L’Ecole Fula Flute 2021

L’Ecole Fula Flute students perform ing for a Guinee Televison cameraman

L’Ecole Fula Flute and the Centre Tyabala de Guinee in Conakry, Guinea is an anchor for a small group of underprivileged kids having weathered pandemic conditions, local floods that have forced relocation, and the recent political unrest that led to a military coup in the West African nation.

Music Literacy teacher Seydou Tanly, left, and a student

ONLINE FULA FLUTE CONCERT Please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZUlf...You are invited this Saturday afternoon to my living room for a live concert where I will play selections of traditional and modern Fula Flute music accompanying myself electronically.We will also be joined in a pre-recorded segment by the wonderful ladies of Mbira NYC, Nora Balaban and Susan Rapalee, for an all African world music fusion of mbira with Fula flute.

Join us for an hour of sounds that you have never heard quite like this before.Please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZUlf...

Through it all the school's teachers have been constant in their mission to instill education in the traditional arts to a core group of students -- some of whom overnight, rather than commute the distance to the school's new location 10 kilometers outside of the capital city of Conakry. The day-to-day operation of the school is much as it was when we first learned about it several years ago. But a community has now evolved where elder students are instructors to the younger ones, and community outreach includes working with disabled adults via an NGO.

Student Abdoulaye Camara and Sylvain Leroux. Abdoulaye has just recieved news he will be joining Les Ballet Africain as a musician.

The sound of the Fula flute goes straight to the heart of listeners. Mamady Mansare, L’Ecole’s flute teacher is the elder statesman, a master who came to visit the school and remained to teach because of the kids' enthusiasm for the music. He taught Canadian jazz musician Sylvain Leroux and his father (also named Mamady Mansare) was a musician for Les Ballet Africain when it made a historic appearance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in 1970. Miles Davis later told Dick Cavett that the radical shift in direction heard on Davis' album Kind of Blue was inspired by the music from that show, in particular the modal tones of the thumb piano.

students Abdoulaye Camara and Naby Camara playing Fula Flutes

"The traditional flute is not particularly valued by professional musicians because it is a difficult instrument to control," Sylvain told us, "So it fell to the wayside for current generations." Sylvain discovered that he could give kids formal training with a flute that he developed. It is made from plastic tubing with three added holes, enabling it to play all the notes of a piano. With that discovery, Sylvain returned to Guinee in 2013 and began L’Ecole Fula Flute which later became a part of Centre Tyabala de Guinee.

Mamady Mansare, reknowned musician and L’Ecole Fula Flute teacher

There are several ways you can become more familiar with the school first up two online Symposiums: “We will be recapping the journey of our project, discuss our current situation and offer a vision of the future. Several informed guests will offer their take on the school and everyone will be invited to ask questions and propose ideas.”

One in English on Friday November 19 at 7 PM. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYodeqhqT4vEtQ-ITFHNRL-aXc1_5imp6cE

And one in French on Saturday November 20 at 1 PM. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElfuyvpjMjE9cjWCJeEcCxNY1DSFMmMOzd

Actress and Co-Director Veronique Lamah and a class

In addition, Sylvain will perform an online concert on December 26th, an opportunity to feel how an instrument made of plastic tubing with holes drilled in it cuts straight to the heart. That's the power and the beauty of L’Ecole Fula Flute. If moved, donate to the school’s future. $50 provides a teacher’s salary for a month.

Moohammed M’Mah Camara teaching a student

Abdoulaye Camara, the first soloist of the school, was recently notified that he would be joining Les Ballet Africain as a musician, and will perhaps inspiring audiences. as his teacher Mamady Mansare has, for many years to come.

There are two ways to keep up to date with news about the school throughout the year, the website: www.fulaflute.net or join the mailing list:

https://fulaflute.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=7b5eda9e1c7f921798722b2b3&id=7dcb4dc718

You will receive occasional messages containing news and invitations to events and to support us.

Our earlier story story is here: https://www.mondolocal.org/ecolefulaflute