The 4th edition of the “Au tour des cordons” Festival, orchestrated by Ablaye Cissoko, will be held from October 31 to November 2, 2024. The following press release announces this exceptional event which celebrates not only the richness of stringed instruments, but also the history and the heritage of the city of Saint-Louis.
“Ablaye Cissoko and the Au Tour des Cordes Festival team are pleased to announce the 4th edition of the “Au Tour des Cordes” Festival which will be held in Saint-Louis from October 31 to November 2, 2024.
The festival honors stringed instruments, these instruments that carry centuries-old stories of the peoples of the world. Kora, setâr, ngoni, kanun, oud, guitar, for centuries, have told our stories, carried our cultures and the voices of our ancestors. Around these noble instruments, wonderful musicians, bearers of memories, voices – great voices. The founder of the festival, the grand master of Kora Ablaye Cissoko, wanted to celebrate this traditional heritage while creating a dialogue between people and artists from all backgrounds.
The festival is therefore also a story of human encounters. “Au tour des cords” has offered us so far 3 magnificent editions, major concerts and other more intimate ones, exceptional moments of communion and sharing, suspended moments where beauty blooms in all that it has to offer. more generous. Fatoumata Diawara, Kiya Tabassian, Majid Bekkas, Rajerry Band, Awa Ly, Bassekou Kouyaté, Constantinople, Adar Halevy, Maria Siga, Ghalia Benali and many others, brought their share of magic to the 3 editions, in communion with a wonderful public, very attentive.
The festival takes place each year in historic St. Louis. Beyond the musical aspect, the historical and cultural aspect are of great importance for the founder, who has lived in the city for around thirty years. It also pays homage to Ndar, and the historical sites which make the city special.
The event takes place in these different sites, to allow you to discover their history. It will also be deployed in schools, meeting students, because culture is also about sowing seeds, educating our children about our cultural heritage. It will be deployed in artistic residencies created to allow musicians to develop projects together which will be presented as part of the concerts. It will unfold above all in hearts, as it did during the 3 previous editions. You will be overwhelmed with beautiful emotions, grace, love, beauty.
Let yourself be carried away by the call of the river, the bridge, the sublime notes of Kora by Ablaye Cissoko, as well as the melodies of his guests from the ends of the world, See you in Saint Louis from October 31 to November 2, 2024. “