My Global Music Autobiography
- Hannah Cheatham
- Jan 7, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 27, 2020
For my first post, I figured explaining my musical background, especially my non-western musical experiences, would be essential. So let's take off!
I'm a choir kid at heart and a music nerd by nature. I've experienced much in the way of the western musical tradition and ideals, even way back when I was 6, wanted to be a ballerina, and Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker was my jam! I always loved music class, joined choir as soon as I could and, without realizing it, opened myself up to all kinds of musical experiences, both western and non.
It was elementary music that first introduced me to different types music. From classical selections, to Asian folk songs, to American folk songs and spirituals that grew up right in my home state of South Carolina. Choir took the reins from middle school onward and not only fed my exponentially growing hunger for music, but also broadened my experiences with world music, as it has become quite a formidable genre of choral music in recent years yielding about 800 results on J.W. Pepper. 10 years of choral training has allowed me to sing in at least 12 different languages (that I can remember) and another couple folk songs using vocables.
These choral experiences not only opened up the world in terms of language, but also through the stories these pieces tell. Discussing the tradition and cultural background of a piece was crucial in my high school choir, sometimes even adapting the performance practices. My junior year, my chamber choir learned and performed an American shape-note hymn, hailing from the Psalters of early Northeastern US singing schools (1790s-1800s). Shape-note notation was used as a way to teach the everyday person to read musical pieces such as hymns, anthems, and folk tunes. The singing style is a very different sound than the classically trained choir sound, so 18 choir nerds singing with spread vowels and chesty, seemingly untrained technique was quite interesting and a lot of fun as well as a break from the norm!
Another illuminating discussion in our class was the text and story behind South Africa's national anthem, Shosholoza (Go Forward). Starting humbly as a gold miners' work song, it transformed into a song of solidarity through South Africa's political unrest, and has even been used recently by climate activists. "Go forward" it says, as a encouragement to all who hear to carry on through the good times and the bad. I think that in our world, it's a song championing peace and and strength. The unique mix of Zulu and Ndebele text as well as the call and response structure and encouraging message, made this piece very enjoyable performance and uplifting for our audience. We even had our own choreography!
And of course an amazing experience was my most recent expedition: to Oppenau, Germany! Theoretically, it's still a part of the western musical tradition, but I would be crazy if I didn't include one of my only two trips out of the country. And a trip to a country as culturally and musically rich as Deutschland! My school of music performed with a Bach choir and orchestral musicians at the 23rd Classical Music festival in Oppenau and got to experience Germany in a very interesting way by staying with host families. It made me realize how music, specifically classical music, is held in such high regard over there! Additionally, the piece we performed had cultural influences from all around the world and we got to sing in six different languages (If you're interested in the piece, click on the picture above. It's not us performing, but it's an amazing piece)! We explored and we performed and I could not have asked for a better trip!!!
I've been very blessed to have the experiences I've had so far and the exciting bit is that there's still lots left to learn! I really look forward to learning more about music from different lands and ultimately I would love to go and experience in those lands. When I do, I'll let you guys know!!!
Wanna learn more? Here are my sources!
I loved the picture of you in the pink ballerina costume and the South African national anthem sounded like a hymn to me. They had some beautiful costumes, too. I saw the pictures of the Converse music students while in Germany during the fall semester. The cathedrals there were amazing!!!
So, of course, I enjoyed reading about the Germany trip--we've gone three times now, and so by the past trip it was an opportunity to see old friends and favorite places. But I <really> loved the South African song, because it recalls a different memory. For about 15 summers Dr. Mr. V and I taught at a high school music festival in Pennsylvania. One of our dearest friend (and a Converse alumna) often directed the student chorus for a week, and her doctoral dissertation was on the South African choral tradition, so we got to hear that same song many times. In fact, one year I even sang with the students for that week, so I got to perform it…
As I was reading your autobiography, I could feel your love and appreciation for all things musical. From your time as a young enthusiast to the adult who performs across the world there is passion to learn and absorb the different things this life has to offer. I could not imagine the time it took to be able to sing in 6 different languages and it just shows your dedication to sharing music from all over the world.
As a young girl, I also loved the Nutcracker and it was also my jam-I thought I'd start off with that. When I was younger I was also a choir kid. From the time I started elementary school until 5th grade, I learned to read and sing music in chorus. I wish the shape-note singing had been the way that the teacher taught us because that seems easier than the way I was taught. Fun fact: I actually sang Shosholoza in 5th grade with the chorus. It was one of the best experiences of my life. It gave me my first look into African music and I didn't go back from there. I'm glad you got the experience of Germany!…