The Afrobeat(s) Arkestra is an Afro-pop ensemble dedicated to the study and performance of popular music from across Africa and the Black diaspora. The Arkestra integrates African, jazz, and orchestral instruments to engage both traditional and contemporary repertoires, foregrounding the rhythmic vitality, melodic richness, and harmonic imagination of global Black musical expressions and cultures. The repertoire includes Afrobeat(s), Afrofunk, Afropop, Afrosoul, and Highlife.
The Arkestra is designed as a collaborative, community-oriented space that brings together
musicians, dancers, and creatives. In addition to performance, students examine extramusical contexts (i.e., broader sociocultural and historical factors that shape these traditions). Through rehearsals, performances, and discussion, the course emphasizes creative exploration, collective musicianship, and critical engagement with African and diasporic expressive cultures.
Gopher Grades is maintained by Social Coding with data from Summer 2017 to Summer 2026 provided by the University in response to a public records request