the Percussion Ensemble at our campus on Monday November 21th is very energetic and lively. Comparing to the serious traditional orchestra concert which is intangible to some people, the percussion ensemble is more free and palpable to all.
This show is pretty good. The lighthearted beat just make you want to dance. There are many different percussion instruments present in this performance, such as drum, gong, tambourine, maracas, güiro, xylophone and others that I am not familiar with. I most like the one that is like a wooden vase; it produces a unique sound. When the player uses his whole palm to strike the opening of the vase, it produces even more special sound. They also use paint cans as percussion instrument, which is a very good way to recycle the wastes. I also see a very fancy percussion instrument which has dragon-like patterns, which produces ringing sound.
This show does not only include percussion, bu also contain music such as traditional Cuban music, Turkish traditional music and Bulgarian traditional music, as well as dance. It is always a good experience to listen to the music from different culture. I like these traditional music; they all have a happy tone. I guess they are created to celebrate something and expected to bring blissful atmosphere. I most like the last piece, which is accompanied by two dancers. They are dancing yambu which is the slowest version of rhumba. It is totally different from the ballet, tap and modern dance we watched before. It is not as elegant as ballet, as fast as tap, and as abstract as modern dance. It requires more slow wiggle of waist, rhythmic foot steps, and a bit bouncing of body; it does not emphasize on jump.
In short, this show is pretty enjoyable; it brings me a brand new experience and informs me about other culture, such as Cuban culture. This entire performance is also like an exhibit of percussion instruments. It makes me realize that even though percussion instruments do not play main roles in any performance, they are still integral part of music.
Enjoy Yambu
There is a vast array of indigenous cultural dances. Each requires inquiry to see how it integrates into the culture from which it derives. Curiosity and respect for these cultures will reap many rewards.