 

"A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi":

The above quote is actually a song title, translating to "Love, let me home to my mother." This is the oldest song we have from Ancient Celtic music. You can read about various chants and battle songs from as early as 26 C.E., but the information we have is as told by Greeks and Romans who invaded the Celtic land. One account I find fascinating is told by a Roman soldier, who recalls witnessing a Gallic charging into battle... singing. Spear in hand, victory in sight, this man of war was singing. Most the records we have from the Romans regard the music and culture of the Celts as barbaric. We all know that this is far from the truth, as the Celts were leaders in technology in innovation. The only reason the Romans described the Celtic people as barbaric is because they were actually pagan. 

Celtic people would often worship nature, with the stars and sun and moon being at the center of their spirituality. A common form of worship would be to chant and dance around a circle of stones. If they were praising the gods, they would dance in a clockwise motion, if they were praying for help, the Celtic people would dance in a counter-clockwise motion. Unfortunately, the only record we have of Celtic religious music can be found in the Catholic Church... the ROMAN Catholic church. Want to guess how "Celtic" that music really is?

This song we know for sure is ancient Celtic, and is a peaceful, calming folk song. Please enjoy "A ghaoil leig dhachaigh gum mhathair mi":

Instruments of Mass Destruction:

No, Celtic instruments did not double as weapons. However, one of the most important instruments of the Ancients Celts is the carnyx, which was used to lead soldiers into battle. This imposing instrument was made of bronze, and was basically an f-shaped, valveless trumpet. One of the most interesting aspects of the carnyx is its bell, which was often shaped into an animals head and was mounted using hinges, so it would move whenever the instrument was played. The intent of this animal-inspired bell was to intimidate opponents when charging into battle. As you'll see in the video below, the effect is, indeed, menacing. 

Modern Celtic Music:

This is the moment we've all been waiting for. Or at least, this is the moment I've been waiting for. Celtic music, both ancient and modern, is so enchanting, so captivating. Which should come to no surprise, as almost all Celtic music is centered around story-telling. I would be remiss if I talked about modern Celtic music and didn't mention Enya. She is responsible for resurrecting traditional Celtic music and showing it to the rest of the world. In her song featured below, "The Celts" you can hear her singing in the native tongue, as well as heavy use of drums (or Bodhran), which is a clear characteristic of this genre. 

Another group that lead the charge on modern Celtic music is the Celtic Women. Like Enya, they sing many traditional Irish songs, but they also create modern interpretations. In the video below, you will see and hear more of the traditional aspects of Irish music (traditional dance, violin, drums) as well characteristics that appeal to a more worldly listener.

I hope you enjoyed my blog on Celtic culture and music. I encourage you to explore other artists within this genre, you won't be disappointed! 

Sources:

Wikipedia "Celtic Music" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_music 2/04/2021

History.com Editors, "Who Were The Celts" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_music 2/04/2020

Mingren, Wu "The Carnyx" https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/carnyx-ancient-trumpet-leading-celtic-warriors-battle-006019 2/04/2021

The World of Music Network, "Ancient Celtic Music" https://www.barzhoneg.com/ancient-celtic-music/ 2/04/2021

Charlotte Farley, "Open Your Ears to Celtic Music" https://www.musical-u.com/learn/open-your-ears-to-celtic-music/# 2//04/2021

Wikipedia "Catholic Church in Ireland" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ireland 2/04/2021

Family Field Study: Africa, and a Life of Glamor

In 1966, my grandparents and six of their children traveled to Malawi, Africa. My Grandfather, a seasoned American radio show host, was sent to Africa by USAID to help establish the first profitable radio station in Africa. After a 14-hour flight, their family waited at the airport for a chauffeur and while they waited, my Grandfather paced back and forth saying, "We're in Africa. I can't believe we're in Africa." This is where my interview with my Grandmother began; Malawai, 1966. 

Simon: Hi Grandmother! Thank you so much for helping me with my project. I am fortunate enough to have both sets of grandparents heavily involved in music, and both having incredible experiences in different countries. But I like you better than I like my Dad's parents, so now you're stuck with me for the next little while! I want to start with Africa. Why did you move there?

