Non-Western Music: Introduction

Music in Our Global Community

In the following sections, you will study instruments from the global community.  Music is used to communicate, serves as an integral part of ceremonies, celebrations, or religious activities, bringing communities together.  Often, societies have created instruments that are unique to their culture.  Over the years, people have used the materials around them to create instruments.  A dried gourd and its seeds can become a maraca or shaker.  Goatskin can be used as a drum head.  Flutes may be made of bamboo, or trumpets from an animal horn.

We will be using two new terms:  “Western” and “Non-Western”.  These terms are used to classify music into two general categories.  “Western” music is European classical music or music that came from the European tradition. Examples of Western music are a Mozart opera, a Beethoven concerto, or the American folk song “Oh, Susannah”.   In Western cultures, great value is placed on written music and learning to read music.