Photo Albums

MUS 202 (Instruments & Culture) students and staff. Front row (l to r): Dr. James Makubuya, Associate Professor of Music; Marcus Hoekstra '18; Matthew Roark, Physics Technician, Systems Administrator and Biophysics Researcher. Back Row: Weidi Lin '18; Jie Miao '20; Corey Hawk '18; Samuel Watts '18; Stojan Krsteski '18; Aaron Scott '18. As part of the final project, students built their own instruments and presented on such points as the instrument's origin and cultural significance.

Corey Hawk built a Cigar Box guitar.

A cigar box guitar is a primitive chordophone.

Such instruments were common during the Great Depresion, though such guitars date back to the mind-1800s.

Marcus Hoekstra built an Appalachian dulcimer.

Dulcimers come from the zither family of stringed instruments.

Fretting on the Appalachian dulcimer is diatonic.

Stojan Krsteski constructed maracas.

Maracas are rattles that are commonplace in Latin and Caribbean music.

Krsteski painted these maracas red and yellow to represent the colors of his native Macedonia.

Jie Miao built a ukelele.

The ukelele is a member of the lute family.

Ukelele origins can be traced back to 19th Century Hawaii.

Aaron Scott built a Mbira.

Also known as a Thumb Piano, it's metal tines are, obviously, played with the thumbs.

The instrument's roots are African.

Samuel Watts built a Mashiko.

This drum is designed to have a big sound in a small package.

The tall, cylindrical drum is traditionally found in Africa.

Weidi Lin made a Bodhran, or an Irish Frame Drum.

The Bodhran is said to have evolved from the tambourine in the mid-19th century.

The name, Bodhran, means 'skin tray.'

A MUS 202 still life.

The traditional group photo in the Littell Lobby.