It might be small in size, but the humble ukulele has a fascinating history and is becoming more popular every year By Maria Photo by Alexandra Tran on Unsplash It might be a sweet instrument, but is there another connection between the Hawaiian ukulele and sugar? Actually, there is and it’s a very significant one. Back in the 1800s, Hawaii was known for its sugar plantations and had not yet been annexed by the US (1898). Portuguese migrants would go to the island to work on the sugar plantations and it was they who originated the ukulele. Three immigrants from the Portuguese island of Madeira - Manuel Nunes, José de Espírito Santo and Augusto Dias - developed the ukulele in the 1880s based on the look and sound of certain Portuguese instruments, such as the cavaquinho, machete, timple, and rajão. Hawaiians were impressed by the Portuguese creation and days later the instrument was played for the Hawaiian royals, King Kalakaua and Queen Emma. The name of the ukulele in the Hawaiian language means “jumping fleas”, probably because of the player’s fingers jumping from string to string. Decades later, the ukulele was exported to America and became a kitsch instrument, for example in films set in Hawaii. It was not taken seriously like the piano or the guitar and was sometimes seen as a children's instrument. In recent times the Ukulele has experienced a boost in popularity thanks to its use by artists such as Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift and people have started to gain more respect for the instrument. Organizations like Rockschool in the UK have started to provide accredited training courses for the ukulele just like they do for the guitar and piano. It is no longer seen as the toy it once was. And phenomenal ukulele players like Jake Shimabukuro have highlighted what a versatile instrument it is, allowing players to play all genres of music. To learn about the fascinating history of the ukulele in more detail, listen to this BBC World Service The Forum podcast, which features ukulele experts discussing its past, present and future (39 minutes).
We have been talking about the history of the ukulele, but what about its future? Will the Ukulele continue to tell interesting stories? And maybe you can be one of them. After all, if it’s good enough for kings and queens, it’s worth trying out for yourself.
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We have all heard stories about the terrible things that today's celebrities have done, said, or been involved in, but can we ignore this because they are great artists? By Tendai "Kanye West - Kanye Omari West" by Peter Hutchins is licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Let's take Kanye West as a prime example. One of the most famous artists in history. With 24 Grammy awards and over 160 million records sold, he as an artist has a significant influence on global culture. People listen to what he has to say through his music every day, but is it ok to do so? In 2022 he wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt to a public event. Later that year he posted a tweet saying “Death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE”, and a few years ago he publicly said “racism is a dated concept.” However, he recently released a new album, and in under a week, he surpassed Taylor Swift, becoming Spotify's No. 1 artist. It's not as if all of the things he has said and done outside of his lyrics are unknown. His ideologies are extremely well known as a result of hundreds of viral clips, tweets, and articles written about him. But we still choose to listen to his art. Michael Jackson, considered to be one of the most popular and groundbreaking musicians in history is another example of this. However, his situation is different considering that while Kanye is still making music today, he is not. He faced charges of child sexual abuse in 2007 and further proof was only released after his death in 2009. A documentary was released in 2019 called Leaving Neverland where Wade Robson and James Safechuck, accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them as children starting from ages seven and ten respectively. In fact, their lawsuit against Jackson has recently been revived in California courts. Despite the rumors and alleged evidence that Jackson was a child molester, however, his brand continued to thrive after his death. This issue comes down to personal opinion and morals. Some argue that if he were still alive today, they would not listen to his music due to the fact that he abused children. However, because he is dead, they technically aren't supporting him in any way but rather his “brand" as a seminal musical artist. If we circle back to active artists such as Kanye West, what does listening to his music actually do? For every individual time someone listens to one of his songs on Spotify alone he makes $0.00437. When we multiply this by the billions of streams he receives on this platform alone, he is making around $3,747,643 per year. Every time your fingertips tap on his play button on Spotify, you are actively making him richer. But why does this matter? Many may think Kanye is outrageous for having the confidence to say what he says, knowing that the whole world will see/hear it. However, considering that he has over forty billion streams on Spotify, his confidence must be through the roof. The more money he makes, the more compelled he presumably feels to continue his provocative behavior. Many people's immediate opinion on this debate is that if the artist isn't doing something that directly affects them, then why should they care what they say or do? What Kanye preaches cannot be ignored completely, though. The antisemitism, racism, and extreme ideas have to be recognized. As recently as a few years ago, he was seriously considering running for and becoming the next president of the U.S. But so what? Who cares what he says, thinks, and does? Well, we can all remember what happened when people didn't take another celebrity - DonaldTrump - seriously. Although we cannot fully compare the two, Kanye is an extremely powerful man, with extremely controversial and divisive ideologies. The name “Kanye” has almost become its own brand. It is so recognizable to the extent that we begin to feel an almost personal connection to him when we call him by his first name. Arguably, he has created this massive family of followers and fans who themselves don't notice what they truly stand for. Photo by Mathew Browne on Unsplash Kanye, and Jackson, although they are different people, can provoke similar arguments about them. But we can't just stay within the barriers of specific artists. Instead, we have to zoom out to the bigger picture: can we separate the artist from the art?
