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The music of Cambodia is derived from a mesh of cultural traditions dating back to the ancient Khmer Empire,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and the original indigenous tribes living in the area before the arrival of Indian and Chinese travelers. With the rapid
Westernization Westernization (or Westernisation), also Europeanisation or occidentalization (from the ''Occident''), is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in areas such as industry, technology, science, education, politics, economi ...
of popular music, Cambodian music has incorporated elements from music around the world through globalization.


Folk and classical music

Cambodian
Art music Art music (alternatively called classical music, cultivated music, serious music, and canonic music) is music considered to be of high phonoaesthetic value. It typically implies advanced structural and theoretical considerationsJacques Siron, ...
is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
forms. Religious
dancing Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
, many of which depict stories and ancient myths, are common in
Cambodian culture Throughout Cambodia's long history, religion has been a major source of cultural inspiration. Over nearly three millennia, Cambodians have developed a unique Cambodians, Cambodian culture and belief system from the syncreticism of indigenous ani ...
. Classical Khmer music usually is divided into three parts: ''pin peat, phleng kar,'' and ''mahori,'' all of which are associated with their religious dances. Some dances are accompanied by a
pinpeat The ''Pinpeat'' ( km, ពិណពាទ្យ, ) is the largest Khmer traditional musical ensemble. It has performed the ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples of Cambodia since ancient times. The orchestra consists of approximately ni ...
orchestra, which includes a ching (
cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...
),
roneat Roneat ( km, រនាត) is the generic Khmer word for referring to several types of xylophones used in traditional Cambodian music; the pinpeat and mohaori. Roneat may refers to several Cambodian xylophone types such as roneat thmor, roneat e ...
(
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...
xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in ...
), pai au (
flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
),
sralai The ''sralai'' ( km, ស្រឡៃ) is a Cambodian wind instrument that uses a quadruple reed to produce sound. The instrument is used in the '' pinpeat'' orchestra, where it is the only wind instrument. The set of quadruple reeds are made of p ...
(
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A ...
),
chapey The Chapei Dang Veng ( Khmer: ចាប៉ីដងវែង) or chapey (ចាប៉ី) is a Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the sou ...
(bass moon lute or
banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
),
gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
(
bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
), tro (
fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...
), and various kinds of drums. Each movement the dancer makes refers to a specific idea, including abstract concepts like ''today'' (pointing a finger upwards). The 1950s saw a revival in classical dance, led by Queen
Sisowath Kossamak Nearyrath Sisowath Kossamak ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ កុសមៈ; 9 April 1904 – 27 April 1975) was the queen consort of King Norodom Suramarit of Cambodia, who reigned from 1955 to 1960. After her husband's death in 1960, her son Noro ...
. During the early 1970s, the
Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge (; ; km, ខ្មែរក្រហម, ; ) is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) and by extension to the regime through which the CPK ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. ...
of Cambodia committed genocide among the country's citizens. During their reign, an estimated "90% of Cambodia's musicians, dancers, teachers, and instrument makers" were killed, interrupting the transmission of cultural knowledge to following generations. The country has been undergoing revival ever since, with those remaining trying to perform, teach, research, and document what they can. The traditional music has had to compete with foreign music that has different tonal systems of scales and pitch frequency. Lack of a formal written-system of music theory for Cambodian music lent to a perception among modern Cambodians that the music was "incorrect", "out of tune" or "uncouth" when compared to western music or to Chinese music. Traditional music still exists today, but its survival is the result of formal government efforts (both the UNESCO and Cambodian) as well as academics. These have worked to organize knowledge of the Cambodian music system and its distinct traditions.
Sam-Ang Sam Sam-Ang Sam ( km, សំ សំអាង, ) is a Cambodian-American ethnomusicologist and 1994 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (as part of the Apsara Ensemble) in 1998. Sam-Ang Sam and his wi ...
, a Cambodian ethnomusicologist, wrote a brief introduction to Cambodian music on his website, part of his work to preserve knowledge Cambodian music and educating. He spoke of music in three different areas of Cambodia: villages, the court and temples. In each setting, music had a formal function or was entertainment. Village music included ''kar boran'' music for weddings, ''araak'' music for communication with spirits, and "''
ayai ''Ayai'' ( km, អាយ៉ៃខ្មែរ) is one of the four main musical styles of Khmer traditional culture, along with '' pinpeat, mahori,'' and ''phleng khmer''. It can be more specifically defined as "repartee singing, usually the theatr ...
'' repartee singing, ''chrieng chapey'' narrative, and ''yike'' and ''basakk'' theaters." Court music had orchestras composed of a specific set of instruments. The pinpeat orchestra (consisting of gong chimes, xylophones, a metallophone, oboe and drums) accompanied the formal dance, masked play, shadow play and religious ceremonies. Less formal entertainment was played by a mohori orchestra. Temples had a "korng skor" ensemble (gongs and drums), as well as a pinpeat orchestra.Cambodian music history by Sam-Ang Sam.
/ref> Additionally, Sam-Ang Sam differentiates between music made by the mainstream Cambodians (''Cambodian music'') and the distinct music of ethnic minorities (part of the ''music of Cambodia''). The latter includes music made by people living in Rattanakiri and Mundulkiri provinces, the Koulen and
Cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They are r ...
ranges, and the vicinity "around the great lake ( Tonle Sap)." Differences of language and religion help to create the separation between the different cultures. Ethnic groups include upland Mon-Khmer language groups (Pnorng, Kuoy (Kui), Por, Samre) whose music consists of "gong ensembles, drum ensembles, and free-reed mouth organs with gourd windchests." Other ethnic groups include Cham, Chinese, Vietnamese who all potentially could have music from their home cultures, but which is "unknown."


