BALA BILA

BALA BILA brings together two African master musicians—Balla Kouyate on balafon, calabash, bass guitar, and voice, and Matchume Zango on timbila, mbira, percussion, and voice—in an intimate, living-room style concert and intercultural musical conversation between two extraordinary artists. Kouyate hails from the West African country of Mali, and Zango calls the East African nation of Mozambique home. They are leading exponents of their respective principal instruments, BALAfon and timBILA—two world heritage instruments that will be played together in harmony.

About the Artists: Virtuoso balafon player and oral historian of Mandé culture, Balla Kouyaté carries on the centuries-old role of a djeli. Kouyaté’s lineage goes back more than 800 years to Balla Faséké—the first of an unbroken line of djelis (oral historians/musicians) in the Kouyaté clan. He’s received multiple accolades including the NEA’s National Heritage Fellowship in 2019, and has collaborated with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Angélique Kidjo, Vusi Mahlasela, and the Silk Road Ensemble. Kouyate currently teaches in the Contemporary Musical Arts program at the New England Conservatory.

“among the greatest bala players in the world today”—World Music Central

Born and raised in Maputo, Mozambique, master timbila player and percussionist Matchume Zango is well known in the Southern African region for his many collaborations with international musicians and his spectacular timbila and dance shows. While studying for his Bachelors and Masters degrees at the University of Cape Town, he began composing and performing traditional, experimental, and fusion music for the departments of music, theatre, dance, and cinema. Zango has given workshops and courses in Mozambican music and dance at schools and universities in several countries.

Reserved seating. Tickets: $25 general public | $20 Middlebury ID holders | $10 Youth (Under 21) | $5 Middlebury students. Buy tickets: http://go.middlebury.edu/tickets

Approximate running time: 75 minutes with no intermission.

Sponsored by the Performing Arts Series, the Paul Nelson Performance Endowment, and the Rothrock Family Residency Fund.

Learn more about the artists: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BallaKouyateMusic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kouyatefamily
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/3laHHAk2gY8WdY6ouF9Cj8

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matchumezangomusic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@matchumezango7359
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6gyhowXJxNKCGe1DQZSzdn

Watch videos:
https://youtu.be/EJvQ4T7YoUg?si=4EPcSZ-ueAlSr3bc
https://youtu.be/sXTSxqrhBuc?si=71z7j58_EacIaBOf

Performance subject to change.