Category Archives: McManus’ Observations

Googoosh Live in Houston!

Posted on by

Iranian pop musician Googoosh will perform live in Houston at 9:00 p.m. on September 15th, 2012 at the Hobby Center! If you’re not familiar with her music, you should check her out on youtube. Here is just one example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhWcAxo4qug Otherwise, we’ll talk about the socio-cultural and political significance of her music in Iran and in the Iranian diaspora later in the semester. In particular, we’ll exam her recent hit “I am Iran”:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuBSrYEwN44

This concert unfortunately falls outside of the scope of our project, both because it occurs prior to the date your proposal is due and because it is in Houston. Regardless, if you are able to attend, this is a great opportunity to hear an internationally renowned popular musician relatively close to home. http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0C0048F0B6268B12

 

Complex Algorithms Show All Pop Music The Same. Are they right or wrong? (Or both?)

Posted on by

Click photo for link to article

Click photo for link

On July 26th, 2012, Reuters news agency released an article titled “Pop music too loud and all sounds the same: official.” I have included a link to the article below, or you can click on the photo to bring you automatically to the full text. I’ve also included a link to the primary source, a 2012 scientific article published in Nature called ”Measuring the Evolution of Contemporary Western Popular Music,” by Joan Serra, et al.

 

First, read the Reuters article in its entirety. Next, read the “Discussion Section” of the Nature article. Then, answer me this MUSC/ANTH 324 students – are they right? Is all popular music essentially the same? If not, which musical characteristics are similar, and which are different? And if it is all similar, is the lack of musical variety they discuss a bad thing?

Continue reading →

MUSC/ANTH 324 Featured on TAMU CLLA Website & Facebook!

Posted on by

Great news – MUSC/ANTH 324 was featured on the College of Liberal Arts website and facebook! Special thanks to TAMU Senior Alex Yap for writing this wonderful article about our fieldwork projects. It was fun having Ms. Yap in class and I enjoyed very much getting to know this young journalist. All best in your future endeavors, Alex, and please feel free to visit class or office hours at your convenience.

Read the full story here: http://liberalarts.tamu.edu/html/news–classroom-experience-maps-the-world-through-music.html

Texas A&M Holi Festival

Posted on by

2012 Holi Shirt

Considering that Holi is a Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring, today could not have been more perfect. Clear blue skies, bright yellow sun, green grass, and blooming purple wildflowers. These natural colors were augmented by clouds of pink, purple, green, yellow, and orange dust floating in the air. Holi is also known as the “Festival of Colors,” as participants celebrate the arrival of spring by throwing brightly colored powder on one another, drenching one another in water, eating & celebrating, and dancing to a soundscape of Bhangra. Continue reading →

Brazilian Capoeira

Posted on by

Capoeira is "played" in circle formation (called roda) and accompanied by drums, multiple berimbau, call and response singing, and clapping. From left to right: Silas Adams, Ahmad Alshehri, John Matheus, Jermaine Anugwom, Gerson Vasconcelos, Aura Infante, and MUSC/ANTH 324 student Deren Koseoglu

Special thanks to the Windy Sport & Fitness Capoeira class, owner Jermaine Anugwom, and liaison John Matheus for allowing MUSC/ANTH 324 students to observe and participate in a Capoeira class on March 6th, 2012! For those of you who are new to the genre, Capoeira is a form of Brazilian martial arts that incorporates music and dance-like characteristics and is “played” in a circle formation (called roda). Continue reading →

Indian Student Association’s Sangam 2012

Posted on by

Wow! Congratulations to all of the teams that performed last night at the TAMU Indian Student Association’s Sangam 2012 competition. I can see that a considerable amount of time and effort went into your performances and the entire event. From the video skits to the rapping, the sound mixing and MCing, and of course the dancing, everyone did a great job.

To my students that attended Sangam 2012 for your research project, I think you selected an event full of fascinating ethnographic moments. Your challenge? Narrowing them down. Continue reading →