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Orchestras from Around the World In the Andes of Colombia, there are two types of instrumental ensembles. One, the estudiantina, consists of lots of fretted string instruments: guitar, tiple, requinto, and bandola plus lots of tambourines called panderetas. The tiple and the requinto are sort of like small guitars; the bandola looks like a mandolin, but with a flat back. This kind of group developed from the music of Spain, where guitars are very popular. The other kind of Andean ensemble is the chirimia. The chirimia comes from Native American, rather than Spanish, traditions. It features two or three flutes, maracas, drums, and a rasp made of bamboo or gourds. Sometimes ocarinas (small wind instruments), tambourines, and whistles are included in the chirimia.
In Thailand, there are three basic kinds of orchestras. The pi phat ensemble includes melodic percussion instruments similar to orchestral bells and xylophones; cymbals and gongs; and just one wind instrument, thepi, which has a double reed like an oboe. The mahori ensemble includes smaller percussion instruments like hand cymbals and gong; flutes, and a few stringed instruments. And a Thai string orchestra is called a khruang sai.
The gamelan is an orchestra from Indonesia. Gamelans have sections for gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones (like orchestra bells), drums, flutes, bowed and plucked string instruments, xylophones, small cymbals, and singers. There are many types of gamelan music. Usually, most of the instruments are made of brass and other metals. But in some gamelans, most of the instruments are made of bamboo, which gives a very different sound.
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