Kora Teachers

This page lists primarily those offering kora tuition (mainly, but not exclusively) outside West Africa.

Teachers and Courses

• The Kora Workshop (UK, France, Senegal) Long established sellers of instruments, they run taster sessions and longer worshops to kora players. They also sell audio lessons (on CD) and video lessons. All are highly recommended.

http://www.thekoraworkshop.co.uk/

• Ame Kora (California, USA) Senegalese kora player, Ame Kora who has recorded and performed in Africa, Europe and North America offers kora lessons in the US. He also runs a class in Senegal in which participants construct their own kora and learn to play. He was part of Baba Maal’s band and recorded in the Black Panther soundtrack/movie.

http://www.amekoramusic.com/

• Joona Kora (Helsinki, Finland) Kora lessons in Finnish, from Joona, who learnt Kora in Burkina Faso and Guinea.

http://www.joonakora.fi/

• Josh Doughty (UK, Switzerland) Although primarily a performer, Josh occasionally teaches kora at the City of Basel Music Academy and other venues and is the co-founder (and kora teacher) of Korason workshops.

https://joshdoughty.co.uk/

https://www.korasonworkshops.co.uk/

• Kane Mathis (New York, USA) Kane is a performer on both Kora and the Arabic Oud. He learned kora from a number of Gambian players, including Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kouyate.

http://www.kanemathis.com/

• Markus Ottschofski (Bavaria, Germany) Markus offers individual and small group tuition in kora and djembe (in German) and also arranges workshops and kora taster sessions.

https://www.kreativpercussion.de/

• London University School of Oriental and African Studies (UK) SOAS runs an annual summer school in London which features courses in a wide range of instruments and musical styles. The kora courses are taught by Senior Teaching Fellow (and Jali), Kadialy Kouyate.

https://www.soas.ac.uk/music/summermusicschool/

• Ursula Branscheid-Kouyaté and Mamadi Kouyaté Kora, bala and djembe lessons are offered (in German). Ursula is the author of “Kora & Djembé”, published LEU-Verlag in 2003.

http://www.djembe-kora.de/kurse.html

• Will Ridenour (North Carolina, USA) Will studied kora and percussion in Mali and Senegal and has performed in numerous countries. He offers kora and drum lessons.

https://willridenour.com/

• Mandinka Heritage Music School (Kembuje, The Gambia) School teaching kora and other instruments, run by Sanjally Jobarteh, son of one of the all-time greats, Amadou Bansang Jobarteh

http://www.mandinkaheritagemusicschool.com/

Want to be added to this list, or correct some details? Please contact us using the contact section at the top of the page.