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STARTING A CONVERSATION

BEYOND THE INSTRUMENT: TRANSLATING AFRICAN MUSIC THROUGH WESTERN STRINGS

A Workshop with Hurlarstringz / Olalekan Agbaje

African rhythm, Western strings and global sound

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP

**Opening the Workshop**��- **Welcome participants warmly.** This is not a lecture — it is a workshop where everyone takes part. Introduce yourself as Olalekan Agbaje, also known as Hurlarstringz.�- **Introduce the theme "Starting a Conversation."** Explain that music is one of the oldest forms of conversation. Long before words, people communicated through rhythm, sound and movement. African musical traditions perfected this form of dialogue.�- **Connect theme to the workshop.** This workshop uses African guitar traditions to show how music starts conversations across cultures, languages and backgrounds. Participants will not just listen — they will join in.�- **Set expectations.** By the end, everyone will have experienced music as a universal language, used rhythm to communicate without words, and built confidence in creative expression — no musical experience needed.�

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STARTING A CONVERSATION

WORKSHOP AIM

To explore how music becomes a universal language that creates conversation, connection, and shared creativity through African musical traditions and Western instruments.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Understand how music communicates without words
Experience African rhythm as conversation
Build confidence in creative expression

No musical experience required — everyone is welcome.

**Workshop Aim**��- **Starting a Conversation.** Explain that this year's theme is about beginning dialogue — and music is one of the most powerful ways to do that. Music breaks down barriers of language, culture and background. It creates instant connection.�- **Workshop Aim.** Read the aim aloud: to explore how music becomes a universal language that creates conversation, connection, and shared creativity through African musical traditions and Western instruments.�- **Learning Outcomes.** Walk through each outcome:� - Participants will understand how music can communicate without words — rhythm, pitch and feeling carry meaning.� - They will experience African rhythm as a form of conversation — listening and responding.� - They will build confidence in creative expression — no musical experience is required. Everyone can participate.�- **Reassure participants.** This is a safe, inclusive space. There are no wrong answers in creative expression.�

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STARTING A CONVERSATION

MUSIC AS CONVERSATION

Rhythm as dialogue
Call-and-response
Everyone has a voice

**Music as Conversation**��- **Rhythm as dialogue.** In African music, rhythm is not just a beat — it is a language. Drums and instruments "speak" to each other. The guitar took on this role, creating rhythmic phrases that call out and wait for an answer.�- **Call-and-response.** This is the foundation of musical conversation. One voice calls, another responds. In this workshop, participants will experience this firsthand — not as spectators, but as active participants in the musical dialogue.�- **Everyone has a voice.** African music is built on collective participation. There is no audience and performer — only a community making music together. Every person's contribution, however simple, is part of the conversation.�- **Connect to theme.** This is what "Starting a Conversation" means in practice. Music creates a space where everyone can speak, listen and respond — regardless of words, background or experience.�

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ACTIVITY 1

RHYTHM AS LANGUAGE

Welcome & icebreaker
Learning African rhythmic patterns
Call-and-response exercise
Creative improvisation in small groups

**Activity 1: Rhythm as Language**��- **Welcome and Icebreaker (5 minutes).** Begin with a brief introduction to the idea that music is a conversation. Ask the group: "Can music speak without words?" Let participants share their thoughts. This sets the tone for active participation.�- **Learning African rhythmic patterns (10 minutes).** Teach participants simple African rhythmic patterns using hand claps, body percussion or simple instruments. Break down the rhythm into small, repeatable units. Let the group practise together until they feel the groove.�- **Call-and-Response (10 minutes).** Lead the group in a call-and-response exercise. You play or clap a short rhythmic phrase — the group answers. Start simple, then build complexity. Encourage participants to listen carefully before responding. This is the core of musical conversation.�- **Creative Improvisation (10 minutes).** Divide participants into small groups. Each group creates a short rhythmic pattern, then shares it with the others. The other groups respond. This builds confidence and creative expression in a supportive environment.�

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ACTIVITY 2

AFRICAN GUITAR DEMONSTRATION

African musical ideas on guitar
Percussive strumming & rhythmic riffs
Rhythm, feeling and musical intention

