African Xylophone (Gil) with Angela Scharfenberger
This class will meet at Angela's studio in Germantown/Tyler Park. You will receive the street address via email a week before the first class.
Gyil is a pentatonic xylophone indigenous to northern Ghana and Burkina Faso. The patterns are cyclical, with emerging complex polyrhythms and interlocking polyrhythmic melodies. My teachers were Sowah Mensah (1994-1998); Bernard Woma in Bloomington (2007 - 2011), and in Accra, Ghana (2012), and Aaron Bebe Sekura at the University of Ghana (2006).
This ensemble will be a mixed-level class, with more experienced students working on challenging lead and soloing lines, and beginner students playing accessible accompaniment support parts.
You will learn:
- Basic gyil techniques and note locations.
- supporting parts and/or lead melodies for 4 pieces, depending on skills/ experience.
- ear training in both melodic lines and polyrhythmic patterns.
All instruments provided. Experience with percussion or keyboard instruments is helpful, but not necessary. Music is taught entirely by ear, repetition, and practice videos.
This is an adult class open to students aged 13 and up.