Mandé Maqamat - Yahael Camara Onono

Name: Mandé Maqamat - Yahael Camara Onono
Start: 2026-06-11T19:00:00+0400
End: 2026-06-11T20:45:00+0400
Location: The Black Box Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

The Black Box Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

Thu 11 Jun

Doors:19:00

Start:19:30

The Black Box Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

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52.50 AED

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Mande Maqamāt’ invites audiences into a hypnotic meeting point between the Gulf and the vast musical landscapes of West Africa. Beyond trade routes and history books lies a deeper current: shared rhythms, spiritual traditions, and cultural echoes that have travelled for centuries across deserts and oceans alike.

This June, award-winning West African percussionist Yahael Camara Onono (Balimaya Project) transforms The Black Box into a laboratory of spontaneous exploration. Joined by a collective of virtuosos from the region and its diaspora, Onono weaves an evening of deep Mandé grooves, soaring Arabic maqamāt, and fearless improvisation.

Who’s performing?

Yahael Camara Onono - Djembe
Makan Camara - Mande Guitar
Mohamed Abozekry - Oud
Opoku Sanaa - Bass
Hadi Darbouka - Arabic percussion
Claude Cozens - Drums

Yahael Camara Onono
Yahael Camara Onono is a percussionist, composer, musical director, educator, and cultural producer whose work bridges traditional West African music, diasporic legacies, and contemporary global expression.

As the founder and bandleader of the award-winning Balimaya Project, Yahael has been celebrated internationally for redefining diasporic African music in the UK and beyond. The ensemble fuses Mandé musical heritage with London’s vibrant contemporary jazz, hip-hop, and orchestral scenes, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted and boldly innovative.

Beyond performance, Yahael’s practice extends into creative direction and intercultural production. He has collaborated with leading cultural institutions, including The Barbican Centre — where he made history as its first ever contemporary artist-in-residence — The White Cube Gallery (for artist Ibrahim Mahama), and the V&A Museum. His performances and curatorial projects have featured at major international festivals such as WOMAD, SXSW (Austin, Texas), Jazz à Vienne, and the Montreux Jazz Festival, alongside sold-out headline performances at the Barbican Centre (2021, 2023, 2025), La Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris (2023), and other leading UK and European venues.

As an educator and mentor, Yahael has facilitated masterclasses, lectures, and workshops worldwide, sharing his expertise in Mandé rhythmic systems, ensemble leadership, and diasporic musical storytelling. He has delivered guest professorships at the prestigious New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), where he has been Artist-in-Residence since January 2026.

Yahael’s collaborative work spans genres and generations, including projects with Davido, Odumodublvck, Obongjayar, Anaïs, Salif Keita, and Pa Salieu. His film and soundtrack credits include compositions for Disney’s Mufasa (2024), Disney’s Iwaju (2024), and the Roundhouse Film Project (2023).

Throughout his career, Yahael has remained dedicated to community-building and the preservation of cultural memory through music, using rhythm, melody, and storytelling as powerful tools for education, dialogue, and transformation across cultures.

The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all patrons.

Entry to the NYUAD Campus is through either the East or West Parking or the Welcome Center.

Patrons will be required to present a valid ticket to an event at The Arts Center upon entry to the campus.

As per current Department of Culture and Tourism guidelines a Green Al Hosn is NO LONGER needed to attend public events in Abu Dhabi.

The wearing of face masks is NO LONGER required in most indoor public places, including campus buildings.

For access and wheelchair bookings, please email: nyuad.boxoffice@nyu.edu

By car: The Arts Center is easily accessible by car. You can park in the designated area for parking once you arrive.

The Black Box Theater, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

The Black Box Theater , Saadiyat Marina District Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates