In our continuing efforts to bring the best of African Culture to the
Madison
community, the African Association of Madison, Inc., the UW-Madison African
Studies Program, and the UW-Madison African Students Association present:

Macalester College African Music Ensemble
St. Paul, Minnesota

Saturday, November 14, 1998
7:30 pm

Mills Concert Hall
UW-Madison Humanities Building
455 North Park Street
Parking at Grainger Hall (enter at Brooks Street and University Avenue) or
Lake Street ramp from University Avenue or W. Johnson Street.

Visit their web-site at http://www.macalester.edu/~music/sm/ to read more
and hear some of their music.

Donation at the door: $3.00 or $2.00 for students w/ID

On Friday, November 13, the emsemble will perform in the following schools
in Madison:  Marquette, Lapham, Hugel and Van Hise.

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The Macalester African Music Ensemble performs traditional African music
using a variety of authentic instruments brought from Africa. These
instruments include varieties of drums such as frame drums,
 hourglass-shaped talking drums, bottle-shaped drums, and cylindrical
drums. The drums range in size from as small as a cereal bowl to a drum 9
feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. Other instruments include Gyil
(xylophones), Atenteben (flutes), various bells and rattles, mbiras and
gourds.

The ensemble performs music reflecting a wide variety of musical occasions
or musical situations in Africa. These include musics used during
ceremonies such as puberty, funerals, music associated with royalty, music
that makes social commentary, children's music, social dances and
entertainment.

The ensemble is a forty-piece group directed by Sowah Mensah,
ethnomusicologist, composer and a master drummer from Ghana, West Africa.

The Ensemble has performed for various audiences. In Minnesota, the
Ensemble has performed at the University of Minnesota, Mankato State Uni
versity, St. Cloud State University, Carleton College, St. Olaf College,
Gustavus Adolphus, and many primary and secondary schools. The Ensemble has
also played at several churches and community centers, such as the Landmark
Center, and on several occasions for Minnesota Public Radio. In the
surrounding area, the Ensemble has been welcomed at the Universities of
Wisconsin at Stout and River Falls. The Ensemble has toured Michigan, Iowa
and, most recently, completed a tour to Casper and Riverton, Wyoming and
Sioux Falls, South Dakota.