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Work: Wesleyan University
Music Department Middletown, CT 06459 (860) 685-2623 |
Home: 11 Briar Court
Cromwell, CT 06416 (860) 635-4363 |
| Birthplace: Gomoa Aboso, Via Agona Swedru, Ghana, West Africa | |
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
M.A. Music Wesleyan University, 1979B.A. Liberal Arts Goddard College, 1976
Five years of formal study in music, dance and drama Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana
Ghana Dance Ensemble: selected as Master Drummer
Certificate of Participation Afro-Caribbean Music Conference, in Kingston, Jamaica 1969-1970
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
1969 - present- Wesleyan University- Adjunct Professor of West African Music, Culture and Dance. Teaching beginning, intermediate and advanced courses to undergraduate and graduate students.1996- Chawhew Museum-(Albany, GA) - Consultant for the construction of a model African village, with living history programs and cultural exhibits.
1993 - 1994-York University-(Toronto, Canada) - Artist in residence for Fine Arts and Dance Deptartment, presented workshops in Toronto public schools and Community Centers.
1992 - 1993 Northern Illinois University-(DeKalb, IL.) - Visiting Lecturer of African Music, Culture and Dance.
1986 University of Kingston (RI) Visiting Professor of African Music, Culture and Dance.
1981 - 1984 Dartmouth College Research Fellow for Music Department, formed drumming ensemble which performed in New Hampshire public schools.
1971 Connecticut Commission on the Arts Artist in residence at Woodrow Wilson and Middletown High Schools. Courses focused on cross-cultural education and understanding. Program has expanded to include inner-city schools in New Haven through the New Haven Arts High School and the Educational Center for the Arts.
1964 - 1969 University of Ghana Instructor- taught courses in drumming, to music/dance/drama students for four years.
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
Invited appearances at Universities
1986 - 96 Banff Center, School of Fine Arts (Alberta, Canada)-on-going summer residency program.1993 - 96 Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville).
1996 State University of New York (Buffalo), with No World Improvisation.
1996 Presidential Inauguration, Wesleyan University, with Agoro Ensemble.
1995 - 96 Commencement, Wesleyan University, with Agoro Ensemble.
1988 - 96 Banff Center, School of Fine Arts (Banff, Canada).
1995 Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut). 1995 Quinipiac College (Quinipiac, Connecticut).
1995 University of Connecticut.
1995 Middlebury College (Vermont).
1995 Bank Street College of Education (New York).
1994 - 95 Middlebury College (Vermont).
1994 University of New Haven (New Haven, Connecticut).
1994 Fairfield University (Connecticut).
1993 Harvard University (Boston, Massachusetts).
1993 York University (Toronto), with Flaming Dono.
1992 Royal Conservatory of Music (Den Haag, Holland).
1991 Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma).
1991 University of Montreal (Canada).
1991 University of North Texas (Denton, Texas).
1990 University of Toronto.
1989 University of Waterloo (Canada).
1989 Wilfred Laurier University (Canada).
1988 University of New Mexico (Albequerque).
1985 Trinity College (Connecticut).
1984 Smith College (Amherst, Massachusetts).
1984 Amherst University (Amherst, Massachusetts).
1983 Guelph University (Guelph, Ontario, Canada).
1983 University of Western Ontario (Canada).
1982 Southern Connecticut College (New Haven, Connecticut).
1982 New London University (New London, Connecticut).
1981 Paine College (Georgia).
1973 Wesleyan University Jubilee Celebration/ Festival of African-American Music (Connecticut). Performed with Ed Blackwell, one of America's outstanding drum-set players.
1972 Grinnel College (Iowa).
Tufts University (Boston, Massachusetts).
Boston Conservatory of Music (Boston, Massachusetts).
Kansas University.
Oakland University (Michigan).
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
Appearances at Community Sites
1995 Department of Children and Families (New Haven, Connecticut).1992 Amersfoort Cultural Center (Amersfoort, Holland).
1992 Apeldoorn Community Center (Apeldoorn, Holland).
1992 Percussive Arts Society Annual Meeting (Ohio).
1991 New Mexico Cultural Center (Albuquerque)-one-week residency, culminating in performances at the New Mexico Museum and in public schools.
1989 Multicultural Festival (Kitchener, Waterloo, Canada).
1983 Percussive Arts Society Annual Meeting (Texas).
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
1996 Art Projekt'96 (Copenhagen, Denmark)-performed with composer/performer Steve Reich at this world art festival.1996 Nexus Silver Jubilee (Toronto, Canada).
1996 Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), with No World Improvisation.
1996 Buka, World Drums (Taipei, Korea).
1996 Fortune Society (New York), with No World Improvisation.
1996 Akwanbo Festival (Agona-Swedru, Ghana, West Africa).
1996 Chawhew Museum, with Mawakana Dance Company (Albany, Georgia).
1996 New Haven Art Festival (Connecticut).
1996 Makpolo Dance Initiative (Toronto, Canada).
1994 - 1996 Charter Oak Cultural Center (Connecticut).
