3.1 Har.-3.1 Harmonizing Cultures: Folk Music Artistry Across Southeast Asia-01
3.1 Har.-3.1 Harmonizing Cultures: Folk Music Artistry Across Southeast Asia-01
Lesson 1
Harmonizing Cultures: Folk Music Artistry Across
Southeast Asia
Table of Contents
I ntroduction
1
DepEd Competencies 2
Learning Targets 2
Essential Question 2
Let’s Warm Up 3
Vocab Unlock 4
Learn about It 5
Introduction to Folk Music in the Philippines and Southeast Asia 5
Instrumental Music 7
Indonesia’s Gamelan Ensemble 7
Thailand’s Piphat Ensemble 10
Cambodia's Pinpeat Ensemble 12
Vocal Music 14
Subject Synergy 18
Harmony Hub 18
Artsy Corner 18
Check Your Understanding 19
Key Points 20
Self Assessment 20
Reflection 21
Attribution 22
References 22
Answer Key 23
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Lesson 1
Harmonizing Cultures: Folk Music Artistry Across
Southeast Asia
Introduction
Dive into the mesmerizing world of Southeast Asian folk music and arts, with a
spotlight on the Philippines. In our lesson, "Harmonizing Cultures: Folk Music Artistry
AcrossSoutheastAsia,"wewilluncovertheintertwinedhistories,sharedmusicaltraits,and
rich cultural diversities that have shaped this region's artistic landscape. Beyond just
appreciating the past, we will see how modern art forms draw inspiration from these
traditional roots. As we immerse ourselves in the vibrantsoundsandexpressionsofthe
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
region, you will also have the chance to engage in group performances, celebrating the
unityanddiversityofoursharedmusicalheritage.Joinusinthisexplorationofhistory,art,
and the power of music to connect cultures.
DepEd Competencies
At the end of this unit, the learners should be able to:
● Explain similarities within the Philippine regions and with selected Southeast Asian countries in
terms of local subjects,themes,andmediumsinfluencedbytheconcepts,processes,techniques,
and/or practices.
● Explain the similarities in terms of contexts across the regions and the Philippines with selected
Asiancountriesthroughtheiruseofsubjects,themes,concepts, mediums,processes,techniques,
and/or practices.
● Correlate the concepts, processes,and/orpracticesofcontemporaryandemergingcreativeworks
toconventionallocalfolkperformingandvisualartsofthePhilippinesandselectedSoutheastAsian
countries.
● Produce creative works inspired by the Philippines and selected Southeast Asian local folk
performing and visual arts using relevant conventional, contemporary, and emerging concepts,
processes, and/or practices.
Learning Targets
At the end of this lesson, the learners should be able to do the following:
● Distinguish the shared characteristics and features of local folk music across the
various regions within the Philippines and Southeast Asian countries.
● Develop a heightened appreciation for the cultural diversity and artistic nuances
that shape the vibrant landscape of traditional and folk music in these regions.
● Participate in group singing or instrumental performances of selected folk songs
from the region.
Essential Question
How do the shared characteristics of Southeast Asian folk music
reflect the region's rich cultural diversity and historical influences?
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
15 mins
Material
● pen
BeforeweinvestigatetherealmoffolkmusicacrossSoutheastAsia,letuswarmup
our mindswithafunandengagingactivity.Inthiswarm-upexercise,wewilltakeacloser
look at some traditional musical instruments that are widely used in theregion.Thiswill
help you connect withtheupcominglessonon"HarmonizingCultures:FolkMusicArtistry
Across Southeast Asia."
Instructions:
● Below, you will find a list of traditional musical instruments commonly used in
Southeast Asia. Yourtaskistomatcheachinstrumentwithitsdescription.Usethe
letters (A, B, C, etc.) to make your matches.
Instruments:
a. angklung
b. gamelan
c. erhu
d. kulintang
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
e. sitar
Descriptions:
___________2. a traditional ensemble of percussion instruments and gongs from Java and
Bali
___________3. a bowed string instrument from China, often used in regional music
___________5. a plucked string instrument from India, known for its distinctive sound
Vocab Unlock
animism-Thisisabeliefsystemthatcentersaroundtheideathat
all things, including animals, plants, rivers, mountains, and other
entities, possess a spirit or consciousness. It is one of theoldest
forms of spiritual belief in the world.
colotomic structure - This refers to a musical structure
commonly foundinSoutheastAsianmusic,especiallyingamelan,
where specific instruments mark regular time intervals, like a
musical punctuation.
polyphony - This is a musical texture where two or more
independent melodies are played simultaneously. It is a key
characteristic of many traditional music forms in Southeast Asia.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
The region can be subdivided into two parts: the Indochinese Peninsula or
Mainland (Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos) and Insular Southeast Asia
(Malaysia, East Timor, Singapore, Brunei, and the archipelagos of Indonesia and the
Philippines).ThisregionislocatedtotheeastofIndia.Thisiswhythesecountriescanalso
be calledthe “East Indies.”
