Since the formation of Ensemble Bash in the UK in 1992, we've made a reputation as one of the world’s most innovative and groundbreaking chamber ensembles. Using the music of West Africa as both core repertoire and a guiding spiritual influence, we mix contemporary classical, jazz and music theatre into unforgettable performances.

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Since the start, Ensemble Bash has been dedicated to commissioning new repertoire for percussion ensemble, and has developed special relationships with composers including Graham Fitkin, Stephen Montague, Nick Hayes, Howard Skempton and Stewart Copeland. ensemblebash has also premiered work by Tan Dun, Keith Tippett, David Bedford, Nitin Sawhney, Orphy Robinson, Michael Daugherty, John Woolrich, Anne Dudley and Steve Reich.

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Ensemble Bash has toured the UK and Europe extensively, including numerous appearances at the Southbank Centre and BBC Proms, most recently in 2012 with Eric Whitacre and Imogen Heap. Four major tours of Italy have included, in 2003, a performance for the Primo Maggio concert in Rome to an audience of more than 500,000. Further afield, Ensemble Bash has performed throughout Ghana, at the Melbourne and Sydney International Festivals, and in Hong Kong, to mark the handover of the colony to the Chinese in 1997.

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​We've spent several periods of study in Ghana, working with Nana Danso Abiam and musicians from the Pan African Orchestra and the National Dance Company of Ghana. Ibrahim Abukari taught us dondo and brekete rhythms from the north of Ghana, Thomas Segkura the beautiful, buzzing gyil, Afadina Tsikpa showed us Ewe drumming and the mighty Fontomfrom drums and Emmanuel Osei Awuku instructed us in Kpanlogo and djembe rhythms. We must also mention our Ghanaian teacher in the UK, Paulinhus Bozie. We always remember, honour and credit our teachers when we play this music in concerts.

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Also famed for our extensive collaborations, we've appeared in concert with artists including Joanna Macgregor, Chick Corea, Django Bates, Nana Vasconcelos, Evelyn Glennie, The Hilliard Ensemble, Kathryn Tickell, The National Dance Company of Ghana and The Pan African Orchestra. Since the release of our debut major label album Launch on Sony Classical in 1995, Ensemble Bash has been regularly broadcast around the world. Other recordings include Fiddlesticks with violinist Madeleine Mitchell on Signum Classics; Neural Circuits, the music of Nitin Sawhney, with Joanna MacGregor and the Britten Sinfonia on SoundCircus; and the grammy nominated Orchestralli with drumming legend Stewart Copeland on Ponderosa.

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We're renowned for our workshops and family concerts and our pioneering education work has included extensive residencies for Dartington International Summer School, SPNM's Sound Inventors, Spitalfields Festival and the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Australia. Recent masterclasses have included the Royal College of Music (2019), Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (2020) plus our ongoing project as Artists-in-Residence at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.​

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Next year marks the 31st anniversary of the group with plans for a national tour and new commissions from Tunde Yegede, Renell Shaw and Orphy Robinson.