Gyil Esemble

Angela Scharfenberger

Gyil Esemble

Regular price $ 180.00
Unit price  per 

Gyil Ensemble with Angela Scharfenberger

This class will meet at Angela's studio in the Highlands.

Gyil is a gorgeous pentatonic instrument indigenous to northern Ghana and Burkina Faso. The patterns are cyclical, with emerging complex polyrhythms and interlocking polyrhythmic melodies. The sound of the gyil is truly mesmerizing! My first teacher was Sowah Mensah (who had his made in C pentatonic) (1994-1998). I also studied under Bernard Woma in Bloomington (2007 - 2011), at the Dagaara Music Center outside of Accra (2012), and with Aaron Bebe Sekura at the University of Ghana in Legon (2006).
Here's a video of the last time I hosted Bernard in Louisville. Bernard passed away in 2018 and has since been inducted into the Percussive Arts Society's Hall of Fame:


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.  

All instruments provided. 

Questions? please reach out! angela@louisvillefolkschool.org

This is an adult class open to students aged 13 and up.