Celebrating the Cultural Treasures of Los Angeles
Through ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program, master artist Bernard Barros Ellorin has been working all year with his 2019 apprentice Kimberly (Kim) Kalanduyan in kulintang music from the Southern Philippines, which is played on a set of gongs that have different melodic…
Master artist in Japanese shamisen
Kulintang Music of the Philippines is an ancient ensemble musical form usually recognized by the use of knobbed gongs made of bronze or brass. The ensemble can include the kulintang, a set of gongs laid in a row according to pitch upon a stand; hanging gongs known as agung and…
Taiko is the Japanese word for drum. Though the instrument itself can be traced back thousands of years, the art form of ensemble drumming, Kumidaiko, started in Japan in the 1950s and made its way to North America in the late 1960s, entering through the Japanese American communities of San…
The music and drumming of the Mandinka dates back to the 13th century in the Mali Empire. These century old traditions, songs and rhythms are related to various life cycles such as infant naming, agriculture and marriage ceremonies, as well as pertaining to specific social and religious societies. Central to…
The mridangam, a South Indian classical or Carnatic percussion is one of the world’s oldest, most complex and versatile drums. A pitched hand drum with both rhythmic and melodic qualities that dates back to over 2000 years. The mridangam is utilized in Carnatic music ensembles providing rhythmic cycles and structure…
Carnatic music originated in South India from the ancient classical music system that is traced back to the Vedic age. Carnatic music is characterized by a well-structured system of swaras (successive steps/notes of an octave), raagas (melodic modes), kriti (musical compositions with lyrics). A unique feature is the concept of…
The derbekki is a hand drum that is played throughout the Middle East. Its name and use varies from region to region, each place contributing to the overall repertoire of traditional Middle Eastern percussion. The derbekki is utilized in classical, folk, and popular styles, and accompanies instrumental music, as well…
The Mridangam is a two-headed drum that is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in all Carnatic or South Indian Classical music performance. A very ancient instrument referenced in sculptures and epics of India thousands of years ago, Mridangam and the art of playing the instrument have evaloved highly over the centuries.
