The “Voices Of Africa” Choral & Percussion Ensemble is an all female a cappella and West African percussion ensemble based in Philadelphia. We have a unique sound and presence that has opened opportunities for us to perform all over the country and abroad. Along with our performances, we offer Work-shops, Lecture Demos and Residencies where we teach how to play the different instruments that we use in our ensemble. Those instruments are the Sekere, Sa-kara drum, Ago go bell and Sangba drum. We also infuse Brazilian percussion into our predominantly West African rhythms and style to create fun and unique sounds that our participants enjoy learning. We propose a single workshop or workshop series (Residency Program) dealing with percussion and a workshop series that teaches how to make the Sekere (beaded gourd) instrument. We make our own sekeres and we conduct workshops for adults teaching them how to make their own. At the completion of the workshop series, each participant will have their own sekere that they can take home with them.

1. VOA Workshop Descriptions
The “Voices Of Africa” Choral & Percussion Ensemble is an all female a
cappella and West African percussion ensemble based in Philadelphia. We have a
unique sound and presence that has opened opportunities for us to perform all
over the country and abroad. Along with our performances, we offer Work-
shops, Lecture Demos and Residencies where we teach how to play the different
instruments that we use in our ensemble. Those instruments are the Sekere, Sa-
kara drum, Ago go bell and Sangba drum. We also infuse Brazilian percussion
into our predominantly West African rhythms and style to create fun and unique
sounds that our participants enjoy learning. We propose a single workshop or
workshop series (Residency Program) dealing with percussion and a workshop
Omega Institute, July 2005 series that teaches how to make the Sekere (beaded gourd) instrument. We
Photo: Dave Blanton make our own sekeres and we conduct workshops for adults teaching them how
to make their own. At the completion of the workshop series, each participant
will have their own sekere that they can take home with them.
African Market Place
Norwich School District
Hilliard, Ohio VOA in Ghana, 1999
INSTRUMENTS
AGOGO/GANKOKUI Bells
SAKARA DRUMS/NIGERIA
GHANA/NIGERIA/BRASIL
SANGBA/DJUN DJUN
NIGERIA/GHANA/SENAGAL/
BENIN
Workshop Programs
Single workshop consisting of teaching how to play the West African instruments and creating rhythms. It will end with a
drum circle where participants can utilize what they have learned and what comes naturally to play the instruments. No ma-
terials needed (we bring the instruments with us and have enough for up to 50 participants, however we do offer a drum for
each participant to take home for a fee of $25 per person). This workshop is suitable for ages 6 and up, however we do not
recommend any longer than 1 hour for ages 6-16.
Fee: 1 hour- $800.

2. Workshop Series/Residencies: we will teach several classes either on a weekly basis or consistently over one week (5 days) the vari-
ous instruments and rhythms concentrating on West African and Brazilian percussions. We will also teach songs that coincide with the
different rhythms. Participants will learn the intricacies of how to create the music and how to sing traditional songs along with playing
the instruments. Additionally, participants will be exposed to West African Culture, dance, customs, clothes, food, names, games and
storytelling. The series will end with a grand presentation; complete with singers, drummers, dancers and African Marketplace. Work-
shops can be costumed designed to suit your needs.
Fee: 5 classes- $3500 total, ages 6 and up. A $25 materials fee can be included for each participant for them to receive
a Sakara drum of their own.
Lecture-Demo: In this 60 minute presentation, the
audience will be given 20 minutes of a performance.
The remaining 40 minutes will be used to inform the
audience about history, technique and style of playing
each instrument used in the performance. In
addition, the audience will be asked to participate in
playing the instruments. Lecture-Demos are
designed for children and adult audiences.
Fee: 1 hour - $2000
"A Hundred Drums Come to "Your College or University"
This presentation consists of a 2-hour workshop intensive. Workshop includes a half-hour demonstration of music and instruments, 1
-hour hands on interactive workshop with students/participants and ends with a half hour drum circle. Program coordinators are
strongly encouraged to purchase 50-100 drums and give them to the first 50-100 students, staff or instructors who attend this work-
shop. The drum we use in our workshop/demonstrations is a sakara drum, a small hand held drum made in Nigeria, West Africa. It is
portable and very inexpensive but provides the a rousing excitement from those who hear and play them. As a matter of fact this drum is
also easy to play so everyone can participate who has a drum. The "Voices Of Africa" have these drums available for sale.
Fee: 1 hour- $2500 2 hours - $3500.
NOTE: We have found that this type of program on a Col-
lege/University campus enrolls tremendous response from
the student body, staff and instructors. The draw is that
each participant would receive a free drum!!! The drums
would be purchased by the University/College. This
would be a fee outside of the fee for our workshop.
Sekere making workshop series, where participants learn to make the West
African beaded gourd. We will teach them some of the many patterns of bead-
work they can use and also teach them about the instrument and how it is
played. They will also paint and decorate their sekere to their personal taste. By
the end of the series, they will have their very own sekere and know how to play
it. 90 minutes each day, weekly or within one week, ages 16 and up.
Fee: 5 classes - $500/class plus a per person materials fee of $20.
SEKERE-BEADED GOURD
NIGERIA/GHANA ALL FEES ARE NEGOTIABLE
Contact Information
Zakiyyah McKelven, Assistant Managing Director Nana Baakan Agyiriwah, Managing Director/Founder
The “Voices Of Africa” Choral & Percussion Ensemble The “Voices Of Africa” Choral & Percussion Ensemble
104 Weymouth Rd., Darby, PA 19023 104 Weymouth Rd., Darby, PA 19023
215-386-0088 (v) 215-965-0088(fax) 215-386-0088 (v) 215– 965 0021 (f)
zakiyyah_mckelven@voicesofafrica.net nanabaakan@voicesofafrica.net
You may also visit our website at www.voicesofafrica.net for more information. If you are interested or would like to discuss our pro-
grams and fees, contact us @ 215-386-0088.
Testimonials: http://voicesofafrica.net/Testimonials.html
"A heart altering experience of rich harmonies and blood boiling rhythm, “Voices of Africa” inspired a five minute standing ovation in a
performance that ranks among the most brilliant I have seen in ten years of concert production." Kelly Conway Lavender Underground
Booking & Productions Day Stage Producer, National Women's Music Festival