East African
All InstrumentsDescription
This course will introduce the variety of musical styles present within the borders of Ethiopia. Ethiopia features a complex mix of traditions, and in this course we will touch on the Somali influence that is present in the East, the Eritrean influence in the North, and a bit about different tribal traditions in Southern Ethiopia and Northern Eritrea. We will briefly learn about the instruments commonly used in these traditions and their construction. We will also discuss some of the great players that influenced Ethiopian music, and will connect their stories with styles they were known for to enrich our understanding of their musical context. We'll talk about the different qenets (Ethiopian modes), learning their make-up as well as songs in each one. The qenets are bati, anchihoye, ambassel and tizita. We will visit each of the regional rhythms: Gurage, Tigrinya, Gonder, Oromo, Arsi, Somali, Dire Dawa, and more. We will cover improvisation in both jazz and traditional style, as well as specific improvising styles for certain classifications of songs, such as shilela and tizita. This course is open to all instrumentalists, and while it is an introduction to Ethiopian music, students should be comfortable on their instruments, as this is not a technique course. We will mostly learn via call and response, though sheet music will be made available. Because of the highly ornamented nature of these traditions, however, it is much easier to learn by ear. The sheet music will mainly act as a memory guide to anchor one to the basic notes.
This course includes
- 16 Hours of Instruction
- Lifetime Access to Video Recordings
- Certificate of Completion
Student requirements
- Instrumental technique: intermediate
- Western theory: any level
- Modal music theory: any level
- Sight reading: any level
- Transposition: any level
- Learning by ear: basic
- Composition: any level
- Improvisation: any level
Share