Sunday December 7 * 3pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Kora Meditation began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual space created by Amadou Kouyate, offering live Kora performances to foster connection, reflection, and calm through sound. Now, with renewed energy and purpose, the series is being revived as an in-person experience. Amadou, in collaboration with fellow musician Kelebogile Motsumi, is expanding the concept to include a wider range of African sounds and expressions, aiming to create a deeply therapeutic and immersive sonic journey. 

Amadou Kouyate, a 150th-generation Manding Diali (West African oral historian/musician) and the first born of his father’s lineage in America, is a master of the 21-string Kora, Djembe, and Koutiro drums. His repertoire spans from 13th-century traditional songs to original works blending blues and jazz. He performs solo and with groups such as Proper SKANKS, Amadou Kouyate Ensemble, WEEDOU Everything!, and Memory of African Culture. Amadou has toured globally, collaborating with renowned dance companies and performing at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and international festivals across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. A two-time Grammy-nominated contributor, he has composed for film and video games, and lectured at over 30 universities worldwide. His honours include the Maryland Governor’s Citation, Master/Apprentice Award, and scholarships from Howard University and Levine School of Music. Trained in Mali, Senegal, Guinea, and The Gambia under masters like Djimo Kouyate and Toumani Diabate, Amadou has taught at the University of Maryland, Montgomery College, American University, Goucher College, and UMBC, and served as an artist-in-residence at Strathmore and Wolftrap.

Kelebogile Motsumi is a vocalist and indigenous African instrumentalist from South  Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Pretoria, where she was trained in jazz vocals and piano. Driven by a deep desire to reconnect with the music of her roots, she explored Xhosa traditional music and developed proficiency in indigenous instruments such as the umrhubhe, uhadi, and umngqokolo. Kelebogile's musical practice blends jazz with the sonic textures of Xhosa traditional music. Her work has been showcased in diverse spaces across South Africa, including the Makhanda Jazz Festival in the Eastern Cape, Selective Live in Cape Town, and Chiesa di Pazzo Lupi in Johannesburg. She was recognized by the Joy of Jazz festival and featured in the Sowetan in 2023. In 2024, Kelebogile relocated to the United States, where she continues to immerse herself in the country’s rich musical culture. She has performed at venues such as the Hylton Performing Arts Center and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C.