Stories about Music from October, 2012
Saint Lucia: Jounen Kwéyòl Festivities (Creole Day)
On Sunday, Saint Lucia celebrated its annual Jounen Kwéyòl (Creole Day). The day of activities were the culmination of Creole Heritage Month. On Jounen Kwéyòl, selected communities host a fair where the Creole culture is celebrated through dress, music and most of all, food.
China, South Korea: Gangnam Style in Chinese Universities
South Korea PSY pop, Gangnam style has landed in China. Around 3,700 people danced the Gangnam Style together at Nanjing Hehai University and a few dozen students danced on the stage of the Peking University International Cultural Festival… But Ooops, the stage collapsed. (Via Beijing Cream)
Kyrgyz Music Fridays
Kyrgyz Music Friday is a weekly feature in which I post a pop music video from an artist in Kyrgyzstan… [It] is not trying to appeal to your musical taste, but simply gives you a glimpse into how pop music is done on this side of the world. Presented by Ivory Pomegranate.
Guyana: Upcoming Chris Brown Concert Upsets Anti-Violence Advocates
When news broke that Barbadian-born singer Rihanna's then-boyfriend Chris Brown had allegedly assaulted her, Caribbean bloggers were outraged. Talk of an upcoming Chris Brown concert in Georgetown has bloggers speaking out about the dangerous message it sends about gender violence.
Trinidad & Tobago: R.I.P., Bertie Marshall
Mark Lyndersay pays tribute to the late steel pan pioneer, Bertie Marshall, who passed away last week.
China: Gangnam Style by Beijing Foreigners
Jesse Appell a a Fulbright research fellow studying Chinese comedy made a video, “Laowai Style“, another fantastic parody of the Korean pop “Gangnam Style”.
East Timor: Documenting Traditional Music
The Timorese have a musical culture which is unique, but at present deeply hidden, the world is interested in it, and it deserves to be noticed and survive. The Unofficial East Timor blog publishes an interview with Ros Dunlop, the author of a book titled “Sounds of the Soul: The...
Slovakia: Music Copyright Agency Vs. School Drama Club
The Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights Society imposes a €975 fine on a high school drama club for a fundraiser ball, which included a raffle and featured songs authored and performed by the club members - but had not been properly registered with the music copyright agency. Tibor Blazko reports.
Haiti: Yéle Haiti Facing Allegations of Financial Impropriety
Various allegations of financial impropriety have been directed at musician and activist Wyclef Jean's charity Yéle Haiti. The allegations are centered on the millions that the defunct charitable organization received in donations after the Janury 2010 earthquake period that devastated the island.
India: Online Video Archive for Performing Arts
Shabda is an unique online archive of videos presenting lecture demonstrations on various Indian art forms. Inspired by the TED talk format, Shabda's creators invite experts in music, dance or theatre to give a lecture on the topic of their choice for twenty minutes.
Mexico: #YoSoy132 and the Festival ‘Corona Capital 2012′
Corona Capital 2012, a musical festival in Mexico where bands such as New Order, Franz Ferdinand, The Raveonettes and many others will perform, has been immersed in a controversy, thanks to a boycott promoted by the movement #YoSoy132.
Turkmenistan: An Introduction to Dutar
One can’t think of Turkmen art and culture without thinking about the dutar. Khan on the NewEurasia.net blog offers an ‘introduction’ to the traditional musical instrument that is also widely used in other Central Asian countries, Iran, and South Asia.
Italian Singer Encourages Kazakhs to Speak Mother Tongue
Son Pascal, an Italian singer and songwriter, has become a celebrity in Kazakhstan by passionately encouraging Kazakhs to speak their mother tongue. In a brief interview with Global Voices Online, Pascal talks about his love for all things Kazakh.
