23. January 2009 - 13. February 2009

Famoudou Konate

born in 1940 in Guinea, West-Africa, is one of the most important master drummers of the west African tradition of the malinke. For decades he was the first instrumental soloist of the Ballets Africains de Guineé and between 1959 and 1985 he made many worldwide concert journeys.
Famoudou Konate masters a big part of the traditional stock of the rhythms and the dances of the malinke, with all solo- and accompany-patterns; at the same time he is an excellent teacher.
The Universität der Künste (UdK) (= university of the arts) in Berlin appointed him as a professor h.c. in the subject "Didaktik afrikanischer Musik-Praxis" (=didactics of African music customs).So that Famoudou Konate is the first African drummer with the rank of a professor at a German university.

Nansady Keita

is one of the successors of Famoudou as a "drummer of the village" in Sangbarala in upper Guinea. He is outstanding acquainted with the rhythms of the malinke. During his tours through the US, Japan and Europe and also by teaching during the winter workshops in Conakry he got a lot of experience in teaching us nonafricans. He knows our difficultys and he knows masterly to teach us the rhythms in his always friendly way.

Sayon Camara

He is also a very good drummer, who knows very well the malinke rhythms. He has already been on tour in the US with Nansady and he also has been on tour in Japan. Since some years he is teaching during the winter workshops in Conakry. By his friendly and patient way his teaching is very much apologized by the beginners.

Fanta Diawara

She accompanied Famoudou on his last tour through japan and europe and she can also be heard on his CD "Mandenkönö". The charming lady is not only a very good singer,she is also a gifted dancer with comprehensive knowledge of the traditional dance steps of the malinke. She knows very well to teach us white people the complicated steps of the african dance.

Drumming and dancing lessons

Beginners, intermediate level and advanced are sincere welcome and are taught in 3 different groups by Famoudou, Nansady Keita and Sayon Camara.
Each week we have lessons on 5 days, 2 days are free. On the days with lessons we drum for 3 hours in the morning and in the afternoon we have 1 ½ hours dancing instruction with Fanta Diawara one day and on the next day 2 hours drumming lessons (dance and drum instruction on alternating days).
We learn the traditional rhythms of the malinke in the interplay of the three base drums and the solo-djembe as well as the corresponding dances. Often we'll accompany Famoudou and his sons to traditional celebrations, to be there, to join in dancing and drumming.

Accommodation and catering

We live in Simbaya, a rural suburb of Conakry. We are put up in rooms with one or two beds. Bedding is available. Famoudous wife will pamper us with African cooking. There is the possibility to stay in the old and in the new building ( € 50.- extra charge). Please tell when registering.

Other stuff

On our free days we can visit typical markets and make excursions to the centre of the country or to the isle room ahead of Conakry -a fantastic opportunity for swimming and relaxing. To enter Guinea a visa is required.
Vaccination: yellow fever is compulsory, malaria prevention is recommendable. For further information ask your department of health.
Climatic the time from December to March is the most pleasant time in Guinea, similar to the European midsummer. In the day time there are temperatures of about 30°C, in the night it can cool down a bit.
We depart in Europe in the morning of the 20. January and are back again at the 11. February 2007. You should enrol as soon as possible because there is a huge demand of flights in winter. You can fly to Conakry from all the bigger citys all over the world with AIR FRANCE or the new belgian airline, or AIR MAROC.

Costs

Accommodation, catering, drumming and dancing lessons, picking up at the airport in Conakry:
3 weeks: all together EUR 950.-
(Accomodation in the new building + EUR 50.- )

flight Europe- Conakry - Europe:
about EUR 750.-

For Guinea workshop information and questions from North America please feel free to contact Helen Bond
North American contact:
Helen Bond
Medusa's Musical Mysteries
helen@medusadrums.com
www.medusadrums.com

Since the flights are in a huge demand in winter, please enrol as soon as possible and book your flight soon.
The registration is binding when EUR 250.- are transferred to the following account:

Rainer Dörrer
Postbank Stuttgart
IBAN DE56 6001 0070 0257 7127 07
BIC PBNKDEFF

For registering please fill in the registration form ( Click on " Anmeldung") and click on " bitte auswählen" ; take workshop 5 Guinea, and send it by clicking on
"abschicken" . As soon as I get your registration you will get a confirmation from me.

Rainer Dörrer
Esslinger Str. 1
D-70 736 Fellbach
Germany

Tel. 0711 / 58 41 18
Fax. 0711 / 3 00 89 81
www.afrikanische-trommeln.de
e-mail: r.doerrer@gmx.de