Compositional Strategies Dominating Zilizopendwa Choral Arrangements: Stylistic Analysis of Selected Works by Kenyan Composers towards Creative Output
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Date
2022
Authors
Etyang’, Franklin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
A musical style which later became popularly dubbed ‘Zilizopendwa’ has existed in
Kenya since the 1950s yet its popularity among the 21st century generation of musicians
and music lovers continues to grow, a phenomenon attributable to the creative
transformation that has led to its new acceptance as a purely choral form, distinct from
its original medium of performance which consisted of a basic popular band with
vocalists. This study focused on stylistic approaches and expressions displayed by
composers and arrangers of Zilizopendwa in the Choral Arrangements for Secondary
School Choirs in the Kenya Music Festival (KMF). Specifically, the study interrogated
the creative (compositional) strategies employed by arrangers of this modified choral
arrangements. The study is premised on the componential theory of creativity by
Amabile (2012) and Middleton’s (1990) concept of appropriation. The study sought to:
establish dominant stylistic approaches of composition and arrangement that composers
employ in re-enacting Zilizopendwa music idiom at the KMF; outline creative
approaches drawing on extant stylistic models and the dominant stylistic approaches
used by composers and arrangers; and arrange selected Zilizopendwa songs for
unaccompanied voices. The study employed the descriptive and creative research
designs. The target population was arrangers of Zilizopendwa for the KMF
performances and their choral arrangements of Zilizopendwa presented at the national
level of the festival. Purposive and stratified sampling techniques yielded the required
respondents and their music scores. Data were collected through (i) document review
(content analysis), (ii) questionnaires on purposefully selected composers, and (iii)
Focus Group Discussions involving the selected arrangers of this genre. Research
instruments included analysis schedules, questionnaires and interview schedules.
Qualitative data collected were analysed through the descriptive methods to filter
emerging themes and issues. The findings were presented in a narrative format. The
study found out that the arrangers of Zilizopendwa choral music capture the life force
of the original popular song by creatively manipulating various critical elements such
as tonality, melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, structure and textual themes.
Furthermore, the established practices in the arrangement of Zilizopendwa music within
the constraints of the various music festivals in the country serve as the ‘nondocumented
model’ which guides future composers in their creative undertakings. The
findings of this study are expected to lay ground for interrogation of existing techniques
in arrangement of Zilizopendwa as well as to propose directions for enhancement of
arrangement approaches for Zilizopendwa and other genres to benefit future creative
representations / explorations.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Musical Arts (Composition) in the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media Studies of Kenyatta University, June 2021
Keywords
Compositional Strategies, Dominating, Zilizopendwa, Choral Arrangements, Stylistic Analysis, Selected Works, Kenyan Composers, Creative Output