VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL MARIMBA AND STEELPAN FESTIVAL 2020 VIRTUAL PRIZES GYIL WORKSHOP – EXPLORING THE MARIMBA OF GHANA Mark Stone is a musician-educator from Michigan with a passion for using music to bring diverse communities together. As an Associate Professor of Music at Oakland University, Prof. Stone coordinates the world music, jazz, and percussion programs in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. He is also the Arts Area Leader for the OU/Pontiac Initiative and a member of the Pontiac Arts Commission. Prof. Stone is recognized internationally for his work in global percussion performance and education. He has performed with the foremost musicians of Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, India, Trinidad, Ecuador, and the United States. An accomplished composer and improviser, Mark writes regularly for his many projects. His highly original musical style results from innovative performance practice rooted in a deep knowledge of multiple world traditions. As an American Baha’i, he is dedicated to promoting equity, justice, and a world embracing vision of humanity. www.markstonepercussion.com Workshop sponsored by Stone Sound Collective DJEMBE WORKSHOP – DEVELOPING HAND DRUMMING TECHNIQUE Chinelo ‘Chi’ Amen-Ra is a Detroit-born percussionist grounded in Pan-Africanism and an interest in his Black American heritage. The percussive music of the African diaspora has given Chi great respect for the oneness of humanity. He has been blessed to receive the rhythms of Master Drummers from West, Central, and East Africa, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and India. A University of Michigan alumnus holding a B.A. in African American Studies, he has augmented his percussive pursuits by exploring Africa’s contributions to American music. He has collaborated with the American Cancer Society and performed with the eminent Stevie Wonder at Super Bowl XL. Chi is a Kresge Artist Fellow, as well as a featured musician and performer in the Emmy Award-winning “DETROIT: One Nation Under A Groove” music video. Through the healing power of music, he aims to remedy some of that which divides the human family. www.chiamenra.com Workshop sponsored by Stone Sound Collective KONNAKOL WORKSHOP – UNDERSTANDING THE RHYTHMS OF SOUTHERN INDIA Sam Jeyasingham was introduced to the art of playing the double headed south Indian drum, mridangam, at the age of nine in Sri Lanka. He spent six years learning the intricacies and nuances of playing mridangam under the illustrious guru Vidwan P. Sinnarasa. He received his diploma in mridangam from the Northern Sri Lankan Board of Music & Dance and served as a primary percussion instructor for a number of Indian Classical Music institutes in Sri Lanka. Starting his concert performance career at age 15, Jeyasingham has many years of experience in performing Indian percussion instruments for South Indian carnatic music and dance bales in USA, Canada and Sri Lanka. He has also collaborated with many musicians from around the world with varied culture to form successful fusion music ensembles. A versatile percussionist, talented in playing tabla, ganjira, konnakol and morsing, Jeyasingham has received numerous recognitions and awards for his contribution. Workshop sponsored by Stone Sound Collective MASTER CLASS WITH STEFAN BAUER Stefan Bauer is active in a wide musical field between tradition and avant-garde as both player (vibraphone/marimba) and a conceptualist of music. Inspiring travels as a musician to various countries in Europe, in North and Central America, South Korea, East-India and especially to a number of African countries and encounters with among others Dou Dou N’Diaye Rose, Ali Keïta, Rama Mani, Norma Winstone, Kakraba Lobi, Adam Nussbaum, Eje Thelin, Bernard Woma, Kenny Wheeler and many more as well as many more and memorable co-operations with fantastic musicians everywhere have resulted in a cosmos of impressions and experiences reflected in Stefan’s nine CD’s to date. He sees himself as a musical story-teller. SIDE DRUM WORKSHOP WITH ARNIE LANG Arnie Lang grew up in the Bronx, New York, surrounded by many styles of music. He began studying at Juilliard with Morris Goldenberg while still in high school and then with Saul Goodman. During his time as a full-time student at Juilliard, Arnie also studied with Billy Gladstone, the infamous instrument inventor and snare drummer at Radio City Music Hall. Arnie freelanced at this time until he started playing extra percussion with the New York Philharmonic. At the age of 25 he started playing full-time for the New York Philharmonic. His first concert was under the baton of the legendary Dimitri Mitropoulis. Arnie was part of the New York Philharmonic for 40 years. As a teacher, he's been associated with the Manhattan School of Music, the New York College of Music, and Kingsborough Community College, but his longest association began in 1971 at Brooklyn College. with only the orchestra's four timpani, an old snare drum, and a xylophone with which to work. Currently Arnie has nine books on the market. He is also an entrepreneur and has his own company: Lang Percussion. .