Grandmother: Your Grandfather (Everett "Van" Vandagriff) was requested to go there by the USAID. They had a radio station with the BBC in Malawi, but they didn’t have anyone that knew how to run it. And it was certainly not profitable. We went there so Van could show the locals how to run it. We were very happy in Africa. I'll never forget the first day we were there. Van was pacing in the lobby saying “We're in Africa. I can’t believe we are in Africa.”

Simon: Did all the kids go with you?

Grandmother: Only the first six, including your mother. The three youngest weren't born yet.

Simon: What was your home like?

Grandmother: The house was gorgeous. The floors were red marble, every room had a fireplace. It was so strange, we even had servants! Five of them. They didn’t let me cook or clean or anything, they would get offended if I tried. That took some getting used to, since I did all of that myself back home.

Simon: Can you tell me a little bit more about what Grandfather did there?

Grandmother: Van worked at the local radio station. You couldn't really listen to the radio the way we did in America. They were so unorganized and Van had to train everyone and give them structure. When we first got there, Malawi was poverty stricken. They needed the station to make money, which was part of Van’s job. He sold air time to different companies. He cancelled the contract with BBC because they were not paying for the radio station. Van was responsible for creating the first profitable radio station in Africa.

Simon: Was Grandfather a DJ? 

Grandmother: Not a DJ so much as a host. You remember, he had an amazing radio voice.

Simon: I remember, I loved his voice. What did the radio station play?

Grandmother: News and music mostly. It wasn’t African music, mostly British and American pop music.

Simon: Was music a part of your daily lives there? If so, what was the music like? Did you enjoy it?

Grandmother: Music has always been a part of our daily lives, no matter where we lived. And I loved the music we heard in Africa, but we didn't actually get to experience too much of it. I had friends from the US that came with us, and we danced a lot and spent so much time together dancing.

Simon: African dances?

Grandmother: No, we didn't participate in African dances, that was a bit frowned upon. Sometimes, we would sneak into "The Bush" and watch the local people sing and dance.

Simon: Did you go to church in Africa? If so, what was the music like? 

Grandmother: We lived a mile away from church, and we had two drivers that would take us to church. One car would take us and another would take the kids. Every week, there were huge lines of people waiting to get into church. They would come in halfway through the Mass, and then leave whenever they wanted. It was a little bizarre. Almost all of the music was English or Latin, not in African. 

Simon: What did your kids think about the music in Africa?

Grandmother: I honestly couldn't tell you. I don’t remember that specifically. It was just such a huge change of life that I was mostly making sure that my kids were safe and happy.

Simon: You mentioned that you danced a lot while you were there. How did you listen to the music that you danced to in Africa?

Grandmother: We danced a lot there, and everywhere else! You should know this, our family is always dancing. Anyway, I think it was mostly records. There was this tall, gorgeous African man that loved to dance with me. I can’t remember what the song was, but every time it came on, he and I would dance together. We all did so much dancing.

Simon: Did you still listen to American popular music while you were in Malawi?

Grandmother: Yes, that was pretty much all we could listen to.

Simon: Was there a nightlife where you lived in Africa? If so, tell me more about the music there.

Grandmother: The nightlife was all in people’s homes, not bars or clubs or anything. And at this time, we were not allowed to wear short skirts in public, so we would wear long skirts when walking to our friends house, and then change into our party clothes. And then change back when we left our friends houses. We were a bit sneaky.

Simon: Did you still listen to traditional African music after you came back to America?

Grandmother: Even when we were in Africa, we were not privy to a lot of their traditional culture. There was such a ridiculous social divide and it was very frustrating. When I tried to befriend our servants or any of the locals, it wasn't very well-received. In fact, it wasn't received at all. Our servants and other locals completely shut down when I was social with them. They weren't used to that from white people and didn't know how to respond. In terms of the music, there hasn’t been an avenue to do so until recent technology came along, and I’m not really tech-savvy. 

In America:

Simon: Were there musical celebrities that you were a big fan of?

Grandmother: Franky Carl was a marvelous pianist. My mother loved him and I loved him and I had to have all his records.

