So long, farewell...

One of the most intriguing parts of this class for me was discovering the significance of each culture's music. For example, I never knew just how important drumming is in the African cultures,  I only knew that it was highly complex. I enjoyed learning more about each culture and the traditions that they have and how music plays a part in them. I never realized just how much music means to other cultures, and was shocked that we as Americans are not as musical as we would like to think. (I guess that's what you get for being raised in a musical family...) We love music, and music is an important part of our culture, but certain aspects of our lives do not revolve around music, like the Navajo healing or purifying ceremonies or the Moroccan wedding. There are so many cultures in the world whose cultures revolve around music and I found that absolutely fascinating, and definitely want to learn more about what role music plays in other cultures. 

Something that surprised me was the vast variety of instruments in the world. Now, I'm not saying that I was shocked that there are so many awesome different instruments, it just hit me that there are thousands and thousands of instruments out there that I will probably never even get a chance to experience and I think that is pretty amazing. (A little sad, but still really amazing.) It also blows my mind to think about the cultural significance that each and every one of those instruments hold in their respective cultures. It is just so cool to think about for me! I really enjoyed learning about the instruments and I kind of want to try some in the future. 

During this class, I realized that I am very lucky to have had such diverse experiences with world music growing up, which is not to say I am better than anyone else, just that I had different opportunities. I have always been extremely, sometimes even dangerously, curious, and I am very blessed that my parents fostered that curiosity and introduced me to so many things from around the world, but especially music. I also realized just how cool it is to have family members who have had such rich musical experiences in other cultures, and I am planning on exploring those experiences in the future. 

This course has especially made me curious to explore my heritage further. I grew up with a lot of Japanese music, but not so much Irish music. (Although there are some songs that my grandparents and dad have shared with me.) I tried to get into Irish fiddling but I found it to be kind of overwhelming and I did not really stick with it. I am now very curious to interview my Irish grandmother about her experiences with music throughout her life. This class has also made me want to learn to play more instruments. Now that I know that there are so many instruments in the world, I want to learn to play as many as I can! (Within reason...) While I may not ever get the chance to actually learn to play the koto or master the blues, I can certainly branch out into other instruments closer to home.