WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Clark Art Institute presents a five-part outdoor concert series with thematic connections to its Ground/work 2025 exhibition. 

 

These free concerts take place every Wednesday in July at 6 pm on the Reflecting Pool Lawn, with the exception of July 23's concert, which takes place on the Fernández Terrace.

 

The lineup includes:

 

BALLA KOUYATÉ

July 2, Reflecting Pool Lawn

Balla Kouyaté's lineage goes back more than 800 years to Balla Faséké, the first of an unbroken line of djelis in the Kouyaté clan. The word "djeli" derives from the Mandinka language, meaning the oral historians, musicians, and performers who celebrate the history of the Mandé people of Mali, Guinea, and other West African countries. Kouyaté's musical virtuosity on the balafon (the West African antecedent of the xylophone) brings the sounds of West Africa to Williamstown, honoring the roots of Ground/work 2025 artist Aboubakar Fofana.

 

GABY MORENO

July 9, Reflecting Pool Lawn

Singer-songwriter-producer Gaby Moreno has released eight albums and earned four Grammy nominations for her albums. Over her career, Moreno has shared the international stage with music luminaries such as Tracy Chapman, Nickel Creek, Buena Vista Social Club, Calexico, Los Lobos, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Taj Mahal, and Jackson Browne. Her talent and breadth match well with the Ground/work 2025 architect and artist Javier Senosiain.

 

CHINOBAY

July 16, Reflecting Pool Lawn

Hailing from the rich musical traditions of Uganda, Chinobay is a musician, cultural ambassador, and educator, spreading the vibrant rhythms and melodies of Africa everywhere. As a child, he embraced the folk tunes he gleaned from his elders. As time unfolded, he undertook the task of revitalizing these classic songs, all while mastering an array of traditional instruments. Just as Ground/work 2025 artist Aboubakar Fofana's artistic practice is rooted in the traditions of West African dyeing and weaving, Chinobay's musical practice connects to the past and to the inherited teachings of his ancestors.

 

SONIA DE LOS SANTOS

July 23, Fernández Terrace

Sonia De Los Santos shares her Mexican heritage with Ground/work 2025 artist Javier Senosian and has been singing in Spanish and English for audiences of all ages since 2007. She brings her joyful music to the Clark for a family-friendly concert geared towards the young and the young at heart.

 

Supported by Allen & Company.

 

CEDRIC WATSON

July 30, Reflecting Pool Lawn

One of the brightest young talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole, and zydeco music over the last decade, Cedric Watson is a four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist, and songwriter. Although he comes from a very different part of Texas than Ground/work 2025 artist Hugh Hayden, he underscores how traditional, folk, and popular music in the United States is interwoven with the history of Black America.

 

All outdoor summer concerts are free and take place at 6 pm. Bring a picnic and your own seating. Inclement weather moves events to the Manton Research Center auditorium. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524.