Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

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Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

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In early 2017, seven women with experience in other traditional arts volunteered for training under Sous Sopheak, a traditional drum master. They came up with the name, and composed their own music, which also includes other instruments like the sneng, a type of horn and the gong.
Known as Medha, meaning “sagacity”, the band is taking on gender imbalance in traditional Khmer music – especially in the instrument perhaps seen as the most masculine.

Despite pressure from their families discouraging them from playing, and the trials of learning an entirely new instrument, they picked a variety of types of drums.

Medha member Rithy Serey Panha, 23, says her husband has been trying to persuade her – unsuccessfully – to quit the troupe, and focus on being a housewife and singer.
“I love playing drums, and I will not stop even if my husband forces me to or I have to grow muscle,” Panha says. “I want to be famous and travel to places around the world with the band.”

In October last year, the group first gained positive acclaim at the international festival REPFest, held in Siem Reap, when it performed Soul of Victory Drum, which featured five different types of drums, including a pair of skortob, a type of Angkorian military instrument.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-life ... nder-norms
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

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:thumb: Small clip here.

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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

its good... but is it A-Yeon good...
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:twisted:
:tophat: Mean Dtuk Mean Trei, Mean Loy Mean Srey
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by Kayve »

Jamie_Lambo wrote: Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:00 pm its good... but is it A-Yeon good...
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:twisted:
Why would someone plays drums wearing underwear ?
Don't forget the water buffalo
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

Kayve wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:23 pm
Jamie_Lambo wrote: Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:00 pm its good... but is it A-Yeon good...
Image
:twisted:
Why would someone plays drums wearing underwear ?
Image
why would someone not play drums wearing underwear?
:tophat: Mean Dtuk Mean Trei, Mean Loy Mean Srey
Punchy McShortstacks School of Hard Knocks :x
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Kayve
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by Kayve »

Jamie_Lambo wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:10 pm
Kayve wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:23 pm
Jamie_Lambo wrote: Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:00 pm its good... but is it A-Yeon good...
Image
:twisted:
Why would someone plays drums wearing underwear ?
Image
why would someone not play drums wearing underwear?
I was expecting this answer :plus1:
Don't forget the water buffalo
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Jamie_Lambo
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

Kayve wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:13 pm
Jamie_Lambo wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:10 pm
Kayve wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:23 pm
Jamie_Lambo wrote: Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:00 pm its good... but is it A-Yeon good...
Image
:twisted:
Why would someone plays drums wearing underwear ?
Image
why would someone not play drums wearing underwear?
I was expecting this answer :plus1:
hahaha :D
Image
:tophat: Mean Dtuk Mean Trei, Mean Loy Mean Srey
Punchy McShortstacks School of Hard Knocks :x
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by bolueeleh »

why would anyone not play anything naked? :D
Money is not the problem, the problem is no money
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

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When the drums speak out for women
28 September 2018
All the five women, wearing light yellow tops and black pants, beat their drums as passionately as they could, producing sounds that were pleasant to the ears rather than the non-sensible noise that drums usually produce. All their movements were in synch – from the way they moved their hands to the way they moved their heads sideward and down.

“We are Medha. We can play drums,” they shouted. With the apparent ardour they had shown in the first few minutes of their performance, it was hard not to agree that they are Medha and could play drums – really, really well.

The women started to dance around as they continuously beat the drums that hung on their bodies. Each of them showed off two kinds of traditional dances. The sound of their instruments, their body movements and everything that they did in front of their audience all depicted the strength of women – the message Medha wanted to relay.
“Our performances contain important messages for all the women out there. We do not just beat the drums and dance for nothing. People can keep criticising us, but we will continue to improve and find more creative ways to prove the real strength of women,” concluded Rithysokvanna.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50537301/w ... for-women/
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Re: Women drummer group Medha defies tradition

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Cambodia’s First Female Drum Troupe to Feature in Documentary
14 December 2019
Seourn Vathana
WASHINGTON D.C. — Cambodia’s first all-female drum troupe, who have captured the public’s attention with their highly skilled performances of an art form traditionally reserved for men, are the subject of a forthcoming American film documentary called ‘Where the Roots Lie’.

Katy Harliss and Tori La Desma, two Los Angeles-based women who are jointly directing and producing the film, said they wanted to tell the group’s story, as their artistic performances are impressive and break new ground for women and girls in Cambodia.

“Their message and their power, and their bravery is something that we wanna share,” Harliss told VOA Khmer.

“Their purpose is to empower other women and to show that you don’t have to remain in your place to make ends meet,” added La Desma.

Wisdom to Move Forward
Called “Medha”, which means the wisdom to move forward in Khmer, the seven-member ensemble was founded in 2017 by Sang Sreypich, 28, and Men Mao, 35, after they met during a music workshop organized by Cambodian Living Arts.

The organization supports training and preservation of traditional arts and culture, which was almost wiped out during Cambodia’s civil war.

Medha first performed in 2018 at its Heritage Hub, located in Siem Reap’s Wat Bo Pagoda. They immediately caught the attention with their choreography and mastery of the large drums and other traditional instruments, such as xylophones and string instruments.
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/Cambodia- ... 05246.html
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