Strings of Africa: West African Kora

Ages 9 & Up: Be enraptured by the complex harmonies of the kora, a 21- to 22-stringed West African instrument, as played by musician Sean Gaskell. Often the instrument of the Mandé jalis—traditional oral historians and storytellers also known as griots—songs performed on the kora tell of love, war, hardship, and loss intertwined with the history of Mandé society.

Sean Gaskell has studied the West African kora with two teachers and has taken numerous trips to the Republic of the Gambia. Along with his performance, Gaskell will share his personal experiences while studying in the Gambia, discuss the history and use of the kora, and answer audience questions.