University of Alberta Middle Eastern and North African Music Ensemble

From CCE wiki archived
Revision as of 18:00, 23 June 2016 by Michaelf (talk | contribs) (Meeting place and time)
Jump to: navigation, search

This course will be available for credit in Fall 2016. Enroll using Bear Tracks.

Sign up for the MENAME email list.

New members click here for more information about the group.


MENAME (Middle Eastern and North African Music Ensemble) (Music 148, 448, 548)

short URL for this page: http://bit.ly/MENAME or http://bit.ly/mename

Overview

The University of Alberta Middle Eastern and North African Music Ensemble (MENAME) is a University of Alberta course and a community group for the study and performance of music from Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Berber, Hebrew, Nubian, Kurdish, Armenian, and other musical-linguistic communities of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as fusions thereof. Our aim is to learn and appreciate these musical traditions, to use music as a gateway towards broader intercultural understanding, and as a means of forming and maintaining a harmonious intercultural musical community here in Edmonton, bridging all divisions, especially those of ethnicity, nationality, language, and religion.

Our repertoire covers various gamuts, from specialized "high art" to participatory folk, from local to regional, from old to new. Besides studying pieces from the region (mostly songs), we also focus on regional musical concepts (tonal and rhythmic) in theory and practice, through a series of in-class exercises developing the ears in new directions.

The group gathers diverse members: musicians interested in traditions of the region; university students studying the region's culture, society and history; members of language communities; and anyone else who wishes to participate. MENAME was founded by director Michael Frishkopf in 2005 as the Arab Music Group; its scope has gradually expanded to include the Middle East and North Africa.

Technically the course is listed under University of Alberta's "open studies" program, and thus is accessible to anyone who wants to enroll. And everyone interested is encouraged to do so. Neither musical training, nor fluency in musical notation, nor the ability to play an instrument, nor fluency in regional languages is a prerequisite. All I ask is that you make a firm commitment to the group for one full year, and participate with energy and enthusiasm.

Besides regular meetings, there are also various occasions to perform in public. Minimally, I expect all group members to participate in the world music sampler, and in the final concert (see performances link, below).

The course provides 3 course weights per semester and combines performance and academics, the latter including:

  • readings and films
  • weekly short lectures, films or analytical listening
  • a midterm and final, including performance and academic components

Meeting place and time

We meet every Thursday evening, fall and winter terms, usually from 6:30 to 9:30 pm (but sometimes we start later, or end earlier - join the mailing list to be in the know), in Studio 27, Fine Arts Building (FAB) of the University of Alberta campus (between the Timms centre and HUB mall, and next to the bus stop). Studio 27 is just north of the FAB central stairwell, on the second floor. It's on your left as you cross the breezeway from HUB mall to FAB. All are welcome!

For prospective members

MENAME prospective students click here.

For members

Modify subscriptions to our MENAME email list
Join our MENAME Facebook group (Note: log into Facebook before clicking)

Course outlines and schedules

Click here for the winter 2016 course outline

Click here for the fall 2012 course outline

Repertoire

MENAME repertoire, by year (INCLUDING CURRENT REPERTOIRE)

Near Eastern Ensemble tapes (located off-wiki)

Repertoire content (located on-wiki)

Suggestion box. Please feel free to add...

Middle Eastern Dance pieces

MENAME performance programs: past and present

Links contain schedules; each performance is linked to its program.

Performances (Fall 2012)

Performances (2011-12)

Performances (2010-11)

Performances (2009-10)

Performances (2008-09)

Performances (2007-08)

Other past concert programs

Other online resources

MENAME

YouTube videos of MENA area songs

Performances by MENAME:

Regional musics

Arab music URLs

Turkish music URLs

Iranian music URLS

Kurdish music URLs

Israeli music URLs

Dance URLs

Theory, ear training, practica

MENA music

Michael's resources: PDF files providing basic maqamat and iqa`at (rhythms) for Arab music of Egypt/Levant

MaqamWorld: comprehensive treatment of maqamat, but nice coverage of instruments, forms, and iqa`at as well - Arab music of Egypt/Levant

Alsiadi maqamat

Ja's Middle Eastern Rhythms: detailed treatment of rhythms (you'll find dozens!) featuring a remarkable MIDI rhythm generator that will play any rhythm notated using special symbols to indicate the various drum strokes

General

General music theory, simple introduction to Western music notation, for those who'd like to learn.

Tutorials in music theory: more advanced training in Western music notation and music theory.

Misc

A440 tuning fork

Saxophone fingerings from Dan Schnee

Ear work

http://trainer.thetamusic.com/

and this new one : http://www.meludia.com/en/