2026 Western Mini Conference
April 24-26, 2026 in Carmel Valley, CA
REGISTER HERE
UPDATE:
Due to political turmoil and immigration concerns, Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo is unable to travel to California in April for our Mini Conference. We are very saddened to hear this news and understand that you may be as well.
“I am sorry to disappoint you with not being able to come to the conference this year. I must pull out as I am concerned about how new US immigration issues might affect me when coming in, staying in, and leaving the US at this time.
I am very sorry for any inconvenience this change may cause you. I do hope you will still consider attending the Mini Conference and learn/work with equally incredible presenters that have agreed to work with you.
I look forward to future opportunities to work with you in the US and elsewhere around the world. You are ALL ALWAYS WELCOME TO GHANA unconditionally to learn from me, work with me and my Nunya Academy global family at Nunya Academy in Dzodze, Ghana.
Yours in Humanity, Music, and Education
Kofi Gbolonyo”
As you know, we have other master presenters who were lined up to co-teach with Kofi. We are excited to move forward our programming with these incredible educators:
Julius “Vodzi” Torgboh is a PhD student in Ethnomusicology. He was raised in an exceptionally rich culture of music in the community of Dzogadze, Volta Region, Ghana, where he plays a key role as an indigenous knowledge keeper, music director, performer, ordained talking drum player (Atsrima) in Avenor traditional chiefdom, and Hunua (traditional spiritual leader).
He received his master’s degree in Dance Ethnology at University of Ghana, Legon, in 2022, and his graduate work at the University of Ghana has been chiefly in indigenous knowledge transmission. His master’s thesis title is ‘The Socio-Cultural Impacts of Flimani Kɔku Dance and Rituals on Kadzakɔƒe — an Ethnographic Overview.” It is focused on the mythology, cosmology, history, philosophy, music, dance and rituals of Vodu (African spirituality).
He is a co-author of the article “The Dance We Form Is Not for Pleasure” — Atsyiagbekor in Dzogadze: A Case Study of a Tradition in Transition” published in 2023 by Woeli Publishing Services Accra, Ghana. He is a formidably accomplished Ghanaian master drummer, dancer, singer, composer and teacher. He is the founder of the annual summer KPEDUĐO ART FESTIVAL with the theme “Supporting, Sustaining, and Strengthening the Role and Transmission of Indigenous African Expressive Art.”
Vodzi worked in SFIOC Orff Afrique course in Ghana several years with Kofi.
Sofía López-Ibor has taught music in Preschool, Elementary, Middle and High School for the past 32 years. She currently teaches Orff Schulwerk at The San Francisco School, The San Francisco School Orff Seminar and The San Francisco Orff International Level Courses. She also teaches Pedagogy and Music Didactics at the Orff Institute from the University of Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.
She has also taught Music Pedagogy at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid and in San Sebastian (Spain). She has presented workshops and classes throughout her native Spain as well as in many countries throughout the world. She has performed concerts with the Early Music Group Atrium Musicae in Spain, USA, Israel, Ireland, England, Mexico and Australia (1980-1988), and also sang in different Spanish choirs and is a member of the Recorder Quartet “Syrinx” (1980-1988). She has studied various styles of World Music and is particularly interested in Balkan vocal music and Andean music. She has also collected children ́s games from all over the world and particularly from West Africa and the Spanish-speaking countries.
Doug Goodkin served for 45 years teaching preschool, elementary and middle school children at The San Francisco School. In addition to teaching children, he maintains a rigorous schedule of teacher-training, giving courses and workshops in 45 countries on every continent throughout the world. He is the Director of The San Francisco International Orff Course, a frequent guest teacher at The Orff Institut in Salzburg, Austria, a teacher in the Orff-Afrique Course in Ghana, West Africa, the leader of the jazz band Doug Goodkin & the Pentatonics, the creator and teacher of The Jazz Course and the founder of The Intern Program at The San Francisco School.
He is the author of nine books on music education, has published many articles in music journals worldwide and writes an onging blog titled “Confessions of a Traveling Music Teacher.” He has given a TED talk available for viewing about the importance of music education. His work is well known for blending effective music teaching with humanitarian practices, community ritual and social justice.
Because of his work in jazz, community building and the role of music in creating and sustaining a healthy culture, Doug has long been interested in African music and the diverse cultures from that remarkable continent. Meeting Kofi Gbolonyo in 2003 was a life-changing moment that set many things in motion, most of which led to the creation of the Orff-Afrique Course and its role in helping support Nunya Academy. The vision of Nunya combines Doug’s dedication to children, music and education in a way that nothing else does. He is deeply honored to be a part of this extraordinary project.
Course Description:
The connection between Orff Schulwerk and West Africa is profound. It began with the gift of an African xylophone that inspired the building of Orff instruments in the 1920’s, continued as a parallel sensibility of keeping music, dance and song intimately connected and was cultivated further through the meeting of Carl Orff and Komla Amoaku in the 1960’s.
The music of West Africa birthed an unparalleled musical explosion in the African Diaspora—blues, gospel, jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop, reggae, calypso, samba, salsa and more can all be traced back to the vibrant musical cultures still alive and growing in West Africa. This course offers an extraordinary opportunity to learn and experience the music taught by Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo, a remarkable teacher schooled in traditional ways in his home village of Dzodze, Ghana, while also trained in both Orff Schulwerk and Western university methods. Participants will also learn gyil (a West African wooden xylophone) from another Ghanaian teacher, as well as classroom applications from James Harding– local legend, NCAOSA Past President, and SFIOC teacher– to help connect the material both to Orff process and related musics (jazz, Latin music and beyond).
Participants will learn songs, games, dances, xylophone and percussion music from Ghana’s diverse cultures, as well as touch on other African and African-inspired styles. Participants will develop an understanding of cultural context and the deep connection with dance, oral tradition and its role in daily life.
Target Participants: Music Educators, Orff Teachers, Elementary Classroom Teachers, Musicians and Drummers, Dance/Movement Teachers, Arts Teachers, Social Studies Teachers, Music Therapists, Ethnomusicologists, etc.