page_title: Music of Cambodia
section_title: Folk and classical music
hierarchical_section_title: Music of Cambodia / Folk and classical music
caption_attribution_description: English: Dancers in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Oct. 2008, dancing in the style of the apsaras, women who danced religiously in the temples for heaven. The photograper wrote on the source page, "Apsara Dance has been part of Khmer culture for centuries. This fact is evident from thousands of sculptures and bas-reliefs found on the walls of several of the many Angkor temples. This probably suggests that Apsara dancers were not only ritual performers that entertained people during the Angkorian period but they were also believed to be goodwill messengers to the gods."
context_page_description: The music of Cambodia is derived from a mesh of cultural traditions dating back to the ancient Khmer Empire, India, China and the original indigenous tribes living in the area before the arrival of Indian and Chinese travelers. With the rapid Westernization of popular music, Cambodian music has incorporated elements from music around the world through globalization.
context_section_description: Cambodian Art music is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as Hindu forms.  Religious dancing, many of which depict stories and ancient myths, are common in Cambodian culture.  Some dances are accompanied by a pinpeat orchestra, which includes a ching (cymbal), roneat (bamboo xylophone), pai au (flute), sralai (oboe), chapey (bass moon lute or banjo), gong (bronze gong), tro (fiddle), 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.
  During the early 1970s, the Khmer Rouge 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 efforts governments (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, 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 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.
  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 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."
caption: Dancers in Siem Reap performing in a style of the apsaras engraved on the walls of the country's ancient ruins.
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