Valerie Naranjo
American classical musician Valerie Naranjo, together with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), will perform at the National Theatre in Accra on Saturday, August 18.
A keen xylophone player, who was mentored for 17 years by the late xylophone legend Kakraba Lobi, Narango, who is also a percussionist and the orchestra are set to thrill music lovers with a dramatic incorporation of northern Ghanaian xylophone music into African compositions.
A native of New York City, she has been a percussionist with Saturday Night Live Band and performed on Pit Orchestra of Broadway’s ‘Lion King’ for over 20 years.
Narango has also performed to enthusiastic crowds in numerous venues in the United States of America and elsewhere.
The experiences of both the National Symphony Orchestra and Naranjo will strongly be felt during the concert, which opens a new avenue to lovers of orchestral music to develop further interest in classical African music, which will be delivered by performers of varied backgrounds.
Local songs will be turned into classical and orchestral pieces that will simply fascinate and enthrall. Indeed, the audiences will be captivated by the familiarity of tunes and the diligence attached to the incorporation of the two musical genres.
Dubbed ‘Tierra Pura’, the concert forms part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the National Theatre of Ghana.