Solos Beats, Iyabode, and Fretwalker To Represent Sierra Leone and Africa at Silkroad’s Global Musical Workshop

From the 6th to the 12th of August 2023, Solos Beats, Fretwalker, and Iyabode will join 67 other artists from around the world to participate in Silkroad’s Global Musical Workshop. These three will not only represent Sierra Leone at the workshop but the continent as a whole.

This year’s concert will be held at the New England Conservatory Boston, MA, featuring a series of five unique concerts with new arrangements created and performed by Global Musical Workshop (GMW) participants and faculty artists. 70 artists from 25 different will take the stage in one what will be considered as a one of a kind event. 

Solos Beats, Iyabode, Fretwalker, and Kate Krontiris will be representing Telem Uncommon Sounds. Telem seeks to bring about a brilliant era in Sierra Leone Music. It was founded by three local singer-songwriters they offer training in songwriting and music production, stage concerts, and other live events. They also work to develop the vibrant Sierra Leone music ecosystem. The global culture craves what Africa has to offer, and Telem wants to help put Sierra Leonean musicians at the forefront of that demand.

About Silkroad’s Global Musical Festival Workshop

Directed by cellist Mike Block and co-led by Wu Man, Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop (GMW) is a musician training program modeled after the genesis of the Silkroad Ensemble. This experience is led by a group of all-star faculty artists, including musicians from the Silkroad Ensemble and their colleagues, teaching styles of music that represent a wide range of backgrounds and traditions. This week-long program includes faculty-led bands of diverse participants, group workshops that teach tunes from around the world, topic-based elective classes, nightly jam sessions, panel discussions, and a multi-night performance festival featuring both faculty and participants!