Track 1 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Listen to this' for Key Stage 3.

Music from South America, from Saydisc album 'Music of the Andes', performed by Caliche (3'01")
Main features: ostinato, changes in tempo and metre.
This track from the Andes, features three South American Instruments. These are the quena, a type of flute, the charango, a small lute, and the bombo, meaning 'drum'. The Track Explorer has five learning tracks focusing on instrumentation, structure, the repeating rhythm ostinato on the bomb, phrasing of the quena and chords.

Track 5 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Listen to this' for Key Stage 2. Song and dance music from Uganda from Saydisc album 'Spirit of African Sanctus' (2'23")
Main features: instrumentation, rhythmic and melodic ostinatos, call and response.

This celebratory music from Uganda features a call and response, accompanied by two edongos (bowed harps), clap-sticks, seed-pod shaker and drum. The Track Explorer has four learning tracks focusing on instrumentation, melodic and rhythmic ostinatos and the call and response.

Image of middle eastern percussion instrument, for examples listen to; Track 12 Sama'i Thaqil, 08 Alwan Mizan, 07 Ansam - Breezes or Track 14 Cerga

Track 1 from Saydisc "Percussion around the World" - notes from Maureen Hanke.

Vientos del Sur is an example of traditional music of the Andes. It features the Bolivian pipes, accompanied by the interesting percussion sound of the bombo. The bombo is the double-headed frame drum of Spain and South America.
In Vientos del Sur, the bombo plays throughout. The beats are arranged into groups of 6 and the bombo plays on the first of each group of 6.
This is the strong beat.

(In a music session note how the low pitch of the bombo gives a feeling of strength to the piece. Count the groups of 6 while you listen.)

Track 7 from Saydisc "Percussion Around the World" - notes from Maureen Hanke.

'Ansam' is an example of Arabic music. The Arabian Gulf is an important geographical and trading link between the Mediterranean and the Far East. It is an area of rich demographic diversity with a commensurate variety of music.

Ansam features the darbuka and dholak.The darbuka is a type of single headed goblet-shaped drum. It is made from pottery, wood or metal and can be played either under the arm or resting on the player's knees. The base is hollow and the skin is attached by nails or glue.The darbuka originates from the Arabic region and the dholak from North India.

The piece of music opens with a solo flute. At the end of the flute statement there is a pause and the rhythm is clearly stated. The piece unfolds as an improvisation over and around the basic rhythm.
It might be helpful to think of improvisation as the equivalent of talking in language development. Improvising means making up as you play, listening to what you are playing as you go. As the piece develops, the improvisations by the darbuka and dholak become increasingly elaborate and exciting: each skin adding its own colour to the piece. As you keep listening try tapping the rhythm throughout.
Throughout the course of the piece all the instruments have a go talking over the rhythm.

( in a music session everyone could tap the basic rhythm and two people with different drums could take it in turns to improvise.)

In this recording the players start their improvisation by playing the rhythm exactly, then they gradually change parts of it; first just a beat, then a couple of notes, then half a phrase etc. This way the music has a feel of unfolding.

Track 6 from Saydisc "Percussion Around the World" - notes from Maureen Hanke.

'Asi el Acero' is a contemporary piece of Caribbean music for a solo tenor steel pan. A steel pan is made from a 55 gallon oil drum. The top of the oil drum is hammered and beaten to create a concave shape and marked into sections that correspond to specific pitches. The top, when complete, is removed from the drum at a depth which will determine the instrument's over all pitch.

( in a music session listen to tracks 5 and 6 and list the similarities and differences of both pieces)

Track 4 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (3'07") Tibetan Bon-po singing bowls. This piece features traditional Tibetan instruments such as a conch, yak-horn and singing bowls. The Track Explorer has one learning track focusing on the instruments.

Track 1 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (1'24") Call to worship at the Mula Gadha Kut Buddhist Temple, Sarnath. This piece features a bell and the chanting of monks. The learning track of the Track Explorer focuses on the sound of the bell.

Fit the pieces together to complete the image of a bendir.

Jacqueline Castro Ravelo is a talented Chilean folk-singer. She grew up listening to folk music and has been singing and playing the guitar since she was nine years old. She and her family have lived in exile for many years. Ravelo sings the songs of Chilean payadores (or poets) and uses her music as a means to preserve her native Chilean culture. In this clip Ravelo plays the bombo, a large, old drum originally from Argentina.
Footage from www.travelswithmusic.org