Simon: Were there any famous musicians, either through their life or death, had a great impact on society or on you personally?

Grandmother: Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorothy had wonderful music, and they were extremely influential in the music field. There was a lot of big band music at that time, and that was their wheelhouse. In terms of personal impact, any music that I could dance to had an affect on me! Especially the twist, we were among some of the first people to do the twist!

Simon: Did you get to meet any celebrities?

Grandmother: Many of them, as part of Van’s work! Although, at that time they probably weren't considered celebrities. We were part of a group that discovered up-and-coming artists, and they would go on his show. He discovered the Kingston Trio!

Van and I hosted a party for all these elite, arrogant people at the University of Missouri, and the Kingston Trio was there before they got famous. This particular party was one that Van was hosting after one of his radio shows. That was a huge part of Van's job, was hosting parties and meeting lots of very interesting people.

Simon: I imagine that you were always as glamorous as you are today, sipping martinis and smoking with your girlfriends. Was there a particular kind of music that was more glamorous than others?

Grandmother: I was very glamorous! Cocktail dresses, cigarette holders, lots of parties. It was part of Van’s job to party a lot. I remember in particular, one event, there was a group of us listening to the Kingston Trio! This was years after we discovered them. That was a very popular style of music at the time. And what would be known as jazz or big band today, was known as “pop” back then.

Simon: I’m a huge fan of Judy Garland, who did a lo of big band music. Did you watch or listen to her at all?

Grandmother: She was a beautiful actress. Sad life, but an absolutely wonderful performer. I loved her music, Judy was one of THE people that influenced music in that era, she was incredible.

Simon: Did your music taste change after you met Grandfather?

Grandmother: My parents were both dancers, amazing dancers. When I was a teenager, we would go to the club as a family, my parents and I. And that didn’t change after I got married. Your Grandfather and I, and all the kids, danced at home, we danced when we went out, we danced in church. We were always dancing.

Simon: What is your first memory of music?

Grandmother: With my daddy and I. All I can remember is that I would be cooking dinner with daddy, and we would be dancing. Like I said, dancing was just a part of life.

Simon: Was there any style or genre of music that was off-limits when you were a kid?

Grandmother: Nope. I think being dancers, we just listened to all kinds of music. There was always music playing. Even after we got married and had kids, there was dancing. Your parents and all their siblings are wonderful dancers. Salsa, polka, ballroom, everything.

Simon: What do you think of music that kids listen to today?

Grandmother: *heavy sigh* I don’t listen to modern music very often. I’ve been to a few weddings where they played today’s music and I can appreciate it, but it isn’t my first choice. They also don’t dance at weddings the way we used to. They just go out on the floor and jump up and down. I wouldn’t call that dancing.

Simon: Did you and Grandfather have any special music or songs that you liked to listen to?

Grandmother: All music was special to me and Van. We loved it so much. So much spontaneous dancing. I had some favorite dances with favorite people, but I would really use any excuse to dance.

Simon: What makes you feel connected to a piece of music?

Grandmother: Well, this may come as a shock to you... If I could dance to it, I was connected to it.

*Interview Concluded*

Simon's "India and the Middle East"

I am a people-person. I always have been and, against my better judgement, I probably always will be. Hence, it should come to no surprise that tonight's blog is less about "cool stuff" and more about cool people. In learning about different cultures of the world, and their music, we don't often have the time to focus on individual people. This week, we are learning about music in India and the Middle East, and there were a few people that I wanted to get to know better. 

Please Welcome to the Stage, Umm Kulthum:

Egyptian novelist and Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz said this about Umm: "When she sees what reaches an audience, she gives them more of it, she works it, she refines it, she embellishes it." If you watch her give a performance, you can experience what Naguib is talking about. Umm poured her heart out to the audience through her voice, and it has an incredible impact. If you read this article and in the first video, skip to 1:09:00, you will witness how she interacts with the audience through her performance, and how the audience responds so fervently. 

