shelly

During my international travels I have been exposed to various musical performances, musical traditional events, musical instruments, and the construction of instruments.

Burma – Myanmar

Burmese Xylophone or Pattala
This pattala is in the lobby of a hotel in Yangon
The Burmese Saung-Gauk / Burmese Harp
Burmese Ozi

Cambodia

Cambodian Bamboo Xylophone
These musicians accompanied a group of Apsara dancers at a private show in Siem Reap
These Cambodian men are all victims of land mines – some are amputees, others are blind. They play music in a park and sell CDs to help make money and to entertain visitors.
The large stringed instrument is a Khmer Krapeu

Cuba

While watching this Cuban dance troop practice we were also entertained by the drummers playing traditional Cuban drums

Ethiopia

In the Omo Valley inhabitants make musical instruments out of gourds
Timkat is is the Orthodox Tewahedo celebration of Epiphany celebrated in Ethiopia.
In this parade like celebration you can see the Begenas, Ethiopian lyre type string instruments

Finland

This organ, which has 43 stops and 3001 pipes, was manufactured by Veikko Virtanen. It is in Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki Finland. The church is also known as “the Rock Church” as it is built directly into granite rock. This results in amazing acoustics.

India

The Shehnai is an Indian wind instrument. Daya and Bayan are two types of Indian drums.
This Indian man is playing a stringed instrument with a bow. His wife’s face is covered because there are other men in the castle.
This was a private evening concert in the Manvar dessert. Besides the musical performers and the dancers, there were two elephants reclining on each side of the “orchestra.”
The ground is a pure and very fine white sand.
This is a fascinating group of Sadhus who entertain, sing, play, and dance.

Japan

This young woman is called a geiko. She will become a full maiko after a period of training. Then she will be allowed to color her upper lip in red. Toshinaho entertained us by playing her Shamisen, an ancient Japanese stringed instrument.

Oaxaca Mexico

There was a wedding parade in front of my hotel. You can see the “bride” on stilts and the band playing wind instruments and drums.
A Mexican Mariachi quintet gave a private concert
Red cloth, red face!
Note the decorative guitar.
Bass Guitar
Mexican fiddle
They played AND sang!
Musicians played at the cemetery for Day of the Dead

Peru

The Peruvian flute is called a Tarka
A serenade in a restaurant.
Bamboo Panpipe
A marching band parade a celebration in the streets. Coins were also being thrown into the parade for spectators to gather up.

Philippines

This is Susing’s factory in the Philippines. Below you can see the process of creating the hand-made ukuleles.
Dancers on this floating stage were playing and selling ukuleles and guitars.

Papua New Guinea

The Sing-Sing festival is a gathering where different tribes entertain and compete. All the outfits are made of natural materials from the plants and trees in the area.
This PNG drum is called a Kundu
The men singing, dancing, and drumming
The women from the same tribe – dancing, singing, and drumming
Even the children make musical instruments from local bamboo
I was standing facing the various Sing-Sing tribal groups as they approached. As they got close to me they just split apart and continued marching around me.

Russia

As we visited a museum in Russia a group of three singers serenaded us.
Even this gallery had several beautiful paintings depicting Russian musicians and instruments.
Street musicians are commonly seen in the streets of Russia.
This Russian carver makes whistling dolls.
Here he is demonstrating how to play tunes on the doll.
More handmade Russian musical instruments.
This woman is playing her accordion in the subway and hoping for tips.
This and the following photos were taken at a musical theatre show in Russia where we witnessed singing, dancing, musical solos, and comedy acts.