Pinpeat

One of the traditional music forms is
Pinpeat The ''Pinpeat'' ( km, ពិណពាទ្យ, ) is the largest Khmer traditional musical ensemble. It has performed the ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples of Cambodia since ancient times. The orchestra consists of approximately ni ...
( km, ពិណពាទ្យ), in which an
orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
or
musical ensemble A musical ensemble, also known as a music group or musical group, is a group of people who perform instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely of instrumentalists, ...
performs the ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples of
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
. The royal orchestra would accompany the classical ballets, both male (Lokhon Khol) and female (Apsara), as well as the Grand Theater of Shadows, the Sbek Thom. The
orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
consists of approximately nine or ten instruments, mainly
wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hou ...
and
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
(including several varieties of
xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in ...
and
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
). It accompanies court dances, masked plays,
shadow play Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated cut-out figures (shadow puppets) which are held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim. The cut-o ...
s, and
religious Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...
ceremonies. The pinpeat is analogous to the
piphat A ''piphat'' is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the ...
ensemble of Thailand.Sam-Ang Sam "Cambodia" in ''New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', 2nd ed., 2001. pp. 861-863 In recent years the instrument that gave the pinpeat its name, the
pin A pin is a device used for fastening objects or material together. Pin or PIN may also refer to: Computers and technology * Personal identification number (PIN), to access a secured system ** PIN pad, a PIN entry device * PIN, a former Dutch ...
, has been revived. The instrument was lost or abandoned around the 13 century A.D.


