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Publication Date

4-22-2010

Year of Release

2010

Note(s)

Steven Hall, conductor

Craig Burletic, Rodney Elkins, Steven Hall, master drummer

Personnel: Johnna Bailey, Joshua Blair, Craig Burletic, Kayla Chappelle, Ginny Cook, Bintou Diao, Rodney Elkins, Patty Glenn, Emily Hall, Laura Machado, Joni McCourt, Olivia Myers, Joseph Overstreet, Ryan Sargent, Jason Van Meter

Traditional African music is a community activity and is functional.

Traditional African music maintains deep connections with the aspects of the daily lives of the people including the history of their ancestors.

Most traditional African music has four aspects: drumming, dancing, singing, and costumes.

Gota

Youth social music of Benin, West Africa. This dance is a celebration of friendship, kinship, and comradery. Traditionally performed with male/female partners expressing playful flirtation.

Kundurn

Traditional music of the Ahanta and Nzema people of the western region of Ghana. This dance utilizes more spectacular and acrobatic dance moves than the other dances on the program. The first slow section features strong hemiola-based drumming parts placing three notes superimposed over two notes during the same time period.

Gahu

Gahu is a form of music and dance that originated in Southwestern Nigeria as a Yoruba wedding celebration. Adopted by the Southern Ewe people of Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, Gahu has evolved into a recreational music and dance performed at any social occasion by both sexes and all age groups. The name Gahu comes from the Ewe words "ga" meaning rich or wealthy and "hu"meaning drum or dance for the wealthy.

Bantaba

Bantaba is a festival dance of the Djolla, Ballanta and Mandingo people of Senegal and Guinea. Bantaba would normally be performed at the end of harvest season and would involve everyone in the community. The purpose for this music would be to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest and to bring the community together in celebration. This piece uses the djembe for the master drum and supportive parts. The djun-djun is the heartbeat of the ensemble, functioning as a bass voice, with a bell attached to provide clarity for the ensemble.

Note

Smith Recital Hall

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Fine Arts | Music | Music Performance

Marshall University Music Department Presents the Marshall University African Drumming & Dance Ensemble, Steve Hall, conductor

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