We are making Pan-African art music globally accessible, empowering a diverse range of communities and diasporas.
Be a part of this extraordinary community and movement.
The Drum’s Call: West African Folklore and Music, Chicago, IL
People Music School Residency, Chicago, IL
Atunbi Music Workshop, Lagos, Nigeria
Ayonotes Music Workshop, Lagos, Nigeria
Our Organizational Pillars
Concert
Pan-African Art Music Performances
Àkójọpọ̀ curates concerts featuring Pan-African art music and has hosted performances in cities such as Chicago, Lagos, Michigan, and New York. Our concert programs highlight works by African and Black composers. We also commission new pieces that embrace Afrocentric approaches, welcoming composers from all backgrounds who are inspired by African musical traditions.
We are committed to creating opportunities and spaces for appreciating, celebrating, and engaging with Pan-African art music while exploring innovative approaches to art music composition and programming. Our mission is to inspire new dialogues in art and classical music composition, performance, and audience engagement, continually expanding the horizons of art music.
We are planning exciting programs for cities across the African continent and the United States in the near future. Discover more about our past concerts and stay connected with our upcoming initiatives.
Publishing
Sheet Music • Lessons & Workshops • Blog • Community Directories
We are proud to launch the first ever nonprofit e-commerce marketplace for Pan-African art music. Buy sheet music from composers across the continent and diaspora with unique access to interpretative resources. Study Pan-African art music through our lesson and workshop programs, available both virtually and in-person. We also offer masterclasses for ensembles and universities to learn from African composers, conductors, and musicologists. Visit our blog to access articles about Pan-African music traditions, history, current practices and news. Browse our Community Directories to reach out directly to composers, artists and organizations around the world.
Arts Administration
Music Business &
Arts Administration Education
This year we are running our first ever African Artist Entrepreneurship Incubator program, a 10-week professional development program for professionals interested in developing their own innovations and organizations.
The future of Pan-African art music lies in the hands of our creative communities and visionaries. We support professional development in performing arts administration, music business and nonprofit management with the goal of inspiring creative solutions, innovation, start-ups and grassroots organizations.
Experience The Rich Heritage of Pan-African Art Music
The Àkójọpọ̀ Community
To build this platform, it took a village.
To grow our platform and transform the world, we need YOU.
Join our vibrant community of donors, subscribers, sponsors, volunteers, artists, writers, advisors and innovators. Our community is built on the principle of unity in diversity, where the unique qualities and strengths of individuals come together to create something far larger than any one person.
What is Pan-African Art Music?
Pan-African art music integrates two main aspects: Pan-Africanism and art music.
Pan-Africanism connects Africa and Afro-diasporic musical traditions, transcending geographical boundaries. Pan-African art music is broadly defined as art music that is distinctly “African” and sounds African. It is an inclusive term and concept which references art music compositions that draw on African/Afrocentric musical resources, processes, approaches and elements including rhythms, language, melodies, harmonic ideas, compositional structures and instruments.
Professor Kofi Agawu defines art music as “music self-consciously composed by individuals, often notated, usually rehearsed, and performed by skilled practitioners for non-participating or minimally participating audience.”
Why YOU should perform Pan-African art music
We believe that anyone in the world can study and perform Pan-African art music, which has the power to expand musical, social, cultural, emotional, spiritual and intellectual horizons.
Pan-African art music is not just a cultural celebration and exploration, but a journey that explores new ways of thinking and approaching music. By weaving together traditions from thousands of cultures across Africa and the diaspora, there are endless possibilities for growth and learning. Even advanced musicians from other genres and cultures have much to gain from the unique musical languages, expressive tools, pedagogical techniques, and approaches to performance and interpretation that comes with Pan-African art music performance.
