Global Sounds Concert exhibits music from all over the world

The Global Sounds Concert showcased music and culture from countries all over the world at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Luther H. Jenkins Greek Theatre.

This free concert, open to students and the general public, presented music and dance performances from Japan, Indonesia, West Africa and Brazil, according to the Modlin Center for the Arts website.

The Global Sounds Concert was directed by Andrew McGraw, an assistant professor of music at the University of Richmond.

McGraw expected the concert to include community groups that he and Paul Yoon, visiting lecturer of music, teach, as well as the Global Sounds Ensemble.

The Global Sounds Ensemble is a .5-unit course that students can take for the visual and performing arts general education requirement, McGraw said.

"In this class, nobody comes in with any facility. They do not use notation. All of these are oral traditions," McGraw said. "We can take any student -- with or without musical background."

The ensemble studied music from three different traditions and performed a piece from each. The class learned Balinese gamelan, a musical ensemble from Bali, Indonesia, McGraw said. He invited Balinese dancers from the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C. to perform at the concert and dance.

The class also learned West African drumming of the Ewe ethnic group in Ghana, McGraw said. Nani Agbeli, a master and drummer dancer from Ghana, was asked to come and dance with both Richmond and University of Virginia dance students, McGraw said.

The final tradition the class learned was Taiko.

Yoon said his Taiko class had only been practicing the drumming this semester. For most of them, this was their first introduction to any of the traditions, Yoon said.

"The important part of this ensemble is being able to experience and compare different traditions," McGraw said. "We know coming into it, you are never going to get to that level of virtuosity, so it's just an introduction."

"[The Global Sounds Concert] is a great showcase for the different traditions represented on UR's campus," Yoon said. "It also shows the students that they can do it without any prior experience."

The fourth tradition showcased at the concert were Brazilian ensembles called bossa nova and samba, McGraw said. These traditions were taught by Kevin Harding, McGraw said.

"None of the [ensembles] are watered down; that's what they do back there," McGraw said. "Take it or leave it."

McGraw said this music was community-oriented, which differed from the individualized techniques of Western tradition. He said the ensemble was about how the different groups of people united.

"[The Global Sounds Concert] is great because it will connect the community with the students, especially on campus," McGraw said.

Contact staff writer Marie Jayme at marie.jayme@richmond.edu