What: The 18th annual African Cultural Festival, "The Africans are Coming," highlights the art of African music and dance. Organized by the University of North Texas percussion professor Gideon Alorwoyie, it will feature faculty, students and guest artists as part of the 2014-15 Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series.
When: 8 p.m. April 11 (Saturday)
Where: Voertman Hall in the College of Music, 415 Avenue C, Denton
Cost: $10 general admission, taken at the door.
More information: More information on other events this season can be found at the Fine Arts Series Facebook page.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Beginning with the entrance of chiefs and opening by the royal chief of the Ashanti region of Ghana, UNT College of Music's 18th annual African Cultural Festival of Traditional Ethnic Music and Dance, titled "The Africans are Coming," transports audience members to West Africa.
UNT students, faculty and guest artists will perform traditional African drumming, dancing and singing in a format similar to the cultural festivals held in West Africa on April 11 (Saturday).
Gideon Alorwoyie, percussion professor and high priest of the Yewe Cult, from the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa, has organized this event every year. The program includes traditional drumming, dancing and singing from throughout Africa but with a special focus on West African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, the Republic of Benin and Togo.
"I put together this festival to further student education and for the community at large to experience the rich culture and heritage of the diaspora of those in the DFW area from Africa," said Alorwoyie.
Opening the festival will be guest of honor Aboafuohene Nana Osei-Agyemang Bawuah, the royal chief of the Ashanti region of Ghana. The royal chief will be introduced by Abusuapanin Nana Osei Kwame of the Asanteman Association of Dallas-Fort Worth, the chief elder of the region.
Students from Alorwoyie's African music and movement classes will participate in performances along with multiple guest artists including George Kwame Dzikunu, founder and former artistic director of Adzido Dance Company (London) and Wisdom Kobla Agbedanu, former principal dancer of the national dance company of Ghana.
The festival, part of the 2014-15 Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series, starts at 8 p.m. in Voertman Hall in the College of Music, 415 Avenue C, Denton. General admission is $10, taken at the door.
Free parking is available in Lot 26, which is accessible through Lot 4 on Chestnut Street. A map of the UNT campus can be found at http://www.unt.edu/transit/maps.html.
More information on other events this season can be found at the Fine Arts Series Facebook page. For a complete list of UNT College of Music events, including faculty and student recitals, visit the College of Music online calendar. Visit the College of Music Facebook page and on Twitter @UNTCoM.
About the Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series
Now in its 111th season, the Fine Arts Series began as the Lyceum Series in 1903 when UNT was North Texas Normal College. The series has grown over the past century while never losing sight of its purpose to enrich UNT students' lives and provide a higher quality of life at the university. The series continues to entertain and educate the campus community by presenting an exciting series of performing, visual and literary arts events. All Fine Arts Series performances are presented free of charge to UNT students.
About the UNT College of Music
The UNT College of Music is one of the largest and most respected comprehensive music schools in the country. More than 1,600 music students attend UNT each year, participating in more than 50 widely varied ensembles and pursuing specialized studies in performance, composition, music education or music scholarship. UNT faculty members and students have made appearances on the world's finest stages and have produced numerous recordings, many receiving Grammy awards and nominations. Distinguished UNT alumni can be found around the globe, in top music ensembles, opera companies, universities and schools.