Often you will hear the phrase, "They weren't born into greatness, they had to earn it." This phrase is only partially true for Umm.  Though we are unsure of her exact birthdate (birth records were not enforced in Egypt in the early 1900's), we are sure that she was born to an imam in Tamay e-Zahayra. Her family was not wealthy, but Umm showed greatness in singing from an early age. Her father made her memorize the Quran, and encouraged her to learn classical Arabic repertoire. Her talent and hard work did not go unnoticed. In 1920, Umm met composer Zakariyya Ahmad and he invited her to be a performer in Cairo, where she also learned to play the oud. Umm quickly rose to fame, but never forgot her humble roots and she maintained a conservative lifestyle.

Enjoy this enchanting performance by Umm Kulthum:

Put Your Hands Together For Norah Jones:

I have been a long-time lover of Norah Jones. And by that I mean I have loved her music for a long time - not that I am her lover. With that clarification out of the way, I can admit that I have never known much about her. Only today, I learned that she is the daughter of the late composer and sitarist Ravi Shankar. And although she was born to a famous father, Norah had a very modest upbringing. 

Growing up in Grapevine, Texas, Jones started singing in church (side note - have you noticed that a massive amount of famous singers got their start in church?) and in high school she joined as many choirs as she could. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in Jazz piano, Norah packed her bags and moved to New York City. She performed in a small band around the city, and was noticed by a record label executive. Jones signed with EMI Publishing, and went one to win 9 grammys and be nominated for 8 more. Like the aforementioned Umm Kulthum, Norah Jones maintains her humility and leads a drama-free, modest life.

Please enjoy "The Nearness of You" by Norah Jones:

The OG (Original Grifter), Scheherazade:

I say that Scheherazade was the original grifter because she talked her way out of getting murdered, and she did it a thousand times. Although she is a fictional woman, Scheherazade is a prominent character in Arabic folklore. And she even has her own symphony by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (read more about the symphony and its composition here). 

As the story goes, a King discovers that his bride was rolling in the hay with another man. The king beheads his wife. After which, he resolves to marry a new virgin of noble blood every night (talk about a serial monogamist) and behead her before dawn. This theoretically eliminates the possibility of his bride being unfaithful. Finally, the kingdom ran out of virgins, leaving the king no choice but to marry and behead his advisor's daughter, Scheherazade.

That was his plan, anyway. But Scheherazade had something else in mind. When she went to her fate, her sister Dunyazad cleverly asked her to tell a story. Scheherazade obliged, with the king listening in awe and excitement, but she stopped in the middle of the tale. The king begged her to finish, but she said there was no time, as dawn was breaking. The king spared her life for one more day. The next night, Scheherazade finished her story, and started another, again stopping on a cliffhanger. She repeated this for 1,001 nights, after which the king fell deeply in love with her and made her his queen. 

One of my favorite part of the Scheherazade symphony by Rimsky-Korsakov is the violin solo, featured below:

If you have time, I would implore you to (eventually) listen to the symphony in its entirety:

Thank you for visiting my blog!

American Roots: Get On the Soul Train!

Plato once said, "Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe." I couldn't agree more, Plato. Where would society be without music? Church services wouldn't be nearly as impactful, rhythmic ceremonial rituals (such as school dances or weddings) would be incredibly boring, and how would you express deep love and heartbreak? Very few things elicit emotion the way music does. And in my opinion, one of the most evocative genres of music is soul. 

Holy and Humble Beginnings:

Like with most secular music, soul takes aspects of church music (specifically gospel) and is paired with non-sacred lyrics. If this sounds familiar, that's because the chanson had a similar birth (more information on chansons here). In 1954, Ray Charles created a recipe; a pinch of gospel rhythm, a heavy seasoning of jazz instruments, a garnish of secular lyrics. He tossed it in the oven and baked it at 198 beats per minute to conceive "I Got a Woman". This was the beginning of Soul. Although we can thank Ray Charles for introducing the world to this heart-wrenching genre, there was a slew of other artists to emerge from the early 60's who popularized soul music. "Stand By Me", released in 1961 by Ben E. King, is a prime example of the genre, nodding to it's roots in church.

