World music: rhythm driven tunes from Brazil, Cuba, Ghana and Senegal
Piano places are limited to two so please check with the department prior to enrolling if you want to play piano on this course.
- Course Code: ME720
- Dates: 20/09/24 - 25/10/24
- Time: 18:15 - 20:15
- Taught: Fri, Evening
- Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Sarha Moore
Course Code: ME720
Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
A practical experience of rhythm driven music from the Caribbean, South America and West Africa.
What will we cover?
Ghanaian hi-life; Brazilian samba and bossa nova; Cuban son and salsa, and Senegalese rumba.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Across our six sessions you will have learned at least one rhythmic pattern from four separate countries and use this pattern within popular tunes of those countries.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The main skill that will enable you to get the best from this course is a good feel for rhythm: holding a beat while listening to, and playing, contrasting patterns. An instrumental skill would be advantageous, including percussion and voice. Melodic instruments such as brass and woodwind are traditionally used in these styles, as well as guitars, keys, bass and drums. Other instruments welcome.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The class meetings will include percussion and vocal warm-ups, listening to recordings and identifying parts to play, supplemented by notation where relevant. Personal practice between sessions is invaluable, supported by resources in the Google classroom for the course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Bring any instrument - just notify us in advance what you will play so the tutor may prepare parts.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Other courses are scheduled where you may play world music, and there is an appreciation course with the same tutor. Bollywood tunes (ME722a) follows this term in this time slot.
Sarha is an experienced teacher and gigging musician, performing on the saxophone, arranging and composing on the piano, in classical, jazz and world music genres. Her principal band, Bollywood Brass Band, is the UK’s pioneering Indian-style wedding band, performing tunes and compulsively danceable rhythms of Bollywood films. Twice nominated for Songlines World Music Awards, the band has performed across the world in concerts, festivals, and Indian weddings in the UK, Europe, India, Thailand and South Africa. Sarha played with Ghanaian Highlife band Orchestre Jazira, and socialist big band, The Happy End. She also plays in the Charlie Mingus jazz cover band Hog Callin’, The Great Yiddish Parade marching band and Freylekh klezmer band. Sarha’s specialist area is World Music, and she has a PhD on the study of the Flattened Supertonic across different cultures. At CityLit she teaches jazz and classical piano, saxophone, world music styles (practical and academic courses), musicianship and music theory.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.