PASSPORT PERFORMANCE STUDY GUIDE

Transcription

1 PASSPORT PERFORMANCE STUDY GUIDE

2 ABOUT LAPIS LAPIS is the creation of Sitarist & Tabla Player MOHAMED ASSANI and Music Producer & Composer RUP SIDHU. They met while playing a Dhiwali festival - Rup with his bhangra, dancehall & hip hop act, Banyen Roots; and Mohamed performing Indian Classical music on the Sitar. They each thought, Hmmmm What s he doing over there? It sounds interesting. Their paths crossed again a few months later when they collaborated on a sound track for the National Film Board and thus began their creative adventure. Their mutual love of live

3 music and improvisation forms the basis for their music. They are based in Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories. ABOUT THE SHOW PASSPORT LAPIS s show Passport travels between traditional and contemporary genres of world music, with an emphasis on South Asian music. Using a variety of traditional world instruments and techniques, combined with contemporary electronic gadgets and grooves, LAPIS s sound has something for everyone. Through this highly interactive show, replete with rhythm games and call-and-response exercises, the audience gains an understanding of the rich musical traditions LAPIS draws upon. Passport s purpose is to relay to students that music is universal, it is timeless and it is an evolving form which has room for everyone' s expression.

4 ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS The SITAR is the most popular melodic instrument in classical northern Indian music today. The large gourd is made of a dried pumpkin. The neck is usually made of aged Tun wood. Metal strings made of steel (bass strings also of brass or bronze) run across two bridges made of bone. The frets are movable by cords that are tied to the neck and are also made of steel. The word sitar comes from Iran and means three strings. Seh means three and Tar means string. The TABLA is regarded as the queen of drums and percussion instruments and is the most popular South Asian rhythm instrument. It consists of two drums: the Bayan (big bass drum) and the Dayan. The two of them are almost always played together. The tuning wedges that are held by leather straps at the sides are meant for tuning the instrument. Depending on whether the wedges are beaten upwards or downwards by the tuning hammer, the sound gets lower or higher. Fine-tuning is done by beating with the tuning hammer on the woven ring around the skin.

5 The KORG WAVEDRUM blurs the line between electronic and acoustic percussion. This dynamic percussion synthesizer is intensely sensitive, capable of picking up each and every subtle finger action. It also works well with mallets and sticks. MACBOOK PRO is an Apple laptop that many music producers use to create and record music. Using a software called ABLETON LIVE, the artists are able to create beats, different sound effects, loops, baselines and more - all live on stage. The KAOSSILATOR is a new pocket sized instrument that packs Korg ' s world renowned synth sound along with innovative performance features into an ultracompact unit. Anyone can instantly play musical phrases by simply tapping or sliding their finger across the KAOSSILATOR s touch pad.

6 ARTS ACTIVITY: DRUM TONGUE Legend has it that the sounds of the Tabla are a representation of raindrops falling on a lotus flower. South Asian music has always been an aural tradition, specific syllables are tied to particular sounds of the Tabla. Here are some basic examples: Ta Ka Dhin Na Dha Kit Tee Tun ACTIVITY: Have the students create there own rhythms using these basic words. Examples: Na Na Dha, Ta Ka Dhin Ta Ka Tun

7 LAPIS TECH SPEC & SET-UP LAPIS s set-up is very simple. They request that schools provide: 2 tables 2 chairs 2 power outlets They will do the rest. Set-up time and tear-down take approximately 30 minutes each. If available, the artists request that bottled water be provided as well as a room to change in and tune their instruments. Any questions? Please call Mohamed on (604) or Rup on (604) Thanks.