Mahori

Another form of traditional music was ''mahori'' music, which was the entertainment music of the courts of Cambodia, Siam and Laos. While the pinpeat music was religious and "for deities", the mohori music was made for noblemen, focusing on themes and moods to "delight their souls." This music "favors soft instruments", including
khloy A khloy ( km, ខ្លុយ, Burmese: ပုလွေ, ) is an ancient traditional bamboo flute from Cambodia and more specifically the Khmer people. The khloy and other similar bamboo flutes can be found throughout Asia, due to bamboo’s abu ...
flute,
krapeu The ''chakhe'' ( Lao: ຈະເຂ້, , th, จะเข้, , also spelled ''jakhe'' or ''ja-khe''), or ''krapeu'' ( km, ក្រពើ; also called ''takhe'', km, តាខេ, ''takhe'', ''takkhe'' or ''charakhe''), is a fretted floor zithe ...
, tro chhé, tro sor and
Tro Ou The ''tro'' ( km, ទ្រ) is Cambodia's traditional spike fiddles, bowed string instruments that are held and played vertically. Spike fiddles have a handle that passes through the resonator, often forming a spike, on the bottom side where it ...
stringed instruments, and
roneat ek The ''Roneat Ek'' or Roneat Aek ( km, រនាតឯក; also called ''Roneat Rut'') is a xylophone used in the Khmer classical music of Cambodia. It is built in the shape of a curved, rectangular shaped boat. It has twenty-one thick bamboo or ha ...
xylophone,
roneat thong Roneat ( km, រនាត) is the generic Khmer word for referring to several types of xylophones used in traditional Cambodian music; the pinpeat and mohaori. Roneat may refers to several Cambodian xylophone types such as roneat thmor, roneat e ...
metallophone A metallophone is any musical instrument in which the sound-producing body is a piece of metal (other than a metal string), consisting of tuned metal bars, tubes, rods, bowls, or plates. Most frequently the metal body is struck to produce sound, ...
, skor romonea drums and chhing finger cymbals. It's important to note that the term ''mahori'' has connection with Thai music, and instrumentation is closely related, but the songs are not.


Arak

Arak (araak, areak, aareak) music was music for religious and healing purposes, dating to "animist spiritual beliefs" of ancient Cambodia. Traditionally it was used to "drive out illness," and used flute, drum, tro, chapei and
kse diev The kse diev ( km, ខ្សែដៀវ) or ( km, ខ្សែមួយ) is a Cambodian musical bow with a single copper or brass string and a gourd resonator. The resonator is held to the bow with a nylon cord and is open at the other end. The ...
.


Cambodian rock and pop

Starting in the late 1950s, Head of State
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, Norodom Sihanouk filmography, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in vari ...
, a musician himself, encouraged the development of popular music in Cambodia. Initially, pop records from France and Latin America were imported into the country and became popular, inspiring a flourishing music scene based in Phnom Penh and led by singers like
Ros Serey Sothea Ros Serey Sothea ( km, រស់ សេរីសុទ្ធា/ ; c. 1948 – c. 1977) was a Cambodian singer. She was active during the final years of the First Kingdom of Cambodia and into the Khmer Republic period. She sang in a variety of ...
,
Pen Ran Pen Ran ( km, ប៉ែន រ៉ន, ), (c. 1944 – c. 1979) also commonly known as Pan Ron in some Romanization of Khmer, Romanized sources intended for English-speaking audiences, was a Cambodian singer and songwriter who was at the height of ...
or
Sinn Sisamouth Sinn Sisamouth; (c. 1932 – c. 1976) was a Cambodian singer-songwriter active from the 1950s to the 1970s. Widely considered the "King of Khmer Music", Sisamouth, along with Ros Serey Sothea, Pen Ran, Mao Sareth, and other Cambodian artist ...
, with hits such as "'' Violon Sneha''". By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the scene was further influenced by Western
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
and
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
via U.S. armed forces radio that had been broadcast into nearby
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
. This resulted in a unique sound in which Western pop and rock were combined with Khmer vocal techniques. Many of the most important singers of this era perished during the
Khmer Rouge genocide The Cambodian genocide ( km, របបប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍នៅកម្ពុជា) was the systematic persecution and killing of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge under the leadership of Communist Party of Kampuchea genera ...
. Western interest in the popular Cambodian music of the 1960s-70s was sparked by the bootleg album ''
Cambodian Rocks ''Cambodian Rocks'' is a compilation of 22 uncredited, untitled Cambodian psychedelic and garage rock songs from the late 1960s and early 1970s. When the tracks were recorded, musicians in the thriving music scene were combining Western rock and ...
'' in 1996, which in turn inspired the 2015 documentary film ''
Don't Think I've Forgotten ''Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll'' is a 2014 documentary film, directed by John Pirozzi, about Cambodian rock music in the 1960s and 1970s, before the Khmer Rouge regime and Cambodian genocide. Production The idea fo ...
." In early 2020, playwright
Lauren Yee Lauren Yee ( zh, 余秀菊) is an American playwright. Early life and education Yee was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She graduated from Lowell High School in 2003. Yee graduated from Yale University in 2007, majoring in Englis ...
's "''Cambodian Rock Band'' premiered at the Signature Theatre in NYC. It told the story of a Cambodian band coming under the regime of Pol Pot and incorporated actual music from Cambodian rock bands of the 1970s.


