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Community Workshop with Afrorack (Bamanya Brian)
In-person
Intercultural MusicDate and time
Location
Red Gate Arts Society (Red Gate)
1965 Main Street
Vancouver, BC
Access
Free.
Offered in English.
Wheelchair accessible and has gender-neutral washrooms.
About
Free workshop with Afrorack on September 28 at Red Gate. Space is limited; registration required. Visit newmusic.org for more info.
Experimental multidisciplinary artist Bamanya Brian, aka Afrorack, is known as one of the people pioneering the making of electronic music instruments in Africa. While pursuing his interest in modular synths, Bamanya encountered difficulties in accessing the required technology, resorting to scouring computer repair shops in his hometown of Kampala, Uganda, until he was able to build his own instrument - a wall of homemade modules and FX units that he named The Afrorack. Using this DIY technology, takes modular synths in an entirely new direction, infusing African musical traditions and polyrhythmic structures, all the while delivering melody and groove.
He has appeared at several international festivals which include Atlas Electronic, Nyege Nyege, Elevate, Dakar Art Biennale and Sonar among others. In May 2022, Bamanya released his debut self-titled album – The Afrorack – which was received with popular acclaim making it to several music writers’ best albums of 2022 including The Wire Magazine’s top 50 albums of 2022. He has also been featured on the BBC world service.
Links
- Community Workshop with Afrorack newmusic.org
Organizer
Vancouver New Music
Vancouver New Music engages communities in the exploration, creation, and experience of progressive and outstanding new music. VNM is dedicated to exploring and contextualizing new music and sonic art, through concert presentations, festival, community, and workshop events. VNM regularly commissions and premieres new works by Canadian composers, presents leading and emerging electroacoustic and electronic music artists, international composers and performers, sound installations and music theatre. VNM presents an annual festival that focuses each year on a theme within the new music landscape, and explores the interaction of contemporary music with other disciplines such as theatre, installation and media arts. Other activities include lectures and workshops with visiting artists, ensemble workshops and presentations open to the community, and other sound art and new music related community events.