Ladji Diabaté

Kora Teacher

École De Musique de Kirina – Mali

Ladji Diabaté is a renowned kora player and teacher in Mali. He is the brother of Toumani Diabaté, who is considered by many to be the greatest kora player in the world, and Mahamadou Diabaté, the director of the Kirina music school. Both sides of his family have great kora players: his father was the great Sidiki Diabaté known as the “king of kora” in Mali and his mother also comes from a family of musicians from Senegal.

Ladji traveled the world playing the kora and lived in the United States for eight years working as a musician. He was also the teacher of Madina N’Diaye, who was the first female kora player in Mali. His patience and calmness made him a perfect kora teacher for our students in Kirina.

Ladji unfortunately had to stop teaching in Kirina because of a health problem in October 2016: we wish him a quick recovery from the bottom of our hearts.

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