This blog is an attempt to share my love and knowledge of Traditional Folk Clothing and embroidery. I am open to requests to research and transmit information on particular Costumes for dance groups, choirs, etc. I do embroidery and sew costumes myself and I would like to spread interest into this particular Art Form

Students will watch two different videos on YouTube about breathing anatomy and breathing exercises for singers. Then students will answer twelve questions about the videos. Everything is in a Google form that will grade the students' responses automatically for you.This lesson is perfect for a non...

The congresswoman's recent testimony, including a phrase ("I'm reclaiming my time") that went viral, is now a song by Mykal Kilgore, who loops his voice to form a virtual gospel choir.

This blog is an attempt to share my love and knowledge of Traditional Folk Clothing and embroidery. I am open to requests to research and transmit information on particular Costumes for dance groups, choirs, etc. I do embroidery and sew costumes myself and I would like to spread interest into this particular Art Form

Call and response is a musical form based on dialogue - someone sings or plays a phrase of music and someone else (or a group of people) respond in the subsequent phrase. Call and response stems from a variety of musical traditions, including African, Cuban, folk, and even church music (think cantor

Hello all, Today i am going to talk about the costume and woven ornament of the Vilnius region. Not all sources even recognise such a region, which had me wondering where it came from. After a bit of research, i found out that this is a historical region, being an administrative province which predated the establishment of the independant state of Lithuania in the 20th cent. Here is a good article on the history of this region. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilnius_Region Here is a map showing the Vilnius region, which is sometimes divided between Dzukija and Aukštaitija. As i said before, some of my sources do not recognise this as a region, and Jurkoviene and Kulikauskiene in particular do not illustrate any costumes that resemble these at all. Tamošaitis writes that because of their proximity to the capitol, and the clothing of townspeople and aristocracy, "Their costumes therefore were characterized by a more ornate appearance in the cut, colors, and patterns than costumes found elsewhere in Lithuania" and "Those of the Vilnius region were easily distinguisable by the exceptionally beautiful patterns, colours, cut, and style of their clothes." In the south and east of the province especially were large numbers of Poles, Belorussians and others, the various nationalities tended to live each in their own local areas. Here are a few examples of the Vilnius costume as presented by V Palaimas. This costume is a favorite of those who took traditional Lithuanian hand weaving for clothes and other textiles and developed it as a national art form in the 20th cent. Here is a set of clothing woven by Anastasia Tamošaitiene and presented to princess Diana of The United Kingdom on the occasion of her wedding. You can clearly see the exceptional care, planning and artistry that went into the weaving of every single piece of this outfit. For the same reason, this costume is very popular among amateur dance groups and Lithuanian musem exhibits, especially in the Lithuanian Diaspora. Here are some examples. [These are images i found on the web, if anyone would like me to remove any of these images, or to include information about the origin of, or the people in, these images, please contact me and i will be glad to oblige] It would be very difficult not to be impressed by the elaborate pattens, tasteful compositions and striking colors of these outfits. The basic article of dress is the chemise, which has the usual cut for Lithuania, with narrow shoulder bars on top of a single piece, front and back. The bottom half was typically made of coarser material. The festive sleeve is fuller than the daily, and is gathered on top at the seam with the body. The festive chemise has woven ornament on the shoulder pieces, collar, cuff, front opening, and lower sleeve. Sometimes the ormament is made by hemstitching. On festive chemises, the collar and cuffs sometimes have triangular points or ruched woven ribbon sewn on for added interest. Here is a graph of the design on the sleeve in the photo immediately above. The skirt was full, and either woven in a small plaid, as in Dzukija, or with horzontal stripes, sometimes with cats paw or other designs woven in, sometimes over vertical ones, or with horizontal bands of patterned ornament, which are also foud in eastern Aukštaitija. For those of you who weave, i will quote a passage from Tamošaitis [I do not, myself weave, and only vaguely comprehend, lol. This author constantly refers to weaving techniques] "Twill or satin striped skirts woven from wool on linen were unlike the skirts of any other area. The linen warp was striped and threaded on four shafts in a straight draw. The background of the skirt was of a plain weave, while the stripes were woven in twill or satin with homespun wool. The stripes on the visible side of the cloth appeared raised and distinct; as a result, the skirt did not seem checked, but horizontally striped." The aprons were elaborately woven with bands of ornament, wider and denser at the bottom, and narrower and sparser towards the top.The same was true of those skirts which had horizontal patterned bands. The aprons were commonly woven from linen, or at least with a light colored background. Red and blue seem to be the commonest colors used overall. Peruse the various images to get an idea of the diversity of designs used. Note also the textures inserted between the ornamental bands. The sashes are typical for Lithuania, wide, patterned in pick up and other techniques, usually with supplemental weft fringes inserted near the ends. The bodice was made of handwoven cloth to complement the colors of the skirt and apron. The most common cut has a plaston in a solid color inserted behind the bands in the center front. Sometimes the bodice has a plain straight front closure. Usually it has pentagonally shaped lappets around the waist, but sometimes has a frill with pleats spaced about the same distance as the width of the lappets. See the various images. The most common headgear in this region for girls is the karuna, made of a hoop of birchbark, and later, cardboard, with pattened ribbon sewn on the inside and outside, one or more rows of trianges sewn on to the top, of the same material or different, and often edged with tatting or crochet. Pattened woven ribbons were attached to the back. The following three photos show a karuna in various stages of preperation by Vida Rimas. The headcloth, or wimple, nuometas, is worn in this region as it is in Aukštaitija, but it is smaller in this region, resembling the one worn in Latgalia. It is always heavily ornamented on the ends, and commonly has a frontpiece resembling the karuna sewn on, or a wreath resembling the karuna worn over it. Originally this would have been a seperate piece worn underneath. The nuometa with a frontpiece sewn on, front and back. The nuometas attached to a karuna. The difference is that the hair is covered. The nuometas worn with a seperate wreath over it A schematic showing how the wreath was made, again very similar to the karuna. Ornament on the ends of one nuometas. The linen wrap, panuometis was also worn in this region, and also highly ornamented The costume was completed with necklaces of amber or coral or glass. Footwear consisted of knitted socks, with shoes, moccasins, clogs, or shoes woven of birch or linden bark. Moccasins in this region were also highly ornamented.They also wear slippers looped, knitted or crocheted of linen strings, as in Dzukija. Thank you all for reading. I hope you have found this interesting and maybe have an inspiration on how to use some of these designs or concepts. Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals Roman K. Rkozakand@aol Source Material: AntanaTamošaitis and Anastazija Tamošaitienė, 'Lithuanian National Costume', Toronto, 1979 Vida Kulikauskienė et al, 'Lithuanian National Costume', Vilnius, 1994, Kati Reeder Meek, 'Reflections from a Flaxen Past, For Love of LIthuanian Weaving', Alpena, Michigan, 2000 Teresė Jurkiuvenė, 'Lithuanian National Costume', Vilnius, 2006 Mikalina Glemžaitė, 'Lietuvių Tautiniai Drabužiai', [Lithuanian National Clothing] Vilnius, 1955 Stasė Bernotienė, 'Lietuvių Liaudies Moterų Drabužiai XVIII a XX pr.' [Lithuanian Women's Folk Clothing from the XVIII to the XX cent], Vilnius, 1974, Stasė Bernotienė, 'Lietuvių Valstiecių Išeiginės Prijuostės XIX a. - XX a. pradžia' [Lithuanian Aprons of the 19th and 20th cent], Vilnius, 2007 J. Grigienė et al, 'Lietuvių Liaudies Menas - Drabužiai' [Lithuanian Folk Art - Clothing], Vilnius, 1974 Elena Matulionienė, 'Klaipėdos Krašto Tautiniai Drabužiai' [Folk Clothing of the Klaipeda Region], Klaipeda, 2005 V. Palaimas, artist, set of postcards, 'Lithuanian Folk Costume', 1961 R. Paknys, photographer, set of postcards, 'Lietuvių Tautiniai Drabužiai', 1991 Tatyana Razina et al, 'Folk Art in the Soviet Union', Leningrad, 1990 Irma šidiškienė, 'Buti LIetuve', Vilnius, 2004

A standout track from Lido Pimienta’s Miss Colombia, “Coming Thru” reappears with an all-new music video made in collaboration with visual artist Orly Anan. Colorful fruits and fa…

apse, in architecture, a semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir, chancel, or aisle of a secular or ecclesiastical building. First used in pre-Christian Roman architecture, the apse often functioned as an enlarged niche to hold the statue of a deity in a temple. It was also used in the thermae of ancient baths and in basilicas such as the imperial basilica in the Palace of Domitian on the Palatine Hill. During the Early Christian era (c. 4th–mid-8th century), the domed apse became a standard part of the church plan, and from the time of Constantine I, it was placed

