Pan-African Orchestra

The Pan-African Orchestra (PAO) is an orchestra using indigenous African traditions and instruments. It was founded as a 48-piece ensemble[1] in 1988 in Accra, Ghana, by Nana Danso Abiam.[2][3] Abiam died in a motor accident in Accra on 24 December 2014, in the early hours following his 61st birthday.[4][5] His mission with the PAO, originally a 30-piece ensemble, had been to explore the classical foundations of traditional African music and to cultivate an integrated continental art form through new compositional and orchestral techniques.[6] The musicians play traditional instruments from across Africa, including the atenteben, gonje, kora and gyile.[7]

  1. ^ Baba Abdulai, "Goodbye, Nana Danso Abiam", Weekend Sun, 22 February 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Grove was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ John Owoo, "Nana Danso Abiam — A true musicial [sic] genius", Graphic Online, 22 April 2016.
  4. ^ "Kojo Antwi, others to perform at Abiam’s vigil tonight", Starr FM, 12 March 2015.
  5. ^ Kwesi Appiah, "To Nana Danso Abiam", Graphic Online, 7 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Press Release: Pan African Orchestra Reviving Itself in 2012", Modern Ghana, 9 November 2011.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Agawu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).