Modern music

Classic Cambodian
pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
, or modern music, includes slow,
crooner Crooner is a term used to describe primarily male singers who performed using a smooth style made possible by better microphones which picked up quieter sounds and a wider range of frequencies, allowing the singer to access a more dynamic range ...
-type music exemplified by songs such as
Sinn Sisamouth Sinn Sisamouth; (c. 1932 – c. 1976) was a Cambodian singer-songwriter active from the 1950s to the 1970s. Widely considered the "King of Khmer Music", Sisamouth, along with Ros Serey Sothea, Pen Ran, Mao Sareth, and other Cambodian artist ...
's "Ae Na Tov Thansuo?" (), as well as
dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...
. Dance music is classified according to the type of dance signified by the rhythm. The two most common types of Cambodian dance music are ''
romvong ''Romvong'' ( km, រាំវង់, also romanized as ''Rom Vong'' or ''Roam Vong''), ''Lamvong'' ( Lao: ລຳວົງ - lám wóŋ) or ''Ramwong'' ( th, รำวง; ; Tai Lue: ᩃ᪁ ᩴᩅ ᩫ ᩬ, ), ''Rambung'' ( ms, رمبوڠ, vi, l ...
'' and '' rom kbach''. ''Romvong'' is slow dance music, while ramkbach is closely related to Thai folk music. Recently, a form of music called ''
kantrum Kantrum ( th, กันตรึม, km, កន្ដ្រឹម) is a type of folk music played by the Khmer in Isan, Thailand, living near the border with Cambodia. It is a fast, traditional dance music. In its purest form, cho-kantrum, sin ...
'' has become popular. Originating among the
Khmer Surin Northern Khmer people ( km, ជនជាតិខ្មែរខាងជើង; th, เขมรเหนือ) or colloquially as Thais of Khmer origin ( th, ชาวไทยเชื้อสายเขมร) is the designation used to r ...
in Thailand, ''kantrum'' is performed by both Thai and Cambodian stars. Modern Cambodian music is usually presented in Cambodian karaoke VCDs, which typically feature actors and actresses mimicking song lyrics. Noy Vanneth and Lour Sarith are two examples of modern singers who sing songs on the karaoke VCDs, and the VCDs feature songs composed by other musicians, in addition to songs sung and composed by notable musician
Sinn Sisamouth Sinn Sisamouth; (c. 1932 – c. 1976) was a Cambodian singer-songwriter active from the 1950s to the 1970s. Widely considered the "King of Khmer Music", Sisamouth, along with Ros Serey Sothea, Pen Ran, Mao Sareth, and other Cambodian artist ...
.