15 MINS

**Activity 2: African Guitar Demo**��- **Demonstration of African musical ideas on guitar (15 minutes).** Play short examples showing how African guitar sounds different from Western guitar. Demonstrate percussive strumming, rhythmic riff patterns, and how the guitar imitates drum and vocal phrases. Let participants see and hear the difference.�- **Use the guitar anatomy slide.** Point to the strings and explain the standard tuning (E A D G B E). Show which strings create which sounds. Explain that lead guitar typically uses String 1 (high E) for melodic lines.�- **Discussion: rhythm, feeling and intention.** Ask participants what they noticed. Was it the rhythm? The feeling? The energy? Emphasise that African guitar is about musical intention — what you want to say — rather than technical complexity. A simple rhythm played with feeling communicates more than complex notes played without meaning.�- **Invite volunteers.** If any participants play guitar, invite them to try a simple African rhythmic pattern. Encourage the group to respond with claps or percussion.�

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ACTIVITY 3

GROUP PERFORMANCE

Combine rhythms collaboratively
Build the piece together
Guitar leads the conversation

15 MINS

**Activity 3: Group Performance**��- **Combine rhythms into one collaborative piece (15 minutes).** Bring all participants together. Each group or individual contributes their rhythmic pattern. Layer them on top of each other — one group starts, another joins, then another. The guitar provides the musical thread that holds everything together.�- **Build the performance organically.** Start with the simplest rhythm. Add layers gradually. Let the energy build naturally. The result does not need to be perfect — it needs to be shared. The conversation matters more than the composition.�- **The guitar as conversation leader.** Explain how the guitar can guide the group — signalling changes, introducing new patterns, and responding to the group's energy. This is African guitar in its natural form: leading, listening and responding in real time.�- **Celebrate the result.** Applaud the group's creation. Emphasise that what they just made was a genuine musical conversation — everyone contributed, everyone listened, and together they created something no one could have made alone.�

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WORKSHOP IN ACTION

**Workshop Demonstration Video**��- **Play the video.** This clip shows a previous workshop or community event in action. It demonstrates how live African guitar music brings people together across cultures and backgrounds.�- **Set context.** Explain what the audience is seeing — participants engaging with rhythm, movement and music in a shared creative space. Point out the call-and-response, the group energy, and the sense of community.�- **Connect to the workshop.** Ask participants to notice how the guitar acts as a conversation starter. People who may never have met before are now making music together. This is the power of music as a universal language.�- **After the video.** Invite reactions and questions. Ask: "What did you notice? How did the music create connection between people?"�

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STARTING A CONVERSATION

REFLECTION

Discussion Questions

What did you learn by listening to others?
How did music help start a conversation?
How can creativity connect people across cultures?

"Conversation is not about winning — it is about listening, responding, and creating something meaningful together."

**Reflection: Starting a Conversation**��- **What did you learn by listening to others?** Ask participants to reflect on the call-and-response exercises. How did it feel to listen before responding? Did they notice something new when they truly paid attention to another person's rhythm?�- **How did music help start a conversation?** Guide the group to recognise that music created a shared language. No one needed to explain — the rhythm did the talking. People from different backgrounds found common ground through sound.�- **How can creativity connect people across cultures?** Discuss how African guitar traditions show that creativity transcends borders. A Nigerian rhythm played on a Western instrument in the UK still carries its original meaning — and gains new ones. Culture travels through creativity.�- **Closing: Key Message.** Music reminds us that conversation is not about winning — it is about listening, responding, and creating something meaningful together. Every voice matters. Every contribution adds to the whole.�

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THANK YOU

Hurlarstringz / Olalekan Agbaje

Phone +447460577711

Email olalagbaje@gmail.com

Instagram @hurlarstringz

YouTube @Hurlarstringz

Facebook @hurlarstringz.

Website Www.hurlarstringz.com

Tiktok @ hurlarstringz

African Guitar Excellence Across the UK

**Thank You / Closing**��- **Thank participants.** Acknowledge their active engagement. This workshop worked because they participated, listened and responded. They proved that music truly starts conversations.�- **Reinforce the key message.** Music reminds us that conversation is not about winning — it is about listening, responding, and creating something meaningful together. Every voice matters.�- **Invite questions and future engagement.** Offer to take questions. Encourage people to follow you on Instagram and YouTube for more performances and workshops. Mention upcoming events.�- **Final thought.** "Starting a Conversation" does not end when the workshop finishes. Every time you pick up an instrument, clap a rhythm, or share a song, you are continuing the conversation that African guitarists started decades ago.��*End with warmth, openness and gratitude.*