We can argue that we can never part the two because the more we listen, the more encouragement we give them for their behavior. However, we can also argue that if a person's music itself doesn't specifically encourage and show who they are outside of it, it's ok. Because music can have create a real connection with people; it can change people, and what an artist does outside of their music doesn’t matter. The question is, is there ever no connection between an artist and their art, or do we blindly get pulled into a feeling of connection with and come under the spell of someone who could be a human being with problematic morals? Can we really separate the two? We can yet again argue that in today's generation, people just don't care. I could take myself as an example. I listen to probably over 20 songs where I have no idea what they are saying. However, I love the way they sound. What if they are saying something horrific? I would never know, but it could slowly normalize whatever horrible idea is being spread. I could also say that I love to listen to Kanye, but at the same time I deeply hate anti-semitism, inequality, and racism. Does that make sense? Is it a paradox? If you are going to listen to Kanye, you must be self-aware and understand that you are part of the problem. We can't claim to support equality and still listen to Kanye, without understanding the impact we might be having. This doesn't just apply to Kanye, but all situations like these. Ultimately, it's not about separating the artist from the art but being self-aware of your actions and understanding who you support, indirectly or not. Learning piano is not just about putting your fingers in the right place; research shows it helps us develop our brains and raise our spirits. By Ama Did you know there are many benefits from learning to play the piano? Research from The University of Bath suggests that playing piano helps reduce anxiety, loneliness, stress and depression, as well as improving the way the brain handles multisensory information. The University's Cognitive Psychologist and Music Specialist Dr Karen Petrini points out how "learning to play an instrument like the piano is a complex task...the findings from our study suggest that this has a significant positive impact on how the brain processes audio-visual information." UK classical music radio station Classic FM also focusses on the power of the piano with an infographic it published in 2022, which puts together findings from different studies. It is incredible how many things are going on when someone plays this instrument! So, I recommend you start learning piano today! If you're looking for a place in Maputo to learn piano, or other instruments, or even how to sing, you should go to the Conservatory and Performing Arts Center called Musiarte. Musiarte is located in the Maputo downtown area next to Fortaleza. Some of the musical instruments they teach are piano, violin, guitar, ukulele, and xylophone. They also have a chorus, concerts, and other cool stuff such as dramatic art and opera. The age range is 3 years to adult. When I first started at Musiarte in September 2022, I was completely lost and had no idea how to read music or play the piano. However, as the months went by I started to get familiar with music theory. When you start playing an instrument you are assigned a book based on how well you play and how much you know about music theory. In case you don’t know what music theory is, according to avid.com it is ”the study of the fundamental elements that construct and govern the language of music, including notes, scales, chords, rhythm, melody, harmony, and form.” Photo by Jonathan Chng on Unsplash In order to learn an instrument you need to practice for at least 5 minutes daily, but 20 minutes is expected every day. Persevere through every song that is difficult until you finally get it. You may wonder what you need to do to learn piano. The experts from Hoffman Academy say ”it’s a decision you make every single day when you choose to practice.”
I would thoroughly recommend Musiarte because the teachers are very disciplined, but also kind, and patient. If you don’t understand an assignment or have difficulty playing a piece of music they will help you until you understand. The teachers give you feedback based on what you need to work on so you get better each time and are able to move on. If you are in a group lesson, the teacher will give attention to everybody in the class. If you are wondering when to do the classes, they are open every day except Sunday. I hope I have convinced you to learn piano. Research highlights what a great move this would be. The piano was invented around the year 1700. Imagine how many people's brains it has developed since then! You should make yours the next one. It's time to hit the keys. If it were up to the students they would have their headphones in all classes, but are they doing themselves any good? Reporting by Atharv It is widely known that music heightens your mood and is considered a valuable tool by students. But are they slacking off or actually making a smart choice? In this dive into how music can elevate your academic performance, we explore some studies and opinions and give you our honest opinion. It is important to bear in mind, however, that the research is not conclusive and may have different effects on different people. A study conducted in 2017 suggests that background music can enhance our cognitive abilities including learning, memory and concentration. Simply listening to music engages a complex network within the brain. These parts include: the auditory cortex, primary motor cortex and cerebellum. Music, as it seems, has the power to activate different parts of the brain. Mr Allen, secondary music teacher, also seems to be in favor of music, saying that “music is a form of relaxation and being relaxed helps you study.” Or as student Dakshu believes: ”Although distracting at times, the right kind of music can enable new levels of focus”. Music’s effect on the brain has been a topic of fascination upon students for decades, but now thanks to neuroscience we can see in much more nuanced ways how we respond to musical stimulation.
In a 1996 study, it was found that music has a positive effect on recalling verbal material. The rhythm of music, even without any musical accompaniment, can enhance the recall of text. A 2010 study involving college students later found that listening to Mozart’s symphonies increased the speed of spatial processing and accuracy in linguistic processing. Another study carried out in 2015 found that listening to Mozart’s Sonata for 2 pianos in D major increased brain wave activity linked to memory, cognition in healthy adults and elderly. It seems essential to note that choosing the right tune matters significantly. A 2021 article highlights that multiple factors contribute to whether music improves focus while studying. Some of these factors include: genre, tempo, age of person, complexity of task and personal preference. Opting on uplifting music can enhance your brain’s cognitive functioning whilst other tunes may have opposite effects. So, by all means get your headphones in and flow with the tune but take note of whether the music is actually helping you or not. With new developments in neuroscience we will discover more about this topic but for now it’s important to understand what works best for you and not to reject anything outright. All in all, it’s about getting to know your own mind and being honest with yourself about what truly helps you and what doesn’t. In other words, learning to flow with your own music. |
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