CHAPTER 10: CREATING PERFORMING ARTS IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Introduction

In this Chapter, you will study about traditional African musical Instruments and classify them. You will also experiment with, and identify materials, tools, techniques and processes used to produce performing artworks. You need to always protect your environment Go, this Chapter will enable you appreciate the need to apply environmentally responsible practices when developing art forms

Activity 10.1 Studying Music from different cultures

Listen to recorded muste played and

In groups,

1. Identify the cultural origin of the music
2. Discuss the components used to produce the music.
3. Identify the African traditional instruments used to accompany the song.
4. Discuss the costumes and props from the natural environment that are appropriate to the music you have, listened, to be performed before an audience
5. Compose and perform your music inspired by the natural environment.

Traditional African Musical Instruments

Traditional African Musical Instruments perform several roles away from working as accompaniments to music and dancing. They are used for communication. For example, the drum is always used in the communities to call people for community work They preserve our cultures in terms of different rhythms that identify different tribes and communicate various meanings. Instruments may be played as a solo or a composition for worship and entertainment for people Instruments communicate different meanings such as the drum which is used to call upon people together and take on a communal duty like taking care of sanitation and hygiene and alerting people of danger. It has also enabled the manufacturers to earn as well as the players.

2. What are the English equivalent names of each of the instrument above?

3. Mention and discuss more instruments, their names, origin and describe how they are played.
4. Observe some of the instruments you have classified. Identify the different materials from the natural environment which are used for making them.
5. Discuss the different tools used for making different instruments.
6. Describe how each musical instrument in the pictures above is made.

7. Describe the cultural historical background of the instruments you have categorised. Mention the occasions in which they were played in the past and present days.
8. Explain the functions of traditional African musical instruments

Classification of traditional African musical instruments

African Musical instruments are grouped into classes namely, string

wind, percussions, the melodic and non-melodic instruments

Activity 10.3 Classifying and playing musical instruments

In groups,

1. List the musical instruments you stated in the table above in their different classes
2. Describe the different ways in which African traditional musical instruments are played.
3. Select one African traditional musical instrument and practise the tuning and playing technique.
4. Make presentations of your instrumental work.
5. Suggest the different ways different musical instruments can be cared for and stored.

6. Compose and perform your own music piece highlighting the message on how the instrument you selected can be played.

Watch the video below to learn more about how music is classified