So, you want to start a children's choir. Awesome! Wondering where to start and what to do first? Here are a few ideas and suggestions for getting started and building a new choir program, based on my experience starting and directing a children's choir program at a small church in rural

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A Japanese haiku forms the framework for this gentle setting that will guarantee success for younger or less experienced choirs. The text translates as "All's well that ends well" and the work offers many opportunities for developing phrasing, tone and technique. Performance Time: Approx. 3:10. Features: SATB Pages: 12 Instrumentation: Choral Instrumentation: Flute Voicing: SATB

Imogen Holst, 1907-84, was a much-loved source of inspiration for countless musicians and students who encountered her over the years of her involvement with the Dartington Summer School of Music and the Aldeburgh Festival. This book conveys her infectious enthusiasm and insight as a choral conductor. Here she sets out, clearly and concisely, a wealth of practical information on the physical business of conducting which will be of particular value to the amateur conductor. She deals with the forming and training of a choir, the presentation and rehearsal of the music, and how to approach public performances and competitions. Her final chapter gives advice on the rehearsal of specific choruses by Purcell, Handel, and Britten. Originally published in 1973, this edition has been corrected and updated by Lowinger Maddison, Archivist for the Holst Foundation. plates, music examples

Merrily Merrily Sing

Looking for visuals for your choir? Check out this set, which includes 2 different version of posters for the five main choral vowels, ah, eh, ee, oh, and oo. Help singers achieve unified vowel shapes and understand which vowels are "yawned", "puckered" or both. Display on a bulletin board or wall ...