And "I Got a Woman":

 

 Women in Soul:

"She had a voice, raspy with hardness and pain, but could turn into silk at the drop of a dime." Beyonce said this about soul legend Etta James. In 1960, Etta arrived on the soul scene with hit songs like "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "At Last." Not only did these songs elevate Ms. James' career, they boldly carried with them the soul genre, setting the industry standard and showing the world what soul music was. If you like movies, you should watch Cadillac Records, a movie that tells the story of Etta James and other soul artists of the 60's (Beyonce gives an unforgettable performance as Etta). 

In 1966, another name blossomed in the world of soul. Releasing hits like "Respect" and "A Natural Woman", Aretha Franklin stole the crown and became the Queen of Soul. Aretha developed and nurtured her voice singing gospel music at a Baptist church in Detroit. Shortly after her 18th birthday, she was encouraged to share her talents with the world, and she signed a record deal with Columbia Records. The Queen of Soul then went on to win 25 Grammy Awards and was the first woman inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha Franklin is still regarded to this day as one of the most important names in soul history.

"I'd Rather Go Blind" by Etta James: 

"At Last" by Etta James:

"Respect" by Aretha Franklin:

And Then White People Stole It:

Just kidding, this is actually one thing that white people didn't intentionally steal. Throughout the 60's, a musical duo consisting of two white artists called The Righteous Brothers rose to fame. They sang with so much "soul" that when they showed up for radio interviews, the hosts were often surprised to find that the duo was white. One of those surprised radio hosts was Georgie Woods, who coined the phrase "blue-eyed soul." Then in 1969, a white person named Jerry Lee Lewis did try to steal the soul genre with an album called "Soul My Way." Featuring songs like 'Turn On Your Love Light" and "I Bet You're Gonna Like It", the album was a huge success. Radio stations that had previously only featured black artists were now introducing white artists as well.

"Unchained Melody" cover by Righteous Brothers:

"Turn On Your Love Light" by Jerry Lee Lewis:

Soulful Seventies:

At this point, soul has been around for nearly two decades. Like many things that stick around for 20+ years, the genre morphed. When you're done reading this section, I invite you to go back and listen to Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" then listen to the Delfonics' "Hey Love" and notice how much the music has changed. From the level of production, to the instrumentation, to the complexity of the harmonies and addition of voices, you will surely spot the differences. One of the pinnacle moments in soul history was the creation of the TV show Soul Train, which debuted in 1971 and ran for 35 years. The show featured everything from jazz and funk to gospel and, of course, soul. Although the show was wildly successful, the soul genre started to fizzle out in the late 70's. By the early 80's, disco, funk and R&B had overwhelmed the relaxed sound of soul, and very few bands included soul songs on their albums. 

Back to Life:

Nearing the end of 1989, Soul II Soul released an R&B song called "Back to Life", which took aspects of soul music from the seventies bringing the forgotten genre "back to life." Because people's taste changes, as well as their uses for music, soul had to evolve further from its original DNA. In fact, the soul genre never made a complete comeback. In 1994, a sub-genre called neo-soul became popular and is still popular today. It incorporates a lot of the basic "soul recipe" (steady, gospel-like rhythm, emphasis on jazz instruments, and non-secular lyrics), but it also adds a sprinkling of funk and R&B.

"Back to Life" by Soul II Soul:

A modern-day example of neo-soul is Alice Russell. Here is her song "Citizens":

And another amazing example is Erykah Badu singing "Bag Lady":

In Conclusion:

Although soul in its original from is not present in 2021, we can appreciate so much of the music that the genre gave us. And without soul, we wouldn't have gotten to experience some of the greatest artists in history (James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight to name a few). Soul music showed us a new way to express heightened emotion. Are you in love? Sing about it. Did that love break your heart? Sing about it. Are you having money problems? You know what to do. As we all know, when words fail, music speaks.

Bibliography:

Wikipedia, "Soul Music", 1/26/2021 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_music#:~:text=Soul%20music%20has%20its%20roots,that%20began%20in%20the%201950s.

