Submitted photo The Augusta Heritage Center will host Ethiopian group QWANQWA for a concert at the Myles Center for the Arts on Thursday at 7 p.m. The band is comprised of some of Ethiopia’s most prominent cultural ambassadors.

ELKINS — Prominent cultural ambassadors from Ethiopia, QWANQWA, will be making a rare local appearance Thursday evening at Davis & Elkins College’s Harper-McNeely Auditorium.

The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the auditorium, which is located at the Myles Center for the Arts. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the event or by visiting augustaartsandculture.org.

“We are so excited to be able to bring this act to Elkins,” Augusta Executive Director Seth Young told The Inter-Mountain. “It really is a unique opportunity for music fans in this area. I doubt we will see a supergroup of Ethiopian musicians come through any time in the near future.”

The band consists of members Endris Hassen (masinko), Kaethe Hostetter (violin), Bubu Teklemariam (bass krar), Selamnesh Zemene (vocalist), and Misale Legesse (kebero). They are well known for blending modern musical experimentalism while keeping their sound based on rooted traditions.

The ensemble was founded in 2012 by Hostetter, an American who first worked in Ethiopian music as a founding member of the critically acclaimed Debo Band. Since relocating to Addis in 2009, she has participated in numerous exploratory and professional projects, as she honed her sound and immersed herself further into the culture of her surroundings. In this sense, QWANQWA, the Amharic word for “language,” is a project creating dialogues between cultures.

When blending the band’s unique instruments with wah wah fiddle and powerful traditional lead African diva vocals, QWANQWA is sure to keep concertgoers wrapped in celebratory attention.

“The band has a really interesting sound,” said Young. “They are rooted in Ethiopian traditional music, but it’s definitely a very modern take on it. They use modern technology along with traditional instruments, so it really is a very unique sound.”

The band’s tour stops in Elkins and Marlinton are sandwiched in between concerts in Pittsburgh and Richmond,Virginia. QWANQWA will also play shows in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia next week. The 48-date United States tour is backed by the MacArthur Foundation.

“In partnership with the Pocahontas County Opera House, we worked together to route this tour through our area,” said Young. “Opportunities to get performers like this in the area are few and far between.”

The band has released three albums to date, Volume One (2014), Volume Two (2015), and Volume Three (2020). For more information on the band go to www.qwanqwa.net.

“This concert is a special opportunity to open a window into another culture,” Emily Miller, Augusta’s artistic director,said. “I’m looking forward to experiencing this concert with our community here in Elkins.”