SOAS Music Students participate in SoA Podcast Series

23 June 2020
School of Arts Music Department Podcast

Congratulations to Music students Lorenzo Chiarofonte, Jun Feng and Martin Cradick , who participated in a lively discussion on filming music events as a component of ethnographic fieldwork. This discussion, led by Professor Rachel Harris (Director of Research in the School of Arts) is the latest episode in the new School of Arts Podcast Series , which explores ways of engaging with teaching online and blended learning, and features discussions with SoA students and staff on the challenges and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 situation.

About the presenters:

Lorenzo Chiarofonte is currently completing his PhD on hsaing waing music and dance in possession cult ceremonies in Burma (Myanmar). He has spent long research stays in the field, filming in crowded and turbulent ritual performances. His research work is based on the analysis of the interactions between musicians/dancers, and sound/movements.

Dance of Nankarine Medaw, Yangon, Myanmar. Image by Lorenzo Chiarofonte

Jun Feng is a Doctoral Researcher in Ethnomusicology at SOAS, University of London. Her PhD research focuses on the Paiziluo Shawm and Percussion bands located in the southeastern villages of Hubei province, in the central part of China. The PhD explores how the development and dissemination of local traditions of ritual music are closely related to social change and cultural policy in China.

Jie Taigong ritual, Hubei Province, China. Image by Jun Feng

Martin Cradick, musician, composer, producer and now SOAS MAstudent, has worked with a community of Baka in Cameroon for 28 years. While his main focus has been on recording music, he has documented his time there on video and has made many films of both their modern and traditional music. He has recently been experimenting with 360° film and sound. You can view a playlist of Martin's Baka videos on his YouTube page .

Baka people of Cameroon, West Africa. Image by Martin Cradick