The region experiences a tropical climate—hot, and humid in some areas. This
weatherprovidestheregionwitharichvarietyofspicesandexoticgoods.Someofthese
goodsarerice,rubber,andpetroleum.Thisiswhyplentyoftradersandexplorerswanted
to establish trade with these countries.
Oneofthenearbycountriesthatestablishedtradeandcommercewiththeregionis
India.Throughtradewiththeregion,Indiaintroducednewartforms,ideas,andtraditions
to the region. Among these areHinduism, Buddhism,andIslam.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Aside from the Indians, people from other countries also came to the region,
including the Portuguese and the Dutch. They went beyond trade, however, and
eventually converted parts of the region into their colonies. Unlike the Indians, though,
these two left very little to no cultural influence on the countries they occupied, mainly
because they remained unwelcome outsiders during their stay.
Lateron,inthe19thcentury,otherEuropeancountriessuchasBritainandFrance
cameandcolonizedpartsoftheregionaswell,usingtheircoloniesasoutpostsfortradein
the region.
General Characteristics
In some cities and towns, Hindu epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata are
performedusingshadowpuppetsandmasks.Theseperformancesoftenincludeelaborate
dances and chants.
Moreover, Buddhist influences can be heard in the chants of Buddhistcountries
such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
InthesamewaythatmusicaccompaniesBuddhistandHinduritualsandoccasions,
music is also played to celebrate Islamic feasts in the region, such as Muhammad’s
birthday,Mawlid.
Instrumental Music
Indonesiaisthelargestarchipelagointheworld.Shapedbyvolcanicactivity,its
islands are located on the equator. ThetwolargestislandsofIndonesiaareSumatraand
Java. These islands hold a significant number of the Indonesian population. A smaller
number lives in Bali, a small island off the tip of Java. While most of the population in
Sumatra and Java are Muslim, a majority of the people residing in Bali practice Hinduism.
The islands of Indonesia are known for their bronze gong ensembles, called the
Gamelan ensemble. Gamelan ensembles consistofbronzeorironidiophones,otherwise
knownasmetallophones.Theseincludeahanginggongcalledthegongageng,rackgongs
calledbonang,andgongslaidinrows,similartoaxylophone’skeys,likesaronbarungand
gambang. These are played using mallets.
TheGamelanensemblealsosometimesmakesuseofbambooflutes,fiddlescalled
rebab, and drums called kendang, as wellasvoice.Gamelaninstrumentsaresacredand
believed to have supernatural powers. They are treated with utmost respect; musicians
bow before playing, and cannot step over any of the instruments.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
There are two basic tuning systems used for both Javanese and BalineseGamelan:
1. Slendro—a tuning system that divides an octave into five equidistanttones.Itcan
also be described as a pentatonic scale. This tuning is usually used to denote
cheerfulness and festivity.
2. Peloq—seven-tone tuning. This tuning is used to expresssadness.
Gamelan music is played in cycles that are marked by periodic punctuations.This
structure is called acolotomicstructure.Mostofthetime,itisthelowersoundinggong
ageng that does the punctuation. Gamelan is highly polyphonic, meaning that many
instruments play independent parts that come together to create the desired soundscape.
Javanese Gamelan
BecausethepopulationofJavaispredominantlyIslamic,JavaneseGamelan
is most often Islamic in function. Its melody is often described as balanced and
symmetrical in phrasing.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
The principal melody is played by the melodic instruments such as fiddles
andflutes,whilethereisalsoanaddedlayerofsoundcreatedbythehigher-pitched
metallophones, giving the music a“misty” quality.
There are two styles of playing in this ensemble: the strong style and the
softstyle.Inthestrongstyle,themetallophonesandrackgongsplaytheprincipal
melody inafasttempo.Ontheotherhand,thesoftstyleemphasizesthefemale
vocal solos and the male chorus, supported by fiddles, flutes, and zithers.The
soft style uses aslow, solemn tempo.
Balinese Gamelan
WhileJavaneseGamelanisassociatedwithIslam,BalineseGamelanorGong
KebyaristiedtoHinduism.Itisusedtoattractandentertaindeitiesandactsas
aritualoffering.Themusichascontinuallyshiftingtempoanddynamics.Ithasan
agitatedfeel,punctuatedbysuddenburstsofvirtuosicplaying.Thisiswhyitisoften
described as moody.
