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Villa Karo

syys302011

A Glimpse of Villa Karo and Grand-Popo on YLE Areena

The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) visited Villa Karo in 2009 to honour the 10th anniversary of the centre by playing a concert for the people of Grand-Popo. The concert was held on the stage of Lissa Gbassa, VK’s exhibition and concert building, by the beach of Grand-Popo. RSO’s eventful trip became the subject of a documentary film (Afrikan sinfonia, directed by Jenni Nyberg, YLE productions).

Also meet the dancing and singing children of Grand-Popo as well as Noël Zaïzonou, …

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syys222011

SEPTEMBER 2011 CONCERT

Between a dream and reality, there seems to be a distance that is never measured but the most important thing is that the dream comes true whatever the distance. Villa Karo dreamt some years ago of having on stage a famous gospel artist. His name Djidjoho Hounkponou. A maraton of negotiation that took weeks finally proved futile with a signature of the renown gospel artist on a two page contract that was signed on the 9th of August 2011. …

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syys162011

Music and language

« BRASSAGE » Brewing two cultures depends not on language.

Janne Storm a Finnish musician stipendiate who arrived in Benin on the 30th of August, made his way to Grand-Popo comfortably via inexpressive transport services of Alphonse Bodjrenou, recently ranked to the grade of Field Marshal in Villa Karo. Felix Agossou, the African resident artist already mentioned in our precedent publication on Akasia News, is a great and respected saxophonist in Benin. Both, quiet, brainy and enthusiastic, effortlessly …

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syys122011

A Recipe for Understanding

The newspaper Kouvolan Sanomat published a large article about Villa Karo last week (by Henna Mäkelin, Sept. 6th). The article was based upon VK’s last year’s scholarship holder Aleksi Saraskari’s experiences in working with local musicians in Benin. According to Aleksi, a tuba player, his first impressions on his Beninese colleagues’ percussion skills weren’t favourable. The two fellows playing balafon and djembe seemed like nice chaps but their beat was odd, not precise enough to a highly educated …

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