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    Mosaic of Music: Mystery of Percussion and Dance
    Mosaic of Music: Mystery of Percussion and Dance
    Mosaic of Music: Mystery of Percussion and Dance
    Ebook260 pages2 hours

    Mosaic of Music: Mystery of Percussion and Dance

    By Morwenna Assaf

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    About this ebook

    Mosaic of Music: This book is for all followers and anyone interested in the art of belly dancing, Arabic music or percussion. Learn to understand the music and the rhythms that evolve areound the dance. Play cymbals better and understand the music completely so you can be a vision of the music.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMorwenna Assaf
    Release dateOct 23, 2014
    ISBN9781502232397
    Mosaic of Music: Mystery of Percussion and Dance
    Author

    Morwenna Assaf

    Morwenna Assaf is the Dance Director for both Art/Dance Academy and CEDAR Productions. She has been a Middle Eastern (Belly Dancer) dancer, instructor and choreographer for almost 40 years. She studied in New York City with the late Ibrahim Farrah (her mentor and friend), the foremost proponent of the dance in the world. She continues to study to this day America’s top instructor of Egyptian dance. Plus she sponsors and studies the works of the Master Mr. Mahmoud Reda of Cairo, Egypt. She sponsors several seminars with known names per year. . Morwenna is a member of NDA, APPHERD, CAPHERD, CID-UNESCO and the National Association for Teacher Certification in Middle Eastern Dance - NATCMED. She has taken management courses and seminars with Rhee Gold of MA and  the Dance Studios Mastermind Group with Sam Beckford in Vancouver, BC. Has taken numerous courses in colleges and various private groups..  But her forte and that of the dance company is the Eastern Arabic (The Levant) countries, namely, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Palestine. She was inducted into the American Middle Eastern Hall of Fame in New York City in 1994 for her contributions, choreography and research in this art form. She was nominated Best Instructor 2001 by Zaghareet. She has written several books to further the studies of those interested in Middle Eastern Dance Studies. She has been on the staff of several dance magazines throughout the country. She has taught dance workshops for CAPHERD for the past 16 years in both Palm Springs and Riverside, CA. She has also taught for Amani in Lebanon in 2011with a request to return again. Every year or so, she does a teaching tour of New England. Plus Morwenna teaches in Mexico on a regular basis. She currently teaches her Elite Circle of dancers, regular students and is on the staff fro Mira Costa College. Research and writing are at the base of her learning curve at this time. She has completed several books for Middle Eastern Dance Training.

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      Book preview

      Mosaic of Music - Morwenna Assaf

      MOSAIC

      OF

      MUSIC:

      The Mystery of

      Percussion and Dance

      ©2014 by Morwenna Assaf and Walid Assaf

      Published and printed by

      Tales1001

      C*E*D*A*R Productions

      All rights reserved. This book may not be produced in any way whatsoever, without permission except in the case of brief quotations.

      ISBN: 978-1489583178

      Other books authored by

      Morwenna Assaf

      *Finger Cymbals: Play Them Correctly

      *ZILLS-ZAGAT Teachers Syllabus

      *Handbook of Dance Terminology

      Dictionary of Vocabulary for Middle Eastern Dance Studies

      *The Experience of Theater Dance

      For Belly Dancers

      ** Creativity - Through the Power of Commitment**

      CDs & DVs offered through CEDAR Productions

      CD = Art/Dance Academy Warm-Up Music

      Art/Dance Academy Basic Rhythms

      Art/Dance Academy Advanced Rhythms

      Soiree Orientale

      Ancient Whisperings - Music of Phoenicia

      Eastern Bedouin Favorites

      DVD = Practice for Belly Dancers

      DEDICATION PAGE

      This page is dedicated to the life and memory of LEON MANOOGIAN who passed away on Thursday November 21st, 2013 at 12:57am.

      Leon led a life of music and loved life.

      Drumming has been his passion since age 5. At age 14 he finally bought my first drum set and had been performing ever since. He was self-taught and learned how to play drums by listening to the Big Bands of the 40's & 50's. One of his favorite tunes from that era was Sing Sing Sing with Gene Krupa on drums at the 1938 Jazz Concert in Carnegie Hall.

      He soon played with local Rock, Country, Jazz, and even some Latin musicians. Somewhere around age 23, after much persuasion from two friends and his Grandfather, he put the Western Music aside and broke down and bought his first dumbeg. Middle Eastern Music came very easily to him and he began to really enjoy it! Not to mention that it was easier to carry one drum instead of an entire set.......Until he started to play Greek Music, which required a full set!

      May 1973 marked his first gig at the Averof, in Cambridge MA as a fill in. The Averof at that time was very small and two musicians had to play by the front window. As the Averof grew, the band grew as well and his expertise in Middle Eastern/Greek music was being forged. He remained mainly at the Averof, playing 4-6 nights a week for 10 years. In that time he felt so very fortunate to have performed for standing room only crowds of 300 people a night with some of the finest singers, dancers, and musicians in the country. One of whom was the late George Abdo, who taught him so much about the music, stage and the Night Club Show. He was a master of the stage and the dramatic. A real friend whom he truly missed. Over the years he worked at so many places throughout the Boston area. He performed on more than a dozen albums, in concerts at Carnegie Hall and Town Hall, in NYC and every TV station in the Boston area.

      Beautiful Phaedra and Leon 2012

      .