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Hello all, Today I will attempt to give an overview of the costumes of France. France was divided into traditional provinces before the revolution. These are shown in color in the map above. Afterwards the nation was divided into administrative districts, called Departements, of roughly the same size, which were grouped into 27 Regions. These are shown by the fine and bold lines on the map above. A quick glance will show that they do not always correspond. The map below names the contemporary Regions and Departements. I will attempt to present the folk costumes according to the old Provinces, as they more closely present regions of traditional culture. France is, like most nations, multiethnic and multilingual. The five corners of the nation have territories in which unrelated languages are spoken. German in Alsace, Dutch in French Flanders, Breton in Brittany, Basque in the Basque country, and Catalonian in Rousillon. The Corsican language is also distinct. In the main part of the country various Romance dialects were traditionally spoken, which linguists and tradition group into three languages. In the north, the Langues d'oïl, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langues_d%27o%C3%AFl these dialects are various forms of the language which we today call French. In the east, Arpitan, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Proven%C3%A7al_language and in the south, the Langues d'oc, or Occitan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occitan_language On the following map, French dialects are shown in shades of green, Arpitan dialects in shades of blue, and Occitan dialects in shades of red. Other languages are shown in violet or lavender. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_France This article will cover roughly the territory of the Langues d'oil, with the exception of Aunis and Saintonge. I will proceed roughly from north to south. Some Provinces have much more material as regards costume than others. Many of the costumes are quite similar, the largest differences being in the coifs and other headdresses, which show an amazing variety. Flanders Flanders refers to the Dutch speaking northern part of Belgium. Some of this territory was ceded to France centuries ago, and There are still about 20,000 people in French Flanders who speak Flemish. This area lies on the Belgian border. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Flanders The ladies of the town of Dunkirk are called Bazennes, and have a distinct costume A dance from French Flanders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83hqRBo-zv8 Artois Artois lies in the north, inland from the coast and just south of French Flanders. It is also a small province. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_Artois Picardie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picardy One of the most distinctive costumes of Picardie is that of the Pas de Calais, in particular the town of Boulogne sur mer. This is the area along the coast. Currently it has been separated from Picardie and combined with the provinces of Artois and Flandre to form the departement of Nord-Pas de Calais. Boulogne sur Mer A parade with street dancing in Boulogne. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTUybiCsnWA A few images from other parts of Picardie. Amiens Neuville North Picardie Normandy The costumes of Normandy are very famous for their elaborate and large lace and linen headdresses. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy A dance from Normandy, showing one of the many famous coifs found in this region. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTcFTT731nA Brittany This region is extremely rich in costumes, more than any other. The people are Celtic, and still speak a language related to Welsh and Cornish in the western part, Lower Brittany. In the eastern part, Upper Brittany, this has long been replaced by the Romance dialect of Gallo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany I have already done an overview of the Costumes of Brittany. Here are just a handful of examples. http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2012/03/overview-of-costumes-and-embroidery-of.html Bigouden Kemper Pont Aven Rennes Guerande A line dance, Fisel, from Brittany. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGF8IwhojRA Île-de-France This is the heart of France, and the modern French Language. This province includes Paris and has long been a world leader of fashion. Because of that, there is little that is remembered of the folk costume. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Ele-de-France Champagne This is, of course, the province which is responsible for the classic sparkling wine. In fact, if it does not come from this province, it is not really champagne. As in several other provinces, a high lacy headdress is worn in one of the costumes here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_(historical_province) \ A traditional dance group from Reims in Champagne. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdMmH0HIDfY Lorraine This province, like its neighbor Alsace, was contested for a very long time between France and Germany. The north of this province is traditionally German [Allemanic] speaking, while the south spoke dialects related to French. It has been an integral part of France for over a century now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorraine_(duchy) A dance from Lorraine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIpKXSx6pCk Alsace The population of Alsace is overwhelmingly of German origin, but it has been an integral part of France since before the revolution. The traditional language is Allemanic German, but this has been losing ground in the face of the draconian measures instituted by the French government to extinguish minority languages in their country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace I have already done an overview of the costumes of Alsace, but here are a few representative images. http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2013/09/overview-of-costumes-of-alsace-or-elsass.html Oberseebach Strasburg [Protestant] Kochersberg [Catholic] Meistratzheim, lower Alsace Upper Alsace A dance from the Strasburg area. