Amadou Bansang Jobarteh School of Music

Founded in 1996 by Sanjally Jobarteh in The Gambia, Amadou Bansang Jobarteh School of Music is the first school in the country offers integrated study of music and academic education. It started off as a Kora school but later turned to become a music school.

Sanjally Jobarteh is the son of the master Kora player Amadu Bansang Jobarteh. He is now established in Norway, and one of the leading master kora players from The Gambia. Sona Jobarteh, daughter of Sanjally, combined her father’s aspiration of having a school established in the name of Amadou Bansang Jobarteh with her own ambitions of setting up a specialised institution for full time education in traditional music.

She held a series of 4 to 6 week projects for up to 80 children throughout 2014 to 2015. These projects specialised in teaching children about the history and repertoire of Manding music as well as teaching Balafon, Djimbe, dance and singing.

The school specializing in the area of Manding Music, this school aims to promote and cultivate knowledge, expertise and an innate pride in culture and tradition amongst the young people of The Gambia.

The school’s curriculum offers classes in a wide range of subjects include Kora, Balafong, singing and drumming.

The role of Amadu Bansang Jobarteh School of Music is therefore vital in encouraging children to study their own traditional music. In February 2016, began taking 16 full-time students. It also partnered with the Department of Social Welfare to give half of these fully sponsored places to orphaned children.

The 16 students offered place at the school were given a full scholarship covering fees, transport, food, uniform and learning materials.