COMING IN 2026

Beginner’s Guide to the Kora

By the end of this course, you will have a complete foundation for beginning your journey with the kora. You will learn how to choose and buy a kora, what to look for in its construction and setup, and how to care for it through basic maintenance, string changes, and tuning.

You’ll understand how to hold and tune your instrument, develop the essential thumb and finger patterns, and learn your first complete traditional piece from start to finish. The course also introduces the cultural background of the kora and the role of the jali (griot), grounding your learning in its West African origins.

By the end, you’ll be able to play confidently, tune independently, and look after your instrument, with a clear path for continued progress through more advanced pieces, tunings, and techniques.

For more information, please email me at info@joshdoughty.co.uk