Portal:Music
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Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all human societies. Definitions of music vary widely in substance and approach. While scholars agree that music is defined by a small number of specific elements, there is no consensus as to what these necessary elements are. Music is often characterized as a highly versatile medium for expressing human creativity. Diverse activities are involved in the creation of music, and are often divided into categories of composition, improvisation, and performance. Music may be performed using a wide variety of musical instruments, including the human voice. It can also be composed, sequenced, or otherwise produced to be indirectly played mechanically or electronically, such as via a music box, barrel organ, or digital audio workstation software on a computer.
Music often plays a key role in social events and religious ceremony. The techniques of making music are often transmitted as part of a cultural tradition. Music is played in public and private contexts, highlighted at events such as festivals and concerts for various different types of ensembles. Music is used in the production of other media, such as in soundtracks to films, TV shows, operas, and video games.
Listening to music is a common means of entertainment. The culture surrounding music extends into areas of academic study, journalism, philosophy, psychology, and therapy. The music industry includes songwriters, performers, sound engineers, producers, tour organizers, distributors of instruments, accessories, and publishers of sheet music and recordings. Technology facilitating the recording and reproduction of music has historically included sheet music, microphones, phonographs, and tape machines, with playback of digital musics being a common use for MP3 players, CD players, and smartphones. (Full article...)
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Did you know (auto-generated)
- ... that Felipe Lara's Pulitzer finalist Double Concerto turns its soloists into a "many-tentacled creature"?
- ... that a will bequeathing the Chestnut Street Opera House to the University of Pennsylvania was contested at the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania?
- ... that Steve Elcock's Symphony No. 6 is dedicated to "the everlasting execration of self-serving politicians, the obscenely rich and the system that allows them to remain so"?
- ... that Oksana Lyniv founded the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in 2016 and conducted them in thirty concerts across ten music festivals in 2022?
- ... that a performance by Milkie Way at the 2021 Heavy Music Awards got its Twitch stream banned for three days?
- ... that husband and wife Edward M. and Marie Zimmerman co-wrote the suffragist anthem "Votes for Women: Suffrage Rallying Song"?
Today's Birthdays
- Birthdays in Music: October 4
- Leroy Van Dyke, American country singer, turns 95.
- Steve Swallow, American jazz bassist, turns 84.
- Jim Fielder, American bassist for Blood Sweat & Tears, turns 77.
- Duke Robillard, American blues guitarist, turns 76.
- Barbara K. MacDonald, American mandolin player of Timbuk 3 fame, turns 67.
- Russell Simmons, American hip hop entrepreneur; founder of Def Jam and Russell Simmons Music Group, turns 67.
- Chris Lowe, Brit keyboardist for Pet Shop Boys, turns 65.
- Jon Secada, American pop music vocalist, turns 63.
- Heidi Newfield, American singer, guitarist, and harmonica player with Trick Pony, turns 54.
- Brian Transeau, (a.k.a. BT) American electronica musician, turns 53.
- Andy Parle, Brit drummer for Space, turns 54.
- Yelena Sergeyevna Katina, Russian pop music singer, member of t.A.T.u., turns 40.
- Jessica Benson, American R&B vocalist of 3LW fame, turns 36.
- Leigh-Anne Pinnock, English pop singer and one-fourth of Little Mix, turns 33.
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WikiProjects connected with music: WikiProject Music – Songs – Albums – Alternative music - Classical music – Composers – Contemporary Christian music – Contemporary music – Electronic music – Emo music – Hip hop – Instruments – Led Zeppelin - Metal music – Jazz – Musicians – Opera – Panic at the Disco – Powderfinger (band) – Punk music – Record Labels – Record Production – Rock music – R&B and Soul Music – Terminology – The Beatles
Create a requested article: See the list of Requested articles.
Improve an article: See the Music Noticeboard for a list of tasks.
Start a music course: School of Music at Wikiversity
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