Ìyá Alákàrà (Mixed Chamber Ensemble)

Product Content:
- Sheet Music
- Program Notes
- Performance Audio & Video Recording

Premiered at Àkójọpọ̀'s Orin Tuntun concert in 2022, where it won the Dr. Daniel Olukoya Audience Choice Award and the Late Professor Kolawole Soniake Best Indigenous/Native Composition, "Iyá Àlàkàrà" is a Yorùbá folk song performed by Akara (baked beans) hawkers and their customers. Reflecting the traditional "call and response" format, where the Akara seller (Ìyá Àlàkàrà) calls and the people respond, this piece is arranged for a mixed chamber ensemble of flute, clarinet, piano, and double bass. In this arrangement, the role of Ìyá Àlàkàrà is shared among the instruments, creating a rich, collaborative musical experience that honors the folk roots while showcasing each instrument's unique voice.