Approcreations – solo concert opens up a delightful perspective on our colourful musical world. In an increasingly globalised art scene, Approcreations makes us wonder where the essence of world music lies: in the art itself, or in the ethnicity and exotic geography of the performer, and who in today's society is considered to have the so-called right to do what. The concert is a combination of music, live audio effects, storytelling and graphics projected onto a backdrop. The style is strongly inspired by West African traditions. The most suitable target audience is teenagers and older, with Finnish, English and/or French as the languages of presentation. The concert can also be adapted into a lecture-style version with interactive discussion sections, or alternatively, a separate lecture or workshop section can be organised in connection with the concert.

Maarika Autio (MuM, doctoral researcher) is an instrumentalist who was trained in traditional methods on the West African diatonic balafon. She uses her instrument creatively, drawing on her training while also expressing her own Finnish-influenced artistry.

More information about the Approcreations project, including photos and video samples, can be found at http://www.maarika.net.