Monica Ambalal
 mfambalal@ucdavis.edu 116E Music Building Office Hours T 1–2 pm |
Monica Ambalal is a graduate student in Ethnomusicology. She received her B.A. in Music History from the University of New Orleans, and her M.A. in Musicology from CSU Long Beach.
She began playing piano at age 6, and has studied cello with Ira Lehn (Modesto), Karen Ray (New Orleans), and David Garrett (Los Angeles). She has played with the New Orleans Civic Symphony, and has participated in various arts programs and ensembles throughout San Joaquin County. In 2006, she presented a paper titled "The Commercialization of Mambo in Post-War America: When Canasta was Replaced by Mambo Lessons" at the annual meeting for the Society of Ethnomusicology. During the 2006–2007 school year, she taught music history and piano at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton. Monica is interested in music and dance traditions of the Caribbean and French Polynesia, and hopes to further explore the reception of these genres in the U.S. She enjoys world percussion and has participated in taiko, steel drum, and samba ensembles. |