Music from Cambodia

The music of Cambodia is derived both from traditions dating back to the ancient Khmer Empire and from the rapid Westernization of the popular music scene in modern times ... Cambodian Art music is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as Hindu forms. Religious dancing, many of which depict stories and ancient myths, are common. Some dances are accompanied by a pinpeat orchestra, which includes a ching (cymbal), roneat (bamboo xylophone), pai au (flute), sralai(oboe), chapey (bass banjo), gong (bronze gong), tro (fiddle), and various kinds of drums. Each movement the dancer makes refers to a specific idea, including abstract concepts like today (pointing a finger upwards). The 1950s saw a revival in classical dance, led by queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearyrath. 

From Wikipedia. 

Done with the B's!

Just a couple of days ago I posted music from Burkina Faso, thereby finishing the B's. At this point, I need to decide to either continue alphabetically, or mix things up a bit moving from country to country as I see fit. While music doesn't necessarily interact with world events in all situations, I've found that discovering music from countries that are in the news (e.g. Sudan) provides a deeper connection with the human element.

Regardless of which way I go with this project, I love seeing the map fill up - note that the setup I have now is (hopefully) temporary, as I'm an amateur when it comes to getting Google Maps to work how I want it to.

Stay tuned!

Music from Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is home to some 60 different ethnic groups, each with their own variety of folk music. The country has produced very little popular music compared to its neighbors, which includes African musical giants like Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Burkinabé traditional music, however, has continued to thrive in spite of the influx of popular styles, and the country's cultural, and musical, output remains quite diverse.

The national anthem of Burkina Faso is "Une Seule Nuit", written by Thomas Sankara. It has been the official anthem of the country since 1984, when Upper Volta became known as Burkina Faso. It remains even after Sankara was murdered in a coup, the leader of which remains in power.  

From Wikipedia

Music from Burma (Myanmar)

Traditional music from Burma is melodious, generally without harmony, and usually in 4/4 time (na-yi-se) or 2/4 (wa-let-se) or 8/16 (wa-let-a-myan). There are "the segments combined into patterns, combined into verses, combined into songs [that] make Burmese music a multileveled hierarchical system...The Burmese musician manipulates the various levels of the hierarchy to create the song..." (Becker 1969, p. 272) 

From Wikipedia