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxajjW29sOA Franche-Comté This means the free county of Burgundy. This province was separated from Burgundy proper in the 15th cent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franche-Comt%C3%A9 The costumes of Franche Compte are not well known. One notable costume is that of Montbeliard. Notice the coif embroidered with beads. Besancon Brussey A tour of the costume museum of Franche Comte. This includes city and historic costume. Folk costumes start about 2/3 of the way through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2wXFzAVKrQ Burgundy The Dukes of Burgundy were major players in the history of Medieval Europe. They controlled much territory in many far flung places. These are the borders of Burgundy at the time of the French Revolution. Burgundy is, of course, also the home of one of the wold's most famous wines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Burgundy Here are some notable costumes of Burgundy. Morvan A bouree from Morvan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C865X0H7pA Bresse I have already done an article on this costume. http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2015/02/costume-of-bresse-and-macon-france.html Video of a historical fair in Bresse. Many costumes are shown. The formal costume shown above shows up at the 12 minute mark. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTb_Ox8TIvk Macon A dance from Macon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ooc6-ncInM Nivernais This was a small province, and today forms just one departement. The costume of this area is not well known. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nivernais A festival in Nivernais. A medieval group and a Polish group from Rzeszow are also taking part. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gOOxABF_UA Bourbonnais This was a small province. It is part of the French heartland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbonnais This province has a distinct costume, about which I have already done an article. It is symbolized by the famous chapeaux a deux bonjours. http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2013/08/costume-of-bourbonnais-france.html A dance from Bourbonnais. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbn1Lz3k-wo Berry Berry lies at the heart of France both geographically and culturally. It is one center of the famous French dance, the bourree. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_(province) The costumes of Berry are those of plain country people, perhaps the most typical of all France. A couple of dances from Berry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi3eUTIhGl0 //www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jalol72cMMY Orléanais This was the province around the city of Orleans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orl%C3%A9anais Maine This province was long caught between the powers of Normandy and Anjou. The costume heritage of this province seems to be poor. If anyone has more information please let me know. Here is some of the little which I have found, most of it from Sarthe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_(province) Anjou This province has a long history, with many turns and twists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anjou The coif of Anjou has a very distinct form. Two very short clips of dances from Anjou. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxqt4KepuLE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZKKXXb7okE Touraine This province took its name from a local Gallic tribe called the Turones. It has been split between 3 different departements since the revolution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touraine The costumes are rather simple, but there is a distinctive coif in this region called the tourangelle which have beautiful embroidery. A visit to a museum of embroidered coifs in Touraine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hgxbCa225U Poitou This province is known for fierce independence and resistance to the central government. They have long maintained a strong sense of local identity. This is also the original homeland of the people who became the Cajuns. Echoes of the Poitou dialect still live in the Cajun language. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poitou Poitou was naturally divided into two parts, Upper Poitou and Lower Poitou. Lower Poitou was staunchly Catholic, while upper Poitou was dominated by Huguenots. In modern times the two have been divided, Upper Poitou being joined with Charents to the south, and Lower Poitou was joined with Anjou, Maine and part of Brittany to form a new region known as Pays de la Loire. This gives you some hint of how confusing it can be to research the history of French costume. This is one the richer provinces in terms of costumes and coifs. Lower Poitou or Le Vendée As in upper Poitou, there are a variety of costumes, and especially of coifs. I will concentrate on the two most famous costumes of this area. Le Marais is a marshy area in the south of this area . The inhabitants are known as Maraichains. They have a particularly elegant costume. The men's costume includes a sharp short jacket. The women's apron does not pin to the front, but actually passes over the head. Here we see that the modern fad of the white wedding dress has penetrated into this costume. Sables d'Olonne is the main port in this province. There is a unique costume associated with this town, and particularly with those who live near the ocean. The coif is unique, with lacy points.and is worn with a very short skirt. This would be practical for those who often wade in the ocean to do their work. Like the costume of Bigouden in Brittany, however, this costume continued to develop in the 20th cent. The skirt became even shorter, the petticoat and apron were lost, the skirt became pleated, satins and silks came to be used, and the coif developed a high three sided lace point. This is one of the most famous costumes in France today. A dance from Sables d'Ollone. The costumes are of the old form, with modern materials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKtqATJylQg Upper Poitou This is the inland part of Poitou, being physically at a greater elevation. It consists, more or less, of the modern departements of Deux Sevres and Vienne. In Vienne: Loudun Neuville de Poitou In Deux Sevres Mothe Saint Herayes Thouars Niort The coif of this area, called grisette, resembles those of further south, in Aunis and Saintonge. I will continue with those costumes in my next article. Dances from Upper Poitou. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtjaoWLNU7A This ends part one. Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this to be interesting and informative. Roman K email: [email protected]

