Live music making

Ethnography:
Think about a recent time when you attended an event with live music making (like at a wedding or party). If
possible, focus on parties or events in neighboring Peninsula countries, and if not possible, focus on Kuwait. If
you have not been around live music making for some time, then think about an event you have been at with
many people where there was recorded music. Write about what that event was like. Address these topics.

1. Time of day, length of event, time event was over, etc., Different things throughout the evening happen at
   different times, like when certain guests arrive, or when the bride enters the wedding, or the musicians start to
   play, or food is served, etc. Or when did the party end? When did the musicians/DJ arrive. Discuss the event in
   regard to time.
2. Location (events are perceived differently when held in different places --a school vs. a coffee shop). Where
   was your event? Describe what the venue looked like, inside and out if you remember.
3. Proxemics: how is space used? Are people close together or far apart? What about dancers, the guests, do
   they group according to age, gender previous friendships, etc.
4. Kinesics: movement, gestures, and facial expressions. What are the kinesics of the audience, the dancers,
   the musicians?
5. Staging: Describe props, decorations, special dancing, and lights in the room and on the stage area.
6. Costuming: This is vital culturally encoded information. How does the audience dress, the performers, the
   hosts, the servers, etc. Are they wearing a lot of makeup? Short dresses, long gowns, jeans, neckties?
   Anything ususal?
7. Audience: About hoe many people attended, how many male, how many female, old, young (demographics)
8. Gender: Do you see different gender roles, do women have different task than men, or is the behavior the
   same?
9. Music: discuss. describe to the best of your ability the band or the DJ, the songs that were played, any titles
   you recall, lyrics, describe sound, timbre (instruments). What did the band look like? The DJ—did he/she bring
   helpers? What about background music? Did people dance? How did the audience respond to the music? How
   did musicians respond to audience? If it was DJ what kind of music was played? What styles and artists?
   Khaleegi Emerati? Adani? Rap?
10. ANALYSIS: “Ethnography” literally means “portrait of a culture.” Taking into consideration this specific event
    as well as earlier experiences in your life, what can you deduce about this “culture” of people at the event?
    How would you describe them? What did the song choice tell you about the the people who attended? What do
    you think about the music and musical activities (dance? Sing along?) of this group of people? What have you
    learned in the field interacting with this culture? What interesting and unique things can you share that will
    enlighten others? Do you think their music will survive into the future? Change?

Sample Solution