Ethnic Performance!

As seen in the picture above, it is the so-called ethnic performance. Although, the music that we played are not really ethnic music, the use of ethnic instruments just enough to make it so. We were doing the fusion, or maybe the world music, since we used synthesizer and bass as well. You can see in this photo... me and my friends performing. It was fun!

Adrian playing bass, you can see him in the photo, wearing the headgear, sitting on a chair with his bass. I'm playing the gongs, sitting on the floor, right next to Adrian. Then, the two engkeromong players, Alcila and Emma, sitting in front. Then we have Lya with her sape. Bryan playing the handsonic synthesizer, a unique synthesizer, should I say. Then, we have Jackson who play erhu and drums.

Our theme for this performance was the fusion of Iban and Chinese music. This explains the use of erhu and sape, to get the feel of the theme. Whilst most of the instruments, especially engkeromong and gongs are off Iban, it does give the unique feel to the performance. Added with the synthesizer's effects of rainforest, just make it feel better and better.

One thing I learn from this was, ethnic music actually drives our creativity to its peak. Lecturers were there, but they only give some clues, while the rest we do it ourselves. Although the time was short, but we made it, and it was a good start for our ethnic group. Oh yeah, if you notice the 'gendang' resting on the girls' lap? Its called ketebung. Since it is Iban's instrument, it is played in the Iban's section. From here, I learn many things about ethnic. Not only it was fun, but it also taught me that I should understand the cultures and spirituality. Spiritual matters are not to be taken lightly.

Those ethnic instruments, we can never step, or walk over them. Because of its tie to spiritual ritual, we might get cursed if we treat the instruments with bad manners. Since I can sometimes feel the aura around me, I would sometime feel uneasy when playing the gongs. Surely there is something that I can't see with my plain eyes. Only God knows.

Putting that aside, I'm looking forward to a big project that my lecturer told me during the ethnic class. He said that we will be asked to compose and perform our own ethnic piece with every one of us involved, and more instruments to be used. I hope I'll be playing encoyo this time, the bamboo flute which I had bought. I really am looking forward to this project in the upcoming semester. Perhaps, this will be the best experience I ever had.



"Protect the beautiful, crush the ugly."