Carnegie Hall

• Discuss the lyrics of the song.
  • “Koth Biro” is about parents calling to their children to help bring in the cattle from the coming rainstorm.
  • In the Luo community, farming and cattle are part of its livelihood and everyone must help to take care of the community.
  • Do you think the children listened to their parents?
  • How do you help in your home or community?
  • Why is it important for everyone to contribute?
• Notice that the refrain uses a simple repeating call of “Haa haye,” representing the parents calling their children in from the rain.
  • What phrase or sound does your family use to get your attention?
  • Do you always listen?

• “Koth Biro” is accompanied by the nyatiti, a traditional Kenyan lyre. The nyatiti plays a repeating pattern called an ostinato.
• Learn to clap or tap this ostinato.

• Listen to “Koth Biro” again.
  • How many times do you hear the ostinato repeat?
  • Does the pattern change? Raise your hand when you hear the change.

• Listen to the audio track for “Koth Biro” again. Notice the three different parts of the melody.
• Practice the first melody by singing the “Koth Biro” refrain (“Haa haye haye …”).
• Practice the second melody by singing the “Koth Biro” verse (“Auma bu’winja …”).
• Next, listen for the introduction of harmony. Explain that harmony is when two or more notes sound at the same time.
  • Raise your hand when you hear the harmony!
  • Do the notes sound close together or far apart?
  • Do you prefer the solo melody or the melody and harmony together? Why?
• For a musical challenge, divide the class into four groups. Have one group sing the chorus 1, one group sing the chorus 2, one group sing the harmony, and another group clap or tap the ostinato rhythm. Practice performing all four layers together at the same time.

Add the words Dholuo, harmony, melody, nyatiti, and ostinato to the Musical Word Wall.

Image Credits

Grains on Display in Market in Bungoma Kenya on 1 February 2018 by kevin ouma / Shutterstock