The interlocking pitches played on the metallophones create fast, rattling
soundsthatareoftendescribedashavinghighrhythmicdensity.Becauseofthis,
the music gives the effect of being played at “superhuman speed”. Another
distinctive quality of Balinese Gamelan isthe“shimmereffect”createdwhenone
gonginanidenticalpairisde-tuned,andthetwoareplayedtogether.Thiscreatesa
sound similar to a tremolo.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
The pieces played by this ensemble are described as continuous, busy, and
non-directional. A musician in this ensemble intentionally avoids repetition, giving the
music a patternless feel. The ensemble uses polyphony, wherevariousinstrumentsplay
together, each with their own independent melodic lines. This ensemble is composed of
double-reed aerophones and tuned idiophones, and is dominated by a wooden-keyed
xylophone called the ranat ek. The ranat ek plays melodic runs. There is also a lower
pitched wooden-keyed xylophone called theranat thum,which plays syncopations.
Asidefromthewooden-keyedxylophones,thereisalsoasetoftunedgongslaidin
a circle, called the khawng wong yai. The khawng wong yai plays basic melodies. A
higher-pitched counterpart of this is called the khawng wong lek, which playsfasterand
moreornatemelodiclines.Lastly,thereisalsothedouble-reedoboecalledpi,whichplays
the melody.
The music of the Piphat ensemble is played in duple meter. However, unlike
westernduplemeter,theaccentsofPiphatensemblemusicfallonthesecondbeat,rather
than the first. Theching,a cup-shaped instrument,plays this accent.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Figure 7.Handheldching
ThePinpeatEnsemble
One of its main and oldest court ensembles is the Pinpeat ensemble. It is
composed of eight to ten instruments. It usually performs traditional Cambodian
theatricalforms,suchasthe “LakhonKhol,”whichisamaskedtheaterplaythatfeatures
the story of Ramayana according to the Khmers, and the “NangSbek,”ashadowtheater
play.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Figure 8.Cambodia’sPinpeatensemble
DoyounoticethattheinstrumentsofthePinpeatensembleofCambodialookvery
similar to the instruments of the Piphat ensemble of Thailand? That is because theyare.
They just have different names.
● Theroneatisaxylophonewithkeyssetinaframeintheshapeofaboat.Itcanbe
likened to the ranat ek from Thailand.
● There is also the kongvong, the gong circle of the Pinpeat ensemble, which is the
Cambodian equivalent of the Thai khawng wong.
● In additiontothat,thereisalsothechhing,thecup-shapedinstrumentthatisalso
found inthePiphatensemble.
● Lastly, there are two drums in the picture. One is the skor samphor, which is a
double-headed drum played with the hands. The other is the skor thom, another
kind of drum built by combining two separate drums.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Vocal Music
Although Southeast Asia is more known internationally for its instrumental
ensembles, the region also has a rich vocal music tradition. Here, vocal music plays an
essential part in each country’s culture; it actsasarecordofstoriesfortheircommunity,
narrating the lives of great men and women, heroes, warriors, and important historical
events.
In the Philippines, they sing epics that go on for several nights. The younger
generations learn these epics from the older generation by oral tradition. Use of oral
tradition is usual for the Southeast Asian countries; songs,traditions,andstoriesarenot
written down but are orally taught, and learned through listening and constant practice.
Somevocalmusic,likethosefromThailand,Cambodia,Indonesia,andVietnam,can
be described as having a nasal quality. This is because their language is nasal as well.
However,sometimes,nasalityisalsousedtoimitatethesoundsofcertaininstruments.An
example of this is Indonesian vocal music, where voices are nasalized to imitate the
two-stringed fiddle rebab. On the other hand, Borneo, and the Luzon and Mindanao
regions of the Philippineshave non-nasal vocal music.
Since some vocal music in the region is also theatrical in nature, timbre plays a
crucial role in vocal music. In portrayingcharactersthroughtheirsinging,performersuse
varying timbres. Narrators, like the dalang in Javanese shadow plays, explore different
singing and speaking qualities to bring characters to life more effectively.
Loi Krathong
Below is the Thai traditional song called “Loi Krathong.” Loi Loi Krathong literally
means“tofloatabasket.”Itissungwhilebasketsfloatdownrivers,asofferingsduringthe
full moon. Loi Krathong is a festival in Thailand to celebrate the full moon of the 12th
month in the Thai Lunar calendar.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Chan Mali Chan
English Translation
Where is he, my little goat?
My little goat is eating taro leaves.
