Music in Asian Religions

November 14, 2016April 9, 2010 By Joanne Chang

Almost all major and current popular religions originated in Asia, such as Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, each with some type of music in their practices. Whether this music is a major part of the religion, like in Christianity and Catholicism, or part of the chanting, like in Buddhism, it serves and offers different purposes and functions.

This presentation will make comparisons in styles, rhythm, sound and instrumentation between traditional religious/sacred sounds and modern secular ones. Attendees will discover the role of music in different Asian religions and how it offers meditative relaxation for its faithful followers.

Author Bio

Joanne Chang

Joanne Chang is an Assistant Professor in the Music Department at Queensborough Community College, The City University of New York. Dr. Chang received her undergraduate degree from Queensland Conservatorium at Griffith University in Australia, her Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and her Doctoral degree from Columbia University. Her teachers include Constance Keene, Karl-Heinz Kammerling, Natasha Vlassenko, Mykola Suk, Valida Rassoulova and Lev Vlassenko, (the later four are direct student descendants of legendary Rachmaninoff).

In 1995, she gave her recital debut in Australia, and subsequently performed in Die Stiftung Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in Germany, and in New York's Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. Dr. Chang also premiered Four Temperaments by Hindemith with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall in Taiwan. Her selected performances include a recital and a chamber music tours in Taiwan (the former one being sponsored by the Italian Fazioli Piano Corporation), invitations from Faust and Harrison in its series of "Pianists for the New Millennium", Merkin Hall of Abraham Goodman House sponsored by Artist’s International Inc., Four-Hand piano concert from Klavierhaus Inc., a concert tour in Switzerland; and recitals at Symphony Space, Steinway Hall, NYPL at Donnell branch, an extensive Australian concert tour (including one concert at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex), Carnegie Weill Hall in New York City.

Dr. Chang has also established herself as an interdisciplinary researcher (music and psychology). She has several publications in scientific journals such as Psychology of Music in the United Kingdom and Medical Problems for Performing Artists in the USA. In addition to concert performances and publications, Dr. Chang is a multiple grant award winner: two PSC-CUNY Grants, two G. Shuster Fellowships and two Travel Awards from the State of New York.

Dr. Chang has also served on the faculty of City College, Lehman College, John Jay College (all CUNY), New Jersey City University, and Montclair State University. Her recent events include a piano recital and lecture in Shanghai City, China during the summer of 2009.