Richie Unterberger, "The Righteous Brothers, 1/27/2021

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-righteous-brothers-mn0000424296/biography

Pierro Scaruffi, "A Brief History of Soul Music" 1/27/2021

https://www.scaruffi.com/history/soul.html

Wikipedia, "Neo Soul" 1/26/2021

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_soul

Britanica, "Blue-eyed soul", 1/27/2021

https://www.britannica.com/art/blue-eyed-soul

Gender Bender

Musicians are strange creatures. Especially singers, but musicians in general. We could be performing a role that completely defies everything we believe in, but we temporarily forego those values for the love of our art. I once did an opera composed by a local Detroit artist, Cinderella Undone, which was based on the story of Cinderella but with one difference; all the characters were in drag. We had drag kings playing all the male roles, and drag queens playing all the female roles (most of us were not professional drag performers - we were singers first and had drag consultants). Cinderella was a baritone and had a beard, her prince was a mezzo and obviously didn't have a beard. I played the Evil Stepmother, and a very conservative friend of mine played one of the wicked stepsisters. 

My friend, we'll call him Brendon (because that was his name), was from my church and was convinced that all people in the LGBTQ+ community were going to burn in hell. He was very sweet and loving, and eventually adopted the attitude of "Love the sinner, hate the sin" which was really all we could ask of him. My point being that when we finished church choir rehearsal, he would strap on his corset and high heals, and abandon his values to perform in this very queer, very raunchy opera. Because he's a musician, and that's what we do.

Music and Gender: One of my favorite Disney villains is Ursula. My highschool did a performance of Little Mermaid, and I was fortunate enough that the woman playing Ursula couldn't sing to save her life. With a few adjustments, she and I actually sounded fairly similar so they asked me to sing on her behalf! I was very excited because this was the closest I'd ever come to actually playing Ursula. What most people don't know about Disney Ursula is that she was actually based on a famous drag queen named Divine (I promise my whole blog is not about drag queens). But this was not the first time that the performing arts bent the rules of gender. 

In fact, up until the late 1600's women were not permitted to perform at all in the theatre, so men had to play all the roles (read this article to learn more). And even after women were permitted to become thespians, no respectable lady would ever consider such a lifestyle, so men continued to dominate the performing arts. 

Fast-forward roughly 350 years, and the performing arts are still bending the rules of gender! Not three years after my role in Cinderella Undone, my voice teacher did a performance of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet, in which her prince was played by a female mezzo. Please note, my voice teacher was not Joyce DiDonato.

So many people have this grand misconception that women can't play male roles, and vice versa for men. That is simply not the case. Artists, whether you are a musician, director, dancer, visual artist, etc., we all have a weakness for beauty. If it is more aesthetically pleasing to have a woman sing the role of a prince, then so it shall be. And if you think that's radical, wait 'til I tell you about Dr. Frank-N-Furter...

Simon's "Music of the Americas"

 How It's Made: Have you ever seen the show How It's Made? Spoiler alert: it's an entire show telling you how things are made. In our Music of Diverse Cultures Class, we were discussing some of the traditional instruments used in South America. One of them was the charango, which our professor graciously pointed out was (traditionally) made from dead armadillos. It got me thinking, how is the rest of the instrument made? What about other traditional instruments like the panpipe (also known as la antara, or siku)? I did some digging and discovered that not only was the shell made of armadillo, the strings of the charango were made from animal tendons, as pointed out in this article. There was another website that I visited to learn more about the charango, but ended up being educated on armadillos and their defense mechanisms. Did you know there are at least 20 species of these hard-bodied creatures? As I mentioned before, I also became incredibly curious about how panpipes were made. They actually seem pretty straightforward once you get the motions down, as you can see in the video below. Wayra Nan, a maker of 32 different instruments, guides us through his process. You too could be an instrument maker - all you need is straws, scissors, clay and something to hold the straws together!

