News

Announcing The OneBeat Marathon

We are excited to announce the OneBeat Marathon, a series of  live-streamed multimedia performances by musicians from 14 countries stretching over five continents to transport audiences to a paradigm-bending sonic universe. On November 15, former OneBeat fellows will perform 18 sets of surprising, soulful music in solo, duo and trio acts. Opening from the mountainous Lake Baikal region of Siberia, mohin huur player Alexander Arkhincheev will give a stirring performance at 12 pm ET,  followed by a kaleidoscopic array of musicians and spoken word artists in Accra, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Bogota, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, New York City, Sacramento, Seoul, Sulaymaniyah and more.  Hear everything from electronic pop sets to microtonal accordion tunes to improvised experimental trios playing together across continents and timezones. The OneBeat Marathon closes with a festive duo between longtime Onebeat collaborating artist Mark Stewart and Nigerian guitarist and 2013 Fellow Biodun Kuti, who went on to play alongside […]
OneBeat Accelerator

Second Round of OneBeat Accelerator Recipients Announced

OneBeat is excited to announce nine new recipients of the OneBeat Accelerator.  The OneBeat Accelerator provides a micro-grant to Alumni for the development and implementation of follow-on projects which support democratic principles and address topics such as access to education, community resilience, economic empowerment, media literacy, and youth empowerment.     This summer and fall, OneBeat led two rounds of Accelerator competitions.  Applications were reviewed by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, OneBeat staff, and guest artists.   Daniel Limaverde (Brazil) Palimpsesto: A nonfiction narrative podcast featuring stories from Brazil that help redefine and recontextualize the country’s history through many different lenses, using social studies, interviews with scholars and academic researchers, and arranged in a narrative structure akin to shows like Radiolab and This American Life.   Kasiva Mutua (Kenya) Collaboration Through Giving: A giving program and series of musical collaborations and conversations aimed at uniting women […]
OneBeat Accelerator

Blessing Chimanga on Traditional Music, Education, and the Legacy of the Marimba

Found Sound Nation’s Nyokabi Kariuki spoke with 2014 OneBeat Fellow Blessing Chimanga, who was one of the first round recipients of OneBeat’s Accelerator Grant. Blessing will be using the Accelerator Grant to publish and distribute a comprehensive educational and historical teaching guide for the marimba, an instrument central to the cultural heritage of Zimbabwe, in the form of a book, album, and series of videos.   Read the full interview here.