World percussionist Valierie Naranjo is best known by musicians for her membership with the Saturday Night Live Band and for her research on the music of Ghana, West Africa -- particularly for her pioneering efforts in West African keyboard percussion music.

She will perform on a West African mallet percussion instrument known as the gyil (pronounced JEEL). This instrument was originally reserved for men only, and by Naranjo's insistence, her performance on the gyil at Ghana's Kobine Festival of Traditional Music in 1988 led to the declaration of a chiefly decree in the Dagara nation that women be allowed to play the instrument for the first time. Naranjo will join the Jazz and Percussion ensembles for an exciting evening of world music.

Naranjo's residency at Virginia Tech is made possible by the Women in Leadership and Philanthropy Lecture Series, the Bruce Carver Multicultural grant, and the School of Performing Arts.

Please contact Annie Stevens for more information.
More information...

Location:	Squires Old Dominion Ballroom
Price:	$10 general, $7 student
Sponsor:	School of Performing Arts
Contact:	performingarts@vt.edu 540-231-5615
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