1995 Akyem Kotoku Adwira Festival (Akim Oda, Ghana, West Africa).
1995 Middlesex Rotisserie (Connecticut).
1994 Invited as Master Drummer by Paramount Chief, Akim Oda Festival (Akim Beram, Ghana, West Africa).
1994 Educational Center for the Arts (Connecticut).
1993 Bamboo Nightclub (Toronto), with Flaming Dono.
1993 Canada Day at the National Museum of Ottowa, with Flaming Dono.
1993 WOMAD (Toronto), with Flaming Dono.
1993 Canadian Junior Olympics (Peterborough, Canada), with Flaming Dono.
1993 Inner-City Angels Festival (Toronto, Canada).
1993 International Multicultural Festival (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada).
1993 Royal Ontario Museum, Gala Performance (Ontario, Canada).
1993 CBC National Radio, interview/performance with Peter Czowski (Canada).
1990 World of Music Arts and Dance (WOMAD) Festival (Toronto, Canada).
1990 Winter Olympics Festival (Calgary, Canada), with World Drums/Percussions.
1990 Museum of Civilization Hall (Quebec, Canada), attended by the Prime Minister and the Governor General.
1990 Opening of Junior World Games (Dudbury, Canada).
1989 Eistedfodd Folk Festival (Massachusetts).
1988 Tokyo Music of Joy (Tokyo, Japan).
1988 World Expo'88 (Brisbane, Mackay, Cairns, Gold Coast, Gladstone-all in Australia).
1987 Middlesex Memorial Hospital (Middletown, Connecticut).
1986 GIFEX'86 World Expo (Accra, Ghana, West Africa).
1986 World Drum Festival, Expo'86 (Vancouver, Canada).
1985 Festival for the Tall Ships (Quebec, Canada).
1985 Berkshire Public Theater (Massachusetts).
1985 Maine Festival (Portland)
1984 Roy Thomson Hall (Toronto, Canada).
1984 Peterborough Festival of the Arts (Peterborough, Canada).
1981 Symphony Space Theater on Broadway (New York).
1976 Mariposa Folk Festival (Toronto, Canada), with Nexus Percussion Ensemble.
1973 Marion Brown's Improvisation Group (Boston), released as an LP.
Music Educators National Conference/Convention (Connecticut).
Connecticut Public Television.
-with Ghana Dance Ensemble
Toured and performed in all the major cities and towns in Ghana, appearing on national television and at various arts festivals. Also toured in Nigeria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Germany, the former Soviet Union, Italy, Mexico (1968 Olympic Games), Great Britain, and the U.S.A.
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
1995 Rhode Island State Council on the Arts - Judging Panelist, Folk Traditional Arts Fellowship Panel.1994 Youth Cultural Contest Judge (Akim Oda, Ghana, West Africa).
1994 Gomoa East Youth Cultural Contest Judge (Gomoa, Ghana, West Africa).
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
The New Talking Drums
(CD/cassette, independent release, 1996) - featuring West African traditional rhythms (all instruments overdubbed by Adzenyah) and West African pop music (featuring Adzenyah and his highlife band).Abraham Adzenyah/Anthony Braxton-Duo
(Wesleyan) 1994 (CD, C & P Leo Records, London, 1995).Talking Drums-"Some Day Catch Some Down"
(LP/cassette, Shanachie Records, 1989)-featuring Adzenyah and his highlife band, composed of African and American personnel.Jayne Cortez, "Everywhere Drums"
(cassette, Bola Press, 1990)-featuring poet Cortez, with Adzenyah, Ed Blackwell, others.Talking Drums, "Talking Drums" (cassette, independent release, 1985)
"Inside"
(soundtrack for showtime productions, Arthur Penn, producer, 1996)Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda
(soundtrack with Nexus, for IMAX film, 1991)
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
West African Rhythms for Drumset
(Manhattan Music, New York, 1995). Co-authored with Royal Hartigan and the late Freeman Donkor. First book to notate and apply to drumset various traditional West African rhythms. Also includes historical information and philosophies which play a vital role in the art of these drumming traditions.Let Your Voice Be Heard!
(World Music Press, Danbury, CT, 1986) Co-authored with Dumisani Maraire and Judith Cook Tucker. Songs for Ghana and Zimbabwe, including call and response, multi-part and game songs, for grades K-12."The Role of Music in Ghana"
In Percussive Notes, April 1995 (published by the Percussive Arts Society, Lawton, OK).
Education | Professional Experience | University Appearances
5/17/96 WPKN-FM (Bridgeport, CT)5/23/96 WVOF-FM (Fairfield, CT)
6/1/96 WFCR-FM (Amherst, MA)
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