Giovanni Kiyingi

A special concert bringing together two accomplished and innovative traditional musicians from different cultures in a unique duo collaboration. Ugandan folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Kiyingi joins Celtic pianist, mandolinist and step-dancer Neil Pearlman in a wide ranging musical evening blending new and old music from Uganda to Scotland. A finalist on NPR’s Tiny Desk competition, Giovanni Kiyingi captivates audiences worldwide with his extraordinary skills as a multi-instrumentalist. His soulful vocals and mastery of diverse instruments such as the local Ugandan Endingidi, Akogo, Adungu, Endere, Djembe, Embuutu, Calabash, Congas, and more, sets him apart. Neil Pearlman is a vital and distinctive voice in the world of contemporary Celtic music best known for his groundbreaking approach to the piano in Scottish music. Neil’s solo piano album Refractions features regularly on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Radio Scotland and he tours the world regularly with New England band Pine Tree Flyers and Shetland fiddler Kevin Henderson. Giovanni and Neil met in June 2024 at a music festival in California and immediately hit it off, deciding by the end of that event to organize some concerts together and explore their musical connection. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear a new collaboration come to life!