PRAx and the College of Liberal Arts present: American Strings: An Evening with Yasmin Williams
Yasmin Williams is a 27-year-old composer and finger-style guitarist known for using innovative techniques to build layered acoustic soundscapes. Williams appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts series in February of this year. She invites listeners into her world as she "taps, slaps and slides up and down the fretboard of her instrument with a commanding sense of scenery that flickers between the strings" (NPR).
Williams' distinctive creative process involves "ruminating" on single notes until compositions naturally emerge. Beyond traditional finger-picked guitar, she demonstrates mastery of multiple instruments including kora, harp guitar, banjo and electric guitar. Her music, while rooted in folk traditions, transcends conventional structures to incorporate elements of progressive rock and experimental composition. Her albums have featured many artists, including Aoife O’Donovan, Darlingside and Tatiana Hargreaves.
American Strings, now in its seventh year, is a series of conversations and intimate performances with iconic musicians from the Americas whose perspectives shape our world. Hosted by ethnomusicologist and public historian Kelly Bosworth, American Strings performances offer audiences the chance to hear artists play and reflect on their practice.