Nigerian rapper and philosophy graduate student Olufemi Taiwo, who performs under the name Femi, woke up one morning with music chords and a melody in his head. Somehow, though he cannot explain it, he knew that they would fit with an event that greatly resonated with him: the April kidnapping of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls. “I’ve […]
Category Archives: Music
Q&A: Musician Naomi Robin shares postgrad plans
Whether recording for record labels, interning for a music company that has managed such artists as the Shins or captivating a crowd from onstage with her band, Naomi and the Bandits, graduating fourth-year music history student Naomi Robin is showing no signs of slowing down, even as the doors of UCLA close behind her. As […]
Donald Neuen retires after 50 years of collegiate conducting
About 60 years ago, a church choir asked second-year Bluffton University student Donald Neuen to step in as conductor, a request that the undergraduate accepted hesitantly. But when he stood in front of the church choir, any uncertainty that Neuen had about his future – whether he should be a professional baseball player or a […]
Bruin sees music as gateway to cultural studies
Music lays the foundation for everything from food, art forms, indigenous languages, spiritual exercise and entertainment in native cultures throughout the Americas, said ethnomusicology graduate student Jessie Vallejo. “Even in a lot of South American lowland and highland indigenous groups, there’s a really strong connection between chicha (corn beer) and music,” Vallejo said. “You have […]
Neuen directs farewell concert on “The Faith of Beethoven”
Soaring melodies and the power of hundreds of voices will fill Royce Hall this Saturday in conductorand UCLA Choral Studies director Donald Neuen’s farewell concert, “The Faith of Beethoven: A Musical Journey of Hope.” Featuringone of the largest assemblages of musicians in UCLA’s history–over 200 singers, a piano soloist, four vocal soloists and a full […]
Reggae artists, fans note growth of 2014 ‘Cali Roots’ fest
In a tribute to legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, dreadlocked guitarist Trevor Young of roots reggae band SOJA sparked a flame to his guitar Friday night at The Bowl stage in Monterey, Calif., the same place Hendrix famously did so decades before. SOJA was one of several reggae bands that came together for the 5th […]
JazzReggae Festival’s Reggae Day celebrates Rastafarian culture
The 28th Annual JazzReggae Festival at UCLA continued Monday with Reggae Day, which presented a strong focus on traditional reggae music and Rastafarian culture. Posters of Bob Marley, T-shirts tie-dyed with red, green and yellow, and Rasta caps – oversized and colorful crocheted hats fashioned by the likes of Marley – flooded UCLA’s Intramural Field. […]