Cambodia is a South East Asian nation
whose landscape spans low-lying plains,
the Mekong Delta, mountains and Gulf
of Thailand coastline. Phnom Penh, its
capital, is home to the art deco Central
Market, glittering Royal Palace and the
National Museum’s historical and
archaelogical exhibits. In the country’s
northwest are the ruins of the Angkor
Wat, a massive stone temple complex
built during the Khmer Empire.
BAYON
The Bayon is a well-known
and richly decorated Khmer
temple at Angkor in
Cambodia.Built in the late
12th or early 13th century as
the official state temple of
the Mahayana Buddhist King
Jayavarman Vll.
Other point of interest in Cambodia:
Silver Pagoda,
Phnom Penh
Baksei Chamkrong
Angkor Thom
Ta Som
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It 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 travellers.
Folk and Classical Music
Cambodian art music is highly
influenced by ancient forms as well as
Hindu forms.
 CAMBODIAN COURT MUSIC is roughly similar
to that of Java,Indonesia.
 Cambodian people also absorbed and
adopted Indian,Chinese,European,and
other cultures to suit their own
traditions that resulted in a distinct
Cambodian Culture.

‣ Cambodian Court Music
CAMBODIAN ART MUSIC
 Religious dancing, many of which
depict stories and ancient myths are
common.
 Some dances are accompanied by a
pinpeat orchestra, which includes a
chhing (cymbal),oneat(bamboo
xylophone), paiau (flute),
sralai(oboe), chapey (bass 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 1950’s saw a revival in
a classical dance, led by
Queen Sisowath Kossamak
Nearyrath.
PINPEAT
PINPEAT
 A Cambodian ensemble or an
orchestra that accompanies
ceremonial music of the royal courts
and temples.
 This group is similar to the piphat
ensemble of Thailand and usually
consists of 9 or 10 instrument.
Pinpeat
Instruments used in the
pinpeat:
-Oneat
-Samphor
-Kongvong
-Skorthom
-Chhing
Vocabulary
 IDIOPHONE –an instrument
which vibrates to produce a
sound when struck, shaken,
or scraped.
 MEMBRANOPHONE-any
musical instrument which
produces sound primarily by
way of a vibrating stretched
membrane.
Oneat
These are xylophones (idiophone)
Samphor
It is a small barrel drum indigenous to
Cambodia.
It has two heads and is played with both hands.
KONGVONG
They are gong circles(idiophone)
Skorthom
They are 2 bug drums similar to
japanese drums(membranophone)
CHHING
They are finger cymbals(idiophone)
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Other Musical Instrument of
Cambodia
SRALAI
KHLOY