Sodina

A Sodina is a woodwind instrument commonly played in Malagasy music and a member of the aerophone family of instruments. Similar in structure and sound to a flute, the sodina is made out of bamboo, lightwood, plastic, or reed and varies in size depending upon the region it is being played in. In most Muslim countries, the sodina is comprised of six openings evenly spaced along the body; however, sodinas indigenous to Madagascar are often found to have anywhere from three to five equidistant openings. Sodinas can be played solo or in a group of instruments, in which case it is accompanied by many flutes and a large drum.

Ethnomusicology researches point the origins of the Sodina in Southeast Asia Islands (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines) where one can still find today its bamboo form, known in Malay as "suling".

The Grand Master of the Malagasy sodina of the 20th century is decidedly Rakoto Frah.Dailymotion video extrait here (Rakoto Frah playing sodina): [http://fr.fooooo.com/watch.php?id=6b5167cc5c73971f2c25b95c69e53206&site=&url=] Myspace audio extract here (accompanied with valiha): [http://www.lamediatheque.be/med/exm/M/L/5340/0003.mp3]

Another young Master, known as the 'spiritual child' of Rakoto Frah is the Malagasy saxophonist and composer
Nicolas Vatomanga.Audio extraits here (accompanying the malagasy singer and composer Hanitra Ranaivo on "Aiza Izy Izay"): [http://pagesperso-orange.fr/hanitraranaivo/son/madagascar_hanitra_1.mp3]