Nana Obrafo Yaw Asiedu - Brief Bio

Nana Obrafo Yaw Asiedu is the founder and director of the Ile Ayan Cultural Institution of Higher Learning and uses drumming as the vehicle for the upliftof the human spirit. Nana believes it is important to bring the value of “Culture”back into our society as a means to heal or prevent dysfunctionality. His work with children has proven to help them become more self-disciplined and able to focus. It balances out the right and left brain, while stimulating endorphins. Drumming breeds integrity. Many children Nana has taught have gone on to become professional musicians.

Nana Obrafo Yaw Asiedu has taught African drumming and music instruction for all ages (toddlers to adults) at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park, San Diego, for the last twenty-five years. He instructed 10,000 5th grade students each year from 2004 to 2010, as part of the San Diego City Schools’ “Balboa Park Integration Program”. Nana has brought his program into the elementary schools, working both as a music teacher during the school day (seeing K-6th grade classes, one after the other, one day a week), as well as working in After-School programs twice a week for various school districts. Nana has been very successful in working with “At-Risk” teens, both in alternative school and juvenile hall settings. He gives workshops/performances for the city libraries, Homeland Security events, military functions, corporate workshops in team building skills, and workshops for organizations which provide leadership skills to CEO’s and Presidents of Corporations. He directed the “House of Blues Children’s Drum Program” for two years. He also offers school assemblies, workshops for private birthday parties (toddlers to adult), private drum instruction, workshops for the deaf and blind, workshops in convalescent homes and hospitals, as well as interactive performances for parties.

Nana has performed with many of our country’s greatest artists, including Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock (CD), Billy Childs (CD with Akron. Symphony Orchestra – he co-directed the African music score of this 99 piece orchestra), Taj Majal, Patrice Russian, Debbie Allen, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Munyungo D. Jackson, to name a few. He has appeared in several movies, including “The Color Purple”.

Nana was the Lead Foreman and Musical Director for the African Percussion Ensemble’s production of “The Lion King Celebration” at Disneyland, CA for two years, and opened up the first African dance performances at the Wild Animal Park (now called Safari Park Zoo) in San Diego 28 years ago.

Nana was selected for a cultural exchange program at the University of Lagoon in Ghana, West Africa and has studied extensively in Ghana, (his family home), bringing back their rich cultural heritage through drumming, song, music, morals, integrity, responsibility, purpose, and intent.

He also has co-founded Izinde, an African fusion band. (See Youtube, “Kumerera by Izinde”, to see the band’s latest video). Please also log onto Facebook and put “Children’s West African Drumming” in the search bar and you will see Nana’s page of video’s, photos, letters of recommendation, letters and certificates of achievement.