Created by Australian company Gravity & Other Myths, this piece for 28 performers is awe-inspiring

Hildegard of Bingen is, to use one writer's phrase (William Harmless), a mystical multimedia artist. She wrote, lived, preached and practiced natural

. From the heart of this dark, evacuated campus I can hear the library humming in the night, a choir of authors murmuring inside their books along the unlit, alphabetical shelves, Giovanni Pontano...

Fieri Consort is an acclaimed vocal ensemble specialising in music of the 16th and 17th Centuries and formed of some of London’s most talented professional singers.

Have you ever had an opportunity to sing African-American spirituals? Have you ever heard of Jester Hairston? If not, you’re in for a treat! I am one lucky girl, because I had the greatest high school choral music director ever, Ed Brahams. Now, it would be hard to pinpoint the greatest moment I had in...

I love Pharrel's "Happy" song and I know that my kids do too! Check out how I use this fantastic song to teach musical form to my students.

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The Yellow Brick Road Blog is a website dedicated to providing music teachers with fun education resources for serious music literacy.

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, violist, and violinist whose ecclesiastical and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Although he did not introduce new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, an unrivaled control of the harmonic and motivic organization, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Beautifully sculpted in stunning detail, this Bach Bust Medium 17 H, Composers Busts from XoticBrands Home Décor is a delightful addition for its unique looks alone. Each piece is beautifully handcrafted in the USA of either fiberglass or fiberstone with intricate detail and features of an elegant finish of an artisan. Each piece is carefully designed to enhance the look of your home. Dimensions: 9.0"W 7.0"D 17.0"H Weight: 5.0 lbs Material: Fiberglass Finish: Antique Stone

The Baroque period created brand-new styles of music, paving the way for Classical composers. Unfortunately, Baroque music also encouraged castration.

Pentumbra is a Quad-Element Ethereal Monster found on Ethereal Workshop. It was added alongside X'rt, Rare Pluckbill, and Epic Viveine on April 17th, 2024 during version 4.2.1. As a Quad-Element Ethereal on Ethereal Workshop, it is obtained by successfully extracting the energies of a Plasma Meeb, a Shadow Meeb, a Crystal Meeb, and a Poison Meeb, using the Super Hyper-Refined Synthesizer by spending 5,000 . Its successful Synthesis time is 1 day and 18 hours long. As a Quad-Element Ethereal, Pen

Within East Bay’s vibrant cultural milieu, the pursuit of musical education takes center stage through choir and guitar lessons, offering an array of advantages that extend beyond mere skill…

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Past vs Past Participle Past and Past participle are two grammatical forms that show difference between them in usage. Past is used for one particula