Philosophie
de Twa Tanbou
Pour qu’une équipe atteigne le sommet, chacun doit jouer sa partition. À quoi sert une arriviste obsédée par sa propre gloire qui fait le malheur de son équipe. Les vrais leaders sont ceux qui s’oublient en priorisant le bien-être collectif.
- Louis-Marie Célestin, poet
The Central Theme of Twa Tanbou (as described by poet Louis-Marie Célestin)
“In order for a team to reach the optimal result, each member must play his or her own part as a team. There is no room for self-obsessed glory; this ultimately brings down the team. True leaders are those who put their team’s collective well-being before themselves.”
The text of Twa Tanbou uses this philosophy, applied to three drums: the big Boula (the loudest), the smaller Tanbouren (the most beautiful sounding drum) and the little Kata drum, arguing that if everyone works together, there will be beautiful music!
Please find the English translation of the poem on page 28 and the Pronunciation Guide (IPA) on page 29.
Duration: 3 min. 35 sec.
About the Composer
Sydney Guillaume’s compositions have been praised by the Miami Herald to show “impressive maturity and striking melodic distinction.” In 2004, he was named the Outstanding Graduate for the Department of Music Theory and Composition at the University of Miami where he received his Bachelor of Music in Composition with emphasis in Media Writing and Production. Sydney is originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He takes great pride in his Haitian roots; his love for his homeland is one of his greatest inspirations. He hopes that his music will serve as an ambassador for his country and create an awareness of the beautiful culture that exists amidst the economic and political turmoil. Sydney is an active member of the choral community both as a composer and singer. He has been commissioned by renowned choirs such as The University of Miami Frost Chorale, Seraphic Fire, The Young New Yorkers Chorus, The Miami Children’s Chorus and Kokopelli Choir. His fi rst choral piece “Kalinda” won the Cambridge Madrigal Singers Eight Annual International Choral Composition Competition. Sydney resides in Los Angeles, California, where he is the composer in residence at St. Frances de Sales Church.
Choral works by Sidney Guillaume: To Order: WJMS1053 Kalinda SSAATTBB HL08501493
Walton Music Corporation Gunilla Luboff, Publisher
Twa Tanbou
ta,kata,boula,popopo,kap
ta,kata,boula,popopo,kap
ta,Kata,Boula,Tanbouren.
ta,Kata,Boula,Tanbouren.
ta,Kata,Boula,Tanbouren.
zo,tikito,doum,zokotikito,to.
zo,tikito,podopodopo.
Tanbouren,Tanbouren,Tanbouren,Tanbouren,
Twa Tanbou
Kap fè yon diskisyon
Yon gwo dimanch maten
Lè yo sot nan Ginen
Yon Ti Kata
Yon Tanbouren
Yon Gwo Boula
Boula rete li di
Li di li ka frape pi fò
Boula rete li di
Se li ki ka frape pi fò
TwaTanbou
Creole – English Translation
Three drums
Are having an argument
A great Sunday morning
On their way back from Guinea