Production House Music

During and after the Khmer Rouges and the
People's Republic of Kampuchea The People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK), UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; vi, Cộng hòa Nhân dân Campuchia was a partially recognised state in Southeast Asia supported by Vietnam which existed from 1979 to 1989. It was founded in Cambodia by the Kamp ...
, most of the music emerged from the refugee camps such as
Khao-I-Dang The Khao-I-Dang (KID) Holding Center ( th, เขาอีด่าง, km, ខាវអ៊ីដាង) was a Khmer people, Cambodian refugee camp 20 km north of Aranyaprathet in Prachinburi Province, Prachinburi (now Ta Phraya District, S ...
on the Thai border, with artists such as Keo Sarath or Barnabas Mam. The majority of post-Khmer Rouge Cambodian music is produced by a handful of production companies which include; Rasmey Hang Meas, Sunday Productions and Town Production. These companies function as the record labels within the Cambodian music business. Notable artists signed under these companies include
Preap Sovath Preap Sovath ( km, ព្រាប សុវត្ថិ ; born 25 January 1975) is a Cambodian singer, actor and brand ambassador. He began his singing career in the early 1990s. He also appeared in Cambodian movies such as ''The Crocodile''. ...
, Aok Sokunkanha,
Sokun Nisa Sokun Nisa ( km, ; born 1 May 1983) is a Cambodian singer and actress. In 2003, she started her career as a singer with Rasmey Steung Sangke Production. Currently she is a singer under Rasmey Hang Meas Production. In 2017, she made her actin ...
, Khemarak Sereymun and Meas Soksophea.


Original Music Movement

The Cambodian Original Music Movement refers to a group of young Khmer musicians in Cambodia who write, record and perform original compositions. It began largely as a result of the creation of a venue in Phnom Penh called Show Box, a cross-cultural community hub created exclusively to promote original Khmer alternative art and music, and an amalgamation of various unique contemporary artists and musicians who were encouraged by music and art platforms like Cambodia's first alternative label
Yab Moung Records Yab Moung Records (YMR) was established in 2012 and was Cambodia's first alternative music label. Yab Moung was founded by Myles Hallin (Myley Rattle) and Tom Reichelt in collaboration with several Khmer punk and metal bands, namely: Sliten6ix; The ...
.
Yab Moung Records Yab Moung Records (YMR) was established in 2012 and was Cambodia's first alternative music label. Yab Moung was founded by Myles Hallin (Myley Rattle) and Tom Reichelt in collaboration with several Khmer punk and metal bands, namely: Sliten6ix; The ...
and Show Box actively encouraged the production of original music and was the artistic home of many original alternative musicians. Show Box only hosted original performances from both Khmer and international musicians and acted as a community hub for innovative ideas. This movement is described by some as their response to a
copycat Copycat refers to a person who copies some aspect of some thing or somebody else. Copycat may also refer to: Intellectual property rights * Copyright infringement, use of another’s ideas or words without permission * Patent infringement, a v ...
music culture, where many modern Khmer-language songs copy the melodies and lyrical themes from nearly identical Chinese, Thai, Korean, American and Vietnam works. Artists who are known in this movement include Adda Angel, Sai, Bonny B., Khmeng Khmer, Laura Mam, P-Sand, Nikki Nikki, Van Chesda, Sliten6ix, Sam Rocker, Kanhchna Chet, Sophia Kao and Smallworld Smallband. The genres of these musicians includes
blues music Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
,
pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
, rap music,
rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
and
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
. The #IAmOriginal project was formed in order to promote up and coming original artists. IAmOriginal identifies itself as a "non-profit music foundation aimed at promoting creative and innovative music in Cambodia by providing training, legal consultation, financial and marketing support to artists who are passionate about music." They have released two albums and held concerts for each of the album launches. Many of Cambodia's young celebrities participate in this movement though showing support at events and through social media. A new project by Laura Baker, The Sound Initiative, also seeks to train and mentor new artists. In 2016, Laura Mam founded Baramey Production, a pioneering music label, nurturing the talents of original music stars in Cambodia. Today, Baramey is on the mainstream with the success of Vannda's several hits songs most notably Time To Rise. Recently, Baramey made a historic deal, one we've never seen before in Cambodian Music scene; which the label has inked a deal with the Asian branch of
Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...
’s ADA, that is headquartered in Singapore. The first time ever a Cambodian music label signed a deal with an international music group.


