Voices Of Africa"

Upcoming Performances

Testimonials

What Children Say About VOA

Contact Information

"Voices Of Africa"

Choral & Percussion Ensemble
104 Weymouth Road, Darby, PA 19023
215-386-0088 (office)  215-965-0021 (fax)

www.voicesofafrica.net  voicesofafrica@voicesofafrica.net

     Dear Na Na Bakine, I like the songs that you song for us and I am going to try to come to the singing class and dancing class to and I what you to gave me the phone number to the classes. 

     Dear Voice Of Africa Band, I really liked your music.  It was really creative music that is made by Africa.  I go to African dance class.  As soon as I kno African dance, then I am learning shekere.  I am Spanish.  I am from New York and so is my mom.  My dad's from Puerto Rico.  Thanks for the Music, from Vanesa

Voices Of Africa.

     Dear Voices Of Africa, I really enjoyed the dance and the music that you performed for us, I think you people are very talented in singing and play the shakeray.  And I also like the music in the songs.  And the dance that the on girl did.  Voice of Africa you were one of the best things I ever saw.  From, Aliya Nicole Williams

     Dear Voices Of Africa, I like the things yo did and I liked your singing and I like that you took your time to come to UCNS and I relley like the song about the train and I liked the instruments that you used and I hope you will come back to UCNS and I mite join you in Voices Of Africa if I have time.  Sincerely, Brian

    Dear Voices Of Africa, thank you for coming to my school's Africa Festival.  I really enjoyed your music.  My mom, who was there, liked it too.  I liked your shakeray.  I like your first song the best.  That was a fun party at the end.  Thanks again, I loved the performance.  Good Luck! 

Sincerely, John Ethiers

   Dear Voices Of Africa, I liked the songs you sang, but when you go on the sheakere and started jamming, that was the best part.  Thank you for comimg and please come again someday.

Gregory Century, 6th Grade

     Dear Voices Of Africa, I loved the music you played at the UCNS with the shakarey.  I also liked the dance and singing and the bight clothes you wore.  I hope you can come back some day, thank you for coming.  Your fan Brian X King, Jr.

Dear "Voices Of Africa,"  I thought your performance was great.  You have a lot of talent and I hope you can share it with the rest of the world.  My mom thought you were great too.  Sincerely yours, Tiffany Jackson

Listed below are comments from students at the University City New School, Philadelphia, PA, April 3, 1991.    These children are probably young adults now.  But their impressions were profound  so The "Voices Of Africa" Choral Ensemble wishes to acknowledge them as well.

     

          The "Voices Of Africa" Choral Ensemble began in 1983 with Nana Akosua Baakan Agyiriwah and her four children, Daw'ud, Mustafa, Adua and Zakiyyah.  The family performed together for approximately 3 years at various community programs in Philadelphia and New York.   In 1988 Nana Akosua Baakan Agyiriwah met her teacher and supporter, Obrafo Kwabena Acheampong, member of the Arthur Hall Dance Ensemble, Philadelphia, PA.  They joined forces in the creation of a children's dance Company called Eleto Egbe Omode Dance Company.  Loosely translated in the Yoruba Language of Nigeria, West Africa, it  means, children organized to express their creative talents.  The Company focused on dancing and percussion styles from Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Haiti and the Americas.  The initial members of the Dance Company were the original members of The "Voices Of Africa."  This union moved the Dance Company's presentations to full scale productions that included, dances, rhythms and songs.

     As young children, the original members encouraged and inspired many of their peers to embrace their culture.  We believed (and still do) that if you "give children roots, you give them wings."  After some time the Dance Company and the Ensemble became separate entities, but the children who were touched are certainly flying high.  Just look at Adua, Zakiyyah and Anjail today.

April 9, 1991
    Dear "
Voices Of Africa,"

We love your music.  The songs were really pretty.  I liked the music and the dancing too.  I liked when the little girl was dancing. 

Dear Voices Of Africa, Na Na Bakine and all of the singer,

     Hello! Hello, Hello! Thank you! Thank you, Thank You! Wow!  It was a treat having you come and share in our African Celebration.  It was so special for our children to see you performing.  Since the performance, many children have expressed interest in joining your group. (I hope that they do!)

     Your voices and harmonies were beautiful.  It was helpful hearing about the origins of the songs and rhythms, oh and the dancing at the end was wonderful!  Please let us know if you have any public performance. We would love to come and see you. 

Keep on Singing, Love, Elizabeth and everybody else at University City New School