Native American Vocal Technique: As a musician, I am constantly listening and analyzing sounds around me, even if it isn't music. More specifically, as a singer, I analyze voices. If you've ever talked or sung around me, it's a safe bet that I have made conclusions about your voice. Needless to say, when we started exploring Native American music, I noticed two things right off the bat: the rhythm of their music, and their voices! Because so much of their music is communal, the melodies are not overly complicated, and are small in range. However, that does not mean that you are equipped to sing them. If I tried employing some of the technique that Native American singers do, I would either die of a heart attack or my voice teacher would kill me; not sure which one would happen first. One of the foundational things we learn as singers is to simply let the air flow, and allow your voice to do what it's going to do. Native American vocalists approach singing differently. As you will read in this article, Native Americans rely heavily on the strength of the muscles in their voice, and less on air flow. You can observe the very muscular sound in the video below:

Teach Me How to Dougie: When it comes to Native American culture and music, how can you not mention their dances? Such energy, such reverence to nature, such vibrancy cannot go unnoticed. I had the opportunity to witness a traditional Native American dancer in Cherokee, North Carolina and the amount of stamina it took to perform the way he did was staggering. Because dancing is such an integral part of their culture, Native Americans don't just stick to one dance in one setting to one song. Nay, they have many different dances for different occasions. Are we dancing for fun? Or are we honoring Mother Earth? Are we around a fire, or are we in an open plane? Is it just one person, or are we in a group? What are we wearing? Read all about it here. I also invite you to watch the video below, which is a prime example of traditional Native American dance (notice the woman's dress and how it's a part of the music).

And because I now have it stuck in my head, you get to listen to "Teach Me How To Dougie":

Simon's Musical Culture

Hello Friends! My name is Simon Mishler, and I am a tenor studying Voice Performance at Converse College. My parents have always told me that I was born singing, and haven't stopped since. Throughout the years I've flirted with other instruments like piano and clarinet, but my pride and joy is voice. Although my greatest passion is singing, my goal is not to be a performer - I dream of being a voice professor at a college. 

A lot of my childhood and most of my adult life has been spent in Detroit, where jazz, blues and soul are prominent fixtures of the city. These genres have been powerful influencers in how I sing, and how I approach music in general. In fact, my first professional gig was performing "an evening of jazz" at the opening of an art gallery in Detroit. I was 13, and me and the other singer had no rehearsals with the band. Whichever one of us was singing at the time would tell the band the name of the song and the key, and we would see what happens. I opened with "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess, in B-flat. It wasn't a disaster.

This is the exact video I used to inspire my performance - I can't actually believe I found it.

1. An example of music that is important to me: Anyone who knows me knows that "my thing" is Judy Garland. I've seen all her movies, all episodes of her show, listened to all her music, and I collect her memorabilia. I even have tattooed the title of her last movie (I Could Go On Singing) and a Bluebird, referencing a quote from her first movie; "If happy little bluebirds fly above the rainbow, why oh why can't I?". There are many people who share my love for Judy Garland, although I border on the obsessive, and yet it seems no one can explain their infatuation. We all just connect with her music and her story. I think my love for her started with her first movie, Wizard of Oz, where she guided us with music through a land of dreams and beauty. 

Her first movie (skip to 0:50 if you want to just hear the song): 

And her last movie (skip to 0:55 for the song): 

2. An example of music that has gotten me through 2020: "Vocalise" by Rachmoninov is a very popular piece, and I had heard it plenty before the pandemic hit. However, it never resonated with me the way it did after living through the dumpster fire that was 2020. It's like when you meet a guy who is a solid 6, but he jumps to a 9.5 when you find out he's emotionally available and a feminist. The "Vocalise" was always unquestionably beautiful, but I discovered that it carries us through every emotion from its beginning to its end. Although there are no words, you can hear the anger, you can hear the desperation, the yearning, and the relief. This is a piece that you should listen to in a quiet place, with an open mind and open ears.

3. Simon Says "No" to this music: I can't say I don't like an entire genre, because there will imminently be a song within that genre that I do like. I typically don't turn on the radio and blast country, I rarely have a hankering for techno, alas I can usually find something to appreciate about any piece of music. However, I have been known to flee aggressively from "Never Be The Same" by Camilla Cabello. There is not a single redeeming aspect of that song, in my opinion. I think it sits in an uncomfortable part of her voice, the lyrics are unfortunate (at best), and the melodic composition is lazy. Even thinking about the song has my heart racing with fury. I will reluctantly include a link to the song below: