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Senku: Music of the African Diaspora

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Piano recital by William Chapman Nyaho of composers of the African diaspora

Senku
Piano Music by Composers of African Descent
Senku: a Fanti (Ghana) term for a keyboard instrument

Piano Music by Composers of African Descent is extremely varied. The composers show an influence of both African and Western cultures. The African elements may manifest themselves on a melodic, harmonic and rhythmic level, whereas the structure of the work may be more easily identified as Western. On the other hand, composers may use 20th century Western compositional techniques with the general musical aesthetic being African. The melodic, harmonic and percussive qualities of the piano make it the perfect vehicle for the expression of this inter-cultural music.

Senku’s concert program includes the following:

Joshua Uzoigwe (NIGERIA) (1946-)    Talking Drums
Oswald Russell (JAMAICA) (1939-)   Three Jamaican Dances
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (USA) (1932-)   Scherzo
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (ENGLAND) (1875-1912) Deep River
Margaret Bonds (USA) (1913-1972)    Troubled Water
Gamal Abdel-Rahim (EGYPT) (1924-1988)   10 Variations on an Egyptian
Folksong
Robert Nathaniel Dett (USA) (1882-1943)    "In The Bottoms" Suite
Gyimah Labi (GHANA) (1950-)    16 Earthbeats Op. 22