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Culture Loops ..... |
Description
Take a fascinating tour of West-Africa, the Middle-East, and Latin-America without leaving the school. Culture Loops presents the music from those three regions on authentic instruments that students and staff find toe-tappingly informative.
Students will be guided by award-winning composer/recording artist/teacher Michael Smolens single-handedly creates a whole ensemble, playing and 'looping' a half-dozen parts that magically interweave. This is a powerful and inspiring role modeling for students to see a multi-instrumentalist play so many different instruments from different cultures using modern looping technology.
The instruments used are: Senegalese balafon (marimba) and djun-djuns (conga-like drums), Turkish dumbek (goblet-shaped hand drum), Brazilian tamborim (small tambourine), shaker, melodica (small reed keyboard), alto flute, and voice & vocal bass.
Presenter Testimonial
"With 26 years in education (20 of them as a principal)
I have seen hundreds and hundreds of assemblies.
Some are entertaining, some are educational, and a few strike
a wonderful balance between those two vital ingredients.
Michael Smolens did a superb job by bringing his Culture Loops to our International Day Feast at Brisbane Elementary School.
Facing a super challenging performance situation
(250 young students eating in a small and noisy cafeteria),
he created magical music, captivating sounds, and at the end let the kids experience his instruments up close, answering all their questions. He was so great that we asked him to perform at our district's other elementary school (Panorama), and had an even greater impact on the kids and parents there.
Thank you, Michael!"
—Chad Carvey
(Dual Principal,
Brisbane & Panorama Elementary Schools)
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