The African Concert Series
africanseries.bsky.social
The African Concert Series
@africanseries.bsky.social
🪘🪈🎶The world's first ever home for African and Black classical music.
📍Wigmore Hall, London
Pinned
African Classical Music at @wigmore-hall.org.uk !
🗓️ Join us as we return with another day of concerts on 19 July!
🎫 £5 under 35s! www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/ser...
☔️☔️ African Art Song: “Ojo Maa Ro” (Let it Rain!) by Ayo Bankole
🎤Omo Bello
🎹 Rebeca Omordia 🪘 Richard Olatunde Baker
November 14, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Akin Euba (1935–2020) was a distinguished Nigerian composer, musicologist, and pianist known as the pioneer of “African Pianism” and “creative ethnomusicology”. His work uniquely blended traditional African musical elements, especially Yoruba rhythms, with Western classical music techniques.
November 12, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Samuel Akpabot - Akwa-Ibom (1932–2000) was a renowned Nigerian composer, ethnomusicologist, author, and sports journalist. He is known for blending African traditional music and Western classical styles in his compositions, most notably his orchestral works.
November 11, 2025 at 7:32 PM
FELA SOWANDE (1905–1987)
ℹ️A prominent Nigerian musician, composer, organist, and educator, widely regarded as the “father of modern Nigerian art music”, his works effectively blending Western classical techniques with traditional African, particularly Yoruba, melodies and rhythms.
November 10, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Part of our African flute series, the ọjà flute of the Igbo people of Nigeria plays a central role in their social, cultural & spiritual events. It is considered the “soul” of Igbo cultural music and is a key communication tool, often referred to as a “talking instrument”.
November 8, 2025 at 8:11 AM
🎶 Flautist Rowland Sutherland plays Okwanjula Kw’Endere (Introduction of the Flute) by composer Justinian Tamusuza (b. 1951, Uganda) 🇺🇬part of Music from East Africa Concert at @wigmore_hall on 21 March 2026.
November 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
When the European flute is used to express certain features of African traditional music, creating a new genre - African art music for flute, a blend of Western classical music and African traditional music. Nigerian composer Akin Euba is a leading figure of the Nigerian School of art music.
November 6, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The Fula flute, European flute and the balafon are increasingly found in cross-genre music,often in fusion collaborations that blend traditional West African music with Western styles, bridging the traditional West African scales with the chromatic possibilities of Western instruments.
November 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
🪈🎶 Baba Gallé Kanté plays the Fula flute. Considered the national instrument of the Fulani people of West Africa, the Fula flute holds significant cultural value, used in traditional music for storytelling, ceremonies, and connecting with ancestral traditions.
November 4, 2025 at 12:47 PM
⭐️ Can you name African flutes? ⭐️
🪈The flute holds great significance in Africa for its roles in communication, spiritual practices and cultural expression.
⚱𓂀⚒🏺Flutes in Africa have a long history, with evidence of bone and reed flutes dating back to the Later Stone Age.
November 3, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
African Pianism as exemplified in Igbo music in this Igbo dance for piano by Christian Onyeji from Nigeria, performed with Ogbu oja Gerald Eze at the @africanseries.bsky.social @wigmore-hall.org.uk! #igbomusic #africanpianism
September 19, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
🖼️🤔👓 New on ArtMuseLondon, my round-up of the most recent @africanseries.bsky.social day @wigmore-hall.org.uk, plus a look ahead to future events AND some listening recommendations. It’s all here…

artmuselondon.com/2025/09/02/t...
Through roots: an African Concert Series update (and more)
This is a public service announcement! – an all-purpose post rounding up some recent African Concert Series activity, with a look ahead to some events and releases to come. The latest African…
artmuselondon.com
September 3, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
Exploring African Pianism - I enjoyed writing this article for the Gramophone magazine exploring the African piano repertoire and highlighting techniques of African pianism.

👓 www.gramophone.co.uk/features/art...
August 30, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Jamaican Medley (excerpt) by Eleanor Alberga performed by Maria Thompson Corley | African Women at The African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall 2025.
#womencomposers #jamaican
August 25, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Glorious ✨🎶Psalm to Windrush by Shirley J Thompson performed by Nadine Benjamin soprano & Maria Thompson Corley piano | African Women at The African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall 2025.
August 23, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Dancing into the Bank Holiday weekend on Gambian rhythms. ✨🎶Tunde Jegede & the African Classical Music Ensemble | The African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall 2025
August 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
“Ambassel” from Piano Music from Ethiopia with Girma Yirfrashewa at the African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall, 2025.
Listen now: youtu.be/8f3ypoYtKq4?...
Ethiopian Piano Music: Girma Yifrashewa plays Ambassel
YouTube video by The African Concert Series
youtu.be
August 8, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Thank you to everyone who supported the 7th African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall and to those who attended our concerts!

See you in 2026 for another special series of concerts on 21 March!
July 21, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
Another superb @africanseries.bsky.social day @wigmore-hall.org.uk draws to a close. Lovely programme tonight shuffling combinations of African & Western instruments to life-affirming effect. 🙏 💐 to @rebecaomordia.bsky.social for impeccable piano / curation / organisation skills!
July 19, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
Cast of thousands* (*10) for this enticing ‘African Odyssey’ programme, the finale to today’s ace @africanseries.bsky.social day @wigmore-hall.org.uk. Excited to hear these performers back in this space!
July 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
Concert 2 of @africanseries.bsky.social was a gem - scintillating solo piano selections from Maria Thompson Corley with Nadine Benjamin guesting on some beautiful songs. Back tonight for part 3! @wigmore-hall.org.uk
July 19, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
Onward with @africanseries.bsky.social @wigmore-hall.org.uk - astonishing morning concert from Tunde Jegede, Jan Hendrickse & Vincent Ademola Haastrup; now for the ‘African Women’ programme from Maria Thompson Corley & Nadine Benjamin.
July 19, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Maria Thompson Corley & Nadine Benjamin are sound checking ahead of this afternoon’s concert at Wigmore Hall.
🎶 Join us for a programme of music by women composers of African descent starting at 3pm. ✨
July 19, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Tunde Jegede, Jan Hendrickse and Vincent Ademola are sound checking ahead of this morning’s concert at @wigmore-hall.org.uk, starting a wonderful day of concerts.
🎶 Joins us from 11.30AM! ✨
July 19, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Reposted by The African Concert Series
Suitably tropical conditions (!) for @africanseries.bsky.social Day. Take shelter @wigmore-hall.org.uk: kora at 11.30, song at 3, chamber at 7.30. Get involved! (And dry!)
July 19, 2025 at 8:18 AM