West African Ensemble Educational Resources

Music plays a vital role in cultures worldwide; shaping cultural identity, preserving traditions, and facilitating communication and understanding across borders. It serves as a medium for expressing emotions, celebrating events, and transmitting knowledge and values across generations. There is much to be learned by students in the way this music is approached and practiced. It mirrors how many others around the world use music and provides contrast to the way western music is approached in typical school orchestra, band, and choir programs.
Using this non-traditional ensemble to create and perform music, students are guided by a teacher to learn the role of each instrument. Through guided facilitation of listening and responding, students create music in an exploratory way with both non-pitched & pentatonic-pitched instruments. Since the ability to read music is not a requirement, this ensemble provides opportunities to students who have not had opportunities in music and extends the learning of those who have by encouraging the true freedom of improvisation in a safe space.
This ensemble extends learning beyond the World Drumming Curriculum offered by Lincoln Public Schools. This fund will be granted to support the LPS West African Music Ensemble as designated by the fund administrator.

There is so much more to this music than meets the eye! This music and dance are incredibly intertwined and often influenced by history and culture as well as community values and dynamics. Your donation would help acquire educational resources that would allow students and adult coaches to dive deeper into African culture and gain a better understanding of how it impacts the music and dance that we're performing.