January 12, 2024
Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance will welcome Ghanaian artist Jerome Balsab for a special performance at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23 at the Pontiac Little Art Theatre in Pontiac, Mich.
He will be accompanied by Professor Mark Stone of Oakland University, Professor Michael Vercilli of West Virginia University, and Tijan Dorwana, a renowned gyil performer and instrument maker from Ghana.
The event is free to attend and is sponsored by the Judd Family Endowed Fund.
“Thanks to the work of the late Ghanaian gyil pioneer Bernard Woma, the gyil xylophone has become a truly global percussion instrument,” said Stone, professor of world music and percussion at Oakland University. “Jerome Balsab has continued the vital work of Bernard in Ghana, North America, and beyond; cultivating the instrument’s rich musical heritage.”
Balsab is currently director of gyil xylophone studies at the Bernard Woma Dagara Music Center (BWDMC), as well as lead xylophonist and musical director of the Saakumu Dance Troupe.
Prior to Woma’s passing in 2018, Balsab was assistant director of both the center and the troupe. As the current director, he is responsible for leading all classes, rehearsals, and performances at BWDMC.
“Those of us who have had the privilege of studying at the Dagara Music Center in Ghana or hosting the Saakumu Dance Troupe abroad are already familiar with Jerome’s incredible artistry,” Stone said. “We are delighted that he will have an opportunity to share his musicianship and deep knowledge of gyil traditions.”
The gyil is the principal instrument of the Dagara, Birifor, and Sisala people of Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast. Performed regularly at festivals and life-cycle events, the instrument is a symbol of cultural identity and played with great pride among members of these nations.
As the marimba of West Africa, the gyil is part of the xylophone family and typically constructed from 14 to 18 slabs of legaa wood, suspended over gourd resonators. Membranes cover holes in these resonators, creating the instrument’s distinct buzzing sound that promotes individual and communal healing.
The Pontiac Little Art Theatre (PLAT) is located at 47 N. Saginaw in Pontiac. For more information, visit https://www.theplat.org.