World music sampler: Saturday, November 15, 2008
Please try to be at Convocation Hall by 7:00 PM. There's no sound check but we'll review seating positions. The concert starts at 8 PM. We should be on around 8:30. Be backstage by the start of the previous group.
Dress: dark colors, with splash of color if you'd like.
Bring your tuned instrument, and music for the pieces we're playing only. Invest in a black folder if you're not using a music stand.
Program
(20 minutes)
- Amurr bismiki (once through only!) Percussionists, take care in switching between wahda and maqsum.
- Wahrane (first and second verses, oud taqsim by Aws, then repeat first verse and close)
- Foug al-Nakhal (piano intro, then instrumental, 2x chorus, verse, chorus, verse, 2x chorus) - Amal and Rana, solo.
- Shoore Ashegaane in G minor (Kioumars solo, Andrew on tonbak)
General principles
- melodic instrumentalists should take care: (1) to drop volume during vocal solos, and raise volume during chorus sections; (2) to drop volume during targama, and raise volume during lawazim, creating a sharp contrast; (3) to drop volume prior to solos, in order to maximize contrast; (4) develop your own tasteful lawazim and heterophonic variations; (5) stay in tune and on pitch
- melodic instrumentalists should vary repeats, by rising an octave if possible (violins especially)
- when one instrument has a solo, others should not drop out. For taqasim, provide a quiet drone on the tonic. For other solos, use a "targama" technique, as if accompanying the singer.
- percussionists should take care: (1) not to let volume get too high; (2) to listen to one another and to the rest of the ensemble, in order to stay in time; (3) not to accelerate or decelerate except where required; (4) provide nice balance of dum and tek, drum sound and jingle sound, within the ensemble by including a variety of percussion instruments: tabla, tonbak, riqq, tambourine, shaker, clave, etc.
- percussion should always change between chorus and verse; use quieter, less dense cycles with less jangling for verses; louder, denser, janglier for chorus. Precise specifications will vary with the piece.
- singers: (1) know who is singing solo part and who is singing chorus; (2) sing loudly!
- all: watch each other, watch me, smile and enjoy the performance! :)