Manchester Collective x Sidiki Dembélé Ensemble: Constellations

Event details

Sidiki Dembélé Ensemble  calabash, djembe, ngoni, dundun, balafon, vocals
Manchester Collective  string ensemble, bass guitar

Programme to include:
Sidiki Dembélé   Teriya
Arrangements and selections from John Playford, Henry Purcell, Hans Abrahamsen, Kevin Volans, Emily Hall and Edmund Finnis by Rakhi Singh
Nwando Ebizie   New commission

A joyful musical journey, where tradition and spirituality meet future ancestors and sonic rituals.

Join Manchester Collective, percussionist extraordinaire Sidiki Dembélé and his band for folksong and storytelling from the Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal. Born of his family’s griot tradition of West African oral history and music, Sidiki’s work Teriya (‘Friendship’ in Bambara) celebrates where our roots meet and intertwine.

Adding her own colours to this vibrant palette is Nwando Ebizie. The Northern composer and multidisciplinary artist creates a brand-new work filtered through her very own Afrofuturist vision. Drawing from the power of ancestral heritages and rites, her piece looks back at our destiny and envisions our inheritance, welcoming the future by calling on the spirits of the past.

Along the way, lead violinist Rakhi Singh threads together and breathes new life into classical and contemporary works. You can be sure that rhythm will be your friend here!

‘Master of African percussion’ (The Scotsman on Sidiki Dembélé)

‘Full of playful experimentation and atmospheric sounds’ (The Times on Manchester Collective)

‘One of the coolest outfits in classical music’ (The Guardian on Manchester Collective)

If you would like to discuss any access requirements with us, please contact the Box Office. Information about our companion card scheme, group bookings and free tickets for under-16s can be found on our website.