Kevin and Hannah Catherine’s Bio

Kevin and Hannah Catherine Munro became interested in African drumming and dance while living in Atlanta where on any given day one could take a drum or dance class with incredible teachers.

Kevin was lucky enough to meet and study with Atu Stevens, Stone Montgomery, Ibrahima Camara, Suleman Diop, Doudou Ndiaye, and Mohamed Diaby while living in Georgia. Since moving to Virginia Kevin has hosted for workshops and taken classes with Mahiri Keita, Madou Dembele, Mamady Keita, Mohamed “Joh” Camara, Mohamed DaCosta, Abdul Doumbia, Ali Camara and Fode Camara.

Hannah Catherine took African dance classes with Toni Young, Aisha Diaby and Ajayiwa Anan while living in Georgia and has studied and taken classes with Donna Grahm, Sylvia Soumah, Katiatou Conde, Mohamed  daCosta, Youseff Koumbassa and Marieatou Conde since moving to Charlottesville.  With Kevin and a group of his students playing accompaniment, Hannah Catherine teaches a course in West African Dance at James Madison University where she is an adjunct professor in the Theater and Dance Department.

Kevin was chosen to perform in the opening ceremonies of the 1996 summer olympics where he met and played a composition written by Mickey Hart and Babatunji Olatunji.  Both Kevin and Hannah Catherine performed with the Natabari dance troupe at Lalapalooza in 1995 and Kevin founded and co-directed the Husk percussion ensemble in Atlanta from 1992 to 1996.

Since moving to Virginia, Kevin founded and directs the Charlottesville Community Drum Choir, a community group that shares the wonder and power of the West African drumming traditions through performance at festivals, schools and conferences.

Both Kevin and Hannah Catherine performed with Charlottesville based Chihamba African Drum and Dance ensemble from 1998 through 2002.  They have taught weekly classes in Charlottesville, Richmond and Harrisonburg Virginia. Both Hannah Catherine and Kevin have been regular teachers since 1996 at the Blue Ridge Mountain African Drum and Dance Camp held every May in Little Switzerland, NC.

Kevin, Hannah Catherine, daughter Claire, and their son Angus all keep busy teaching evening drum and dance classes and weekend workshops on the East coast.  Instruction offered is in West African djembe and
dunun drumming, building and maintenance.  Hannah Catherine and Kevin as a couple offer African dance classes with live drumming accompaniment.