      Boston 2013

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PAGE

      In creating this book we decided originally not to dedicate his book to one person. We have had a very happy and lucrative career due to the people who have inspired us over the years. So this book is dedicated to all the great artists, musicians, dancers and instructors that touched our lives. Many of these greats are deceased and keeping heaven alive with their music and dancing. Some are telling other angels how to do it. There are of course many who are still with us.

      We would also like to acknowledge all of these artists and thank them for their input. We started with a list of names but it grew to such a length and we were afraid of leaving someone out. It has been a pleasure meeting, working, learning and performing with all of you during our lengthy career.

      You are here in our thoughts and words. We thank you for all your wisdom, support and friendship. You are precious to us and have helped make us who we are today.

      You all know who you are. God Bless you all!

      Thank you so much,

      Morwenna & Walid Assaf

      *Drummer and Dancer*®

      WHY WE WROTE THIS BOOK

      This book is written to help educate not only Middle Eastern dance artists to be more familiar with the music and rhythms but also to be able to adapt them to their everyday dance studies with more understanding and appreciation of their role as a dance artist. It is also written for belly-dance drummers and those interested in sharing the stage with the dancer. The show should be a joint venture by all, not just dancer or individual musicians or drummer.

      The rhythms pertaining to the dance performance are wide and varied. There are several that are a must for all to know and understand in their studies of this venue. We hope to share with you our experience of working as a team since the mid-70’s. We are known as *Dancer And Drummer* ® because we have worked so long together as a team.

      Our life together has been interesting to say the least and has had us travelling around the USA, Canada, Mexico, the UK and Lebanon sharing our knowledge of dance and music. We feel fortunate to have had this experience and to be able to pass our knowledge to you the new generation.

      Someone gave us this The Dancer To Her Drummer to us many years ago. We know not whom but are forever grateful. It has hung in my studio for over 30 years now.

      *DANCER AND DRUMMER*®

      Walid and books in our studio

      WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT

      This book tries to fill in the gaps that the average teacher might not be aware of. We have found in our years of study, research and performing that the majority of professionals out there never get to the point in their studies where they really understand the music, the maqams, the rhythms or the instrumentation.

      We will introduce you to 4 artists that have set the stage for the dancers and musicians alike around the world. Three of them are industry favorites where they reside. Two are internationally known dancers that have grown into something new as life goes forward. They continue to share the beauty and fun of Arabic music wherever they go.  One artist is relatively new but making a big name for himself in his chosen career. Walid and Morwenna will share their expertise with you.

      This book will educate you, entertain you and hopefully allow you to grow as an artist yourself.  Use this book as a reference guide, study guide and a way of reaching out to others you run across in your travels in this wonderful business we share.

      We start with: The power of music and how it can help you. Why dancing is good for you. There are benefits that can help you mentally, physically and emotionally.  What music means to the average Arab? The instruments, what they look and sound like and what movements go with them. The rhythms and maqams used in belly dance music. How finger cymbals relate to the drumming.

      Enjoy and be open-minded. This book is a new concept. The rhythms of the Middle Eastern music are mesmerizing and a mosaic of sound strung together for all to enjoy and especially the dancer and drummer.

      DISCLAIMER

      This book is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that we offer no guarantees as to the outcome. Dance and music is not an easy subject to accomplish. It takes years, if not a lifetime to complete. You must expect to invest a lot of time and effort without any guarantee of success. Dancers do not just dance. Musicians do not just play music. Teachers do not just teach.

      Every effort has been made to make his book as complete as possible. The purpose of this book is to give a lending hand in your education so you can educate, entertain and perform more freely. Neither the authors nor the publisher shall have any liability or responsibility to the outcome of studying this book.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Other Books and Materials Available - ............4

      Dedication & Acknowledgement - ................. 6

      Why This Book Was Written - ....................... 8

      What This Book Is About - ...........................10

      Disclaimer - ..............................................11

      A Word from Morwenna + Bio - ................... 14

      A Word from Walid + Bio - ......................... 17

      Chapter 1 - ....................................... ....... 19

      The Power of Music

      Chapter 2 - ...............................................29

      What Music Means in the Arab World

      Chapter 3 - ................................................37

      Instruments Looks & Sounds

      Chapter 4 - ..............................................49

      Percussion Instruments & Sounds

      Chapter 5 - .............................................57

      Music of Egypt & Lebanon

      Chapter 6 - ...............................................65

      Seasons Among Us

      Winter = Walid Assaf - ...............................66

      Spring = Bachir el Khoury - ...........................77

      Summer = Fadi el Saadi - ............................81

      Autumn = Mitchell Kaltsunus - ....................87

      Chapter 7 - ..............................................95

      Coming Full Circle

      Two Other People Who Have Developed Their Careers

      MELODY =Marguerite Kusuhara - ...............96

      RHYTHM = Morwenna Assaf - ..................109

      Chapter 8 - .............................................133 

      Music and Dance: How They Relates To Each Other

      Chapter 9 - .............................................139

      Zills and how They Work with the Percussion

      Wrap Up - ..............................................147

      Old Tambourine Dance

      ––––––––

      A WORD FROM  MORWENNA

      I have devoted the better part of my life to this wonderful and beautiful dance form. It makes no difference what it is called it is a true art form. Even after 40 years giving my soul to it I still love it with the passion I had when I was a younger dancer. I was fortunate to have studied and associated with the finest ever in this business. Now, that my performing days are coming to an end it is time to hit the problems

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