Cuséami Music Connection by: Joe Arnold

Inspirational Music And Music Resource Site For Musicians and Friends Who Enjoy Music of the World
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~~~~~CURRENT E V E N T S ~~~~~
2012
Instructional and Educational:
Here are examples of artistic collaborations working with Harris Middle School students on projects where art and music are combined with cultural experiences.

This work is very labor and costly to both myself and the school district. I can only continue my work with the schools and other artists with your help. If you like the idea of furthering artistic development through education, please click below and donate any amount you can so I can continue this work and support students and other artists!
Thank You, Joe!





 

Spring 2012:

 

 

It's time for another Native American Flute building session with The Mitchell

 

 County School District here in North

 

Carolina! We received another grant from the State of North Carolina to offer

 

 a similar workshop we did last spring at

 

 Harris Middle School. This time we have rrelocated to Bowman Middle

 

School in Bakersville, NC. With the help of Katrina

 

 Plato and the support from the principle at Bowman Middle School we will

 

 again offer these students the opportunity to

 

 create and play these native instruments. Look for pictures to come of the

 

 process. In the mean time if you are so

 

moved to offer additional funding for this and other projects, please do so by

 

 clicking on the donate button above. 

 

 

 

 

Summer 2012:

 

 

This summer is shaping up to be more exciting than ever! Katrina

 

 Plato and I are offering a summer week

 

 long instructional class at Penland School of the Arts here in Spruce Pine,

 

 NC. We will be building ceramic

 

 instruments with 12-18 year old students featuring Udu drums, Clay

 

 Whistles and other instruments

 

 depending on interest. Visit Penlands web site where there will be

 

 registration forms to fill out in the

 

 weeks to follow: http://www.penland.org/classes_by_studio.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAST EVENTS:

 

 

 

 

Spring 2011


  •  Making Native American Flutes with 8th grade Harris Middle School students March 2011




    • This is how we start to process


    The hand planers are used to begin the rough shaping of the flute into a rounded piece. Once this is accomplished, the students continue using 7 grades of sand paper to smooth the rough lines and give their flutes a more finished look and feel. The next step is to burn designs into their flutes. Once this is complete, a clear coat is applied to seal the inside of the flute and to give the flute a beautiful luster on the outside of their piece. Their flutes are then ready to play.



        
    8th graders from Harris Middle School Carving flute banks                           More carving preparing for sanding
     

      

                                        Sanding in preparation for decorating

    Wood burning tools used to decorate flutes only limited by students' imagination



    Flutes ready for applying clear finish



    Introduction on playing the Native American Flute




    WINTER 2010/2011

    •  Making Native American Flutes with 7th grade Harris Middle School students January 2011



    7th grade art class Harris Middle School

                                      
          Flutes on Drying rack  
     
      
              Tone blocks or 'Birds' to cover fipple or 'The Nest'


    A Bit OF Native American Flute History:



    The flute played an integral role in the development of Native American culture. It was used for various purposes including healing, meditation, and even courtship. The Native American flute is still used as an instrument in many new age music recordings today.The flute is made out of two air chambers. One is located at the top, and then the bottom air chamber where the finger holes are found. Originally, the length of the flute would be determined by various locations of the body, for instance the length from someone’s wrist to elbow would determine the length of their flute. The amount of space between the holes was usually about the width of a human thumb. Many different materials were used to construct the Native American flute, and most were various woods such as redwood, cherry, or walnut, depending on the sound the player wanted it to produce. Sometimes the flute would be constructed of bamboo.


    Typically, the Native American flute was played on what is called the minor pentatonic scale, which is equal to essentially the same notes that are used on a piano. Most of the flutes have about 5 or 6 holes, but some can have as many as 7 to 9. These flutes are still hugely popular today. While some are now made of plastic, a good number of traditional flute makers still like to create them from wood, and sell them to fans. Often, they’re sold as real collectors items. There are also instructional CDs and DVDs that can teach you how to play the Native American flute. The music is soothing, beautiful, and expressive. The flute is a wonderful tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation, and this lovely form of art and music will continue to be appreciated and loved for many more generations to come.

    The East-Texas Flute


    Oldest Known Flute




    Archaeologists Wednesday reported the discovery in the fall of 2008 of a bone flute and two fragments of ivory flutes that they said represented the earliest known flowering of music-making in Stone Age culture. They said the bone flute with five finger holes, found at Hohle Fels Cave in the hills west of Ulm, was “by far the most complete of the musical instruments so far recovered from the caves” in a region where pieces of other flutes have been turning up in recent years.


    A three-hole flute carved from mammoth ivory was uncovered a few years ago at another cave, as well as two flutes made from the wing bones of a mute swan. In the same cave, archaeologists also found beautiful carvings of animals.


    The most significant of the new artifacts, the archaeologists said, was a flute made from a hollow bone from a griffon vulture; griffon skeletons are often found in these caves. The preserved portion is about 8.5 inches long and includes the end of the instrument into which the musician blew. The maker carved two deep, V-shaped notches there, and four fine lines near the finger holes. The other end appears to have been broken off; judging by the typical length of these bird bones, two or three inches are missing. This flute is believed to be around 40,000 years old.



    SPRING 2010
    •  Making Clay Whistles with 6th grade Harris Middle School students March 2010:


                                           
    6th grade students with their clay whistles made in Ms. Plato's art class at Harris Middle School

     



    WINTER 2010
    •  Making Udu Drums with 7th grade Harris Middle School students December 2010:


                   

    7th grade students decorating their Udu Drums with glazes


               

    Udu Drums ready for the first firing

                                                   

     

    How to make an Udu Drum








    FUTURE PROJECTS    :


    • Making Native American Flute Building Workshop for adults Summer 2012. Call for details
    • Contact Joe



    Fall 2009:
    • Working with the K-1st grade children at South Whidbey Elementary School in Fall of 2009






    Sacred Music:

    Contact me as I am beginning to generate another flute circle
    and an evening of flute music to play while you listen


    Peru trip Spring 2008

    I thank you for taking a moment to think again about donating to keep this work alive!