Khmer Alternative Music

In recent years there has been a resurgence of creativity in contemporary Khmer art forms and music is no exception. Cambodia's first alternative music label
Yab Moung Records Yab Moung Records (YMR) was established in 2012 and was Cambodia's first alternative music label. Yab Moung was founded by Myles Hallin (Myley Rattle) and Tom Reichelt in collaboration with several Khmer punk and metal bands, namely: Sliten6ix; The ...
was founded in 2012 and has since recorded and released the first Khmer Hardcore and Death Metal tracks as well as producing a wide range of alternative artists creating unique Khmer
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
,
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
, hip hop and alternative music. Yab Moung Records provides an ongoing platform for Khmer alternative music and art and actively encourages creative expression within a uniquely Cambodian context.


Khmer Boxing Music

The music of Khmer boxing is called vung phleng pradall or vung phleng klang khek. The music uses an oboe, drums(
sampho The ''samphor'' ( km, សំភោរ; also romanized as ''sampho'') is a small, 2-headed barrel drum indigenous to Cambodia, approximately .35 meter wide by .5 meter long. It has two heads, with one drumhead being larger than the other and is p ...
) and cymbals( chhing). The music comes in two parts. The first part uses a spirit(teacher) to help the boxers concentrate their minds and have confidence. The first part of the music is played slowly in a
rubato Tempo rubato (, , ; 'free in the presentation', literally ) is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Ru ...
style. The melody is played by the oboe and the
sampho The ''samphor'' ( km, សំភោរ; also romanized as ''sampho'') is a small, 2-headed barrel drum indigenous to Cambodia, approximately .35 meter wide by .5 meter long. It has two heads, with one drumhead being larger than the other and is p ...
plays strokes at important points of the melody. The second part which is the fight music is played much faster and in meter. The music accelerates with the progression of the round. It stops at the end of the round or when someone is knocked out. When the fight is exciting, the audience claps in rhythm with the beat of the
sampho The ''samphor'' ( km, សំភោរ; also romanized as ''sampho'') is a small, 2-headed barrel drum indigenous to Cambodia, approximately .35 meter wide by .5 meter long. It has two heads, with one drumhead being larger than the other and is p ...
. Williams, S., & Miller, T. E. (Eds.).(2011)
The Garland Handbook of Southeast Asian Music
Taylor & Francis.


See also

*
Traditional Cambodian musical instruments Traditional Cambodian musical instruments are the musical instruments used in the traditional and classical music of Cambodia. They comprise a wide range of wind, string, and percussion instruments, used by both the Khmer majority as well as the ...
*
Chrieng Brunh Chrieng Brunh ( Northern Khmer: เจรียงเบริญ ) is a type of Khmer vocal music or epic recitative practiced by the Khmers indigenous to Northeast Thailand. From the Khmer words ''charieng'', meaning "song" and ''brunh'' refer ...
*
Nuon Kan Nuon Kan was a Cambodian writer, composer, and professor of music and performing arts, who escaped the Cambodian genocide, which annihilated most of the musicians and scholars of his generation. He is the author of a popular patriotic hymn enti ...


References

*Clewley, John. "Heavenly Dancers". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific'', pp 20–23.
Rough Guides Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on custome ...
Ltd, Penguin Books.


External links


Angkorian & traditional instruments (by Patrick Kersalé)
*
Audio clips: Traditional music of Cambodia.
Musée d'ethnographie de Genève. Accessed November 00, 2010.
Cambodian court music & court dance (Sam-Ang Sam)Cambodia Cultural Profile (Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts/Visiting Arts)Khmer Traditional MusicKhmer Music and Biographies
{{Music of Asia