Where is he, my loved one?
My loved one is like a shelled egg.
Refrain
Chan mali chan, chan mali chan,
chan mali chan, ketipung payung*
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Subject Synergy
Exploring folk music is not just about music itself. It is a cultural
journey that connects history, language, and identity. By
understanding the context and lyrics of folk songs, students can
alsolearnabouttherichhistoryandstoriesoftheircommunities.
This synergizes music with subjects like history and Filipino
language, providing a holistic learning experience.
Harmony Hub
InPhilippinefolkmusic,theguitarisawidelyusedinstrument.Itis
known for its beautiful melodies and is often strummed to
accompany heartfelt kundiman songs.
Artsy Corner
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
_____________2.TheIndochinesePeninsulaincludescountrieslikeMalaysia,EastTimor,and
Singapore.
_____________5. The Piphat ensemble plays music mainly for theater performances and
rituals in Cambodia.
_____________6. The influence of trade with India introduced new art forms, ideas, and
traditions to Southeast Asia, but the Portuguese and Dutch left very little cultural influence.
_____________7. The inhabitants of Southeast Asia made instruments primarily out of
materials not found in the region.
_____________8.TheGamelanensemble'smusicstructure,markedbyperiodicpunctuations,
is called a rhythmic structure.
_____________9. The Piphat ensemble of Thailand and the Pinpeat ensemble of Cambodia
have completely different instruments with no similarities.
_____________10.InSoutheastAsia,theprimarymethodofpreservingsongs,traditions,and
stories is through written documentation.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Key Points
● SoutheastAsiaisadiverseregionhometoelevencountries,eachwithitsunique
cultural and musical heritage.
● Instrumentsmadefrommaterialslikebamboo,wood,andmetalsareprevalent
in Southeast Asian music, reflecting the region's natural resources.
● DifferentSoutheastAsiancountrieshavetheirdistinctmusicalensembles,such
as Indonesia's Gamelan, Thailand's Piphat, and Cambodia's Pinpeat,
showcasing the rich musical traditions of the region.
Self Assessment
Reflect on your learning journey by evaluating your understanding of the providedskills.
Check the box that corresponds to your self-assessment.
IamconfidentthatI
I think I need more I have a minimal
Skills can do this with
time and assistance. understanding of it.
ease.
Distinguish the
shared characteristics
and features of local
folk music across the
various regions within
the Philippines and
Southeast Asian
countries.
Develop a heightened
appreciation for the
cultural diversity and
artistic nuances that
shape the vibrant
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
landscape of
traditional and folk
music in these
regions.
Participate in group
singing or
instrumental
performances of
selected folk songs
from the region.
Reflection
One striking similarity I observed between the folk music of the Philippines and
____________________________________________________________________________________________.
despite ___________________________________________________________________________________.
____________________________________________________________________________________________.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________.
____________________________________________________________________________________________.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Attribution
Javanese or Indonesian gong chimesis licensed underPDM 1.0viaWikimedia Commons.
BorobudurthebiggestBuddhisttempleinCentralJavaIndonesiabyanonymousislicensed
underCC BY 4.0viaWikimedia Commons.
RyanCayabyab2021-90thMetropolitanTheaterAnniversary(cropped).jpgbyNCCAPublic
Affairs and Information Section is licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia
Commons.
References
Bedenis, Christine. 2014. “Three Kinds of Folk Music in Thailand. AccessedbyJanuary31,
2019.https://www.christinebedenis.co/2014/05/02/thai-music-4/.
Brandon, James et al. 2018. “Southeast Asian Arts.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed
January 20, 2019.
https://www.britannica.com/art/Southeast-Asian-arts/Music#ref29483.
Geo, Ethio. 2012. “South and Southeast Asia.” Accessed January 19, 2019
http://mrethiergeo.weebly.com/south--southeast-asia.html.
“Gr. 8 Learning Module in Music.” n.d. Department of Education - Schools Division of
Bataan. Accessed January 19. 2019.
http://www.depedbataan.com/resources/20/grade_8_teaching_guide_in_music_q1-_
southeast_asia.pdf.
Hays, Jeffrey. 2014. “Southeast Asia.” Facts and Details. Accessed January 23, 2019.
http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Miller, Terry and Andrew Shahriari. 2009. World Music: A Global Journey. NewYork:Taylor
and Francis e-library.
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Unit 3: Exploring Folk Music and Arts: Philippines and Southeast Asia•Grade 7
Answer Key
Let’s Warm Up!
1. A. angklung
2. B. Gamelan
3. C. erhu
4. D. kulintang
5. E. sitar
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