MARQUETTE — The Peter White Public Library invites music lovers to a weeknight concert: African Kora with Sean Gaskell at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the library’s Community Room on the lower level.

The 21-stringed West African kora is native to the Mande peoples who live within the countries of Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau. The music is traditionally played by oral and musical historians known as Griots. Contrary to the melodic and seemingly peaceful sound of the kora, the musical repertoire features songs that tell ancient stories of war and hardship as well as songs that praise the people who helped expand the Mande Empire.

While the kora is only 300 years old, some songs can be traced back 800 years to the Mande empire’s founding.

Gaskell, who has studied extensively under the instruction of Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh of Brikama, The Gambia, and Kane Mathis of Brooklyn, New York, has been featured at numerous festivals in the U.S., Gambia, and Senegal. His performance and educational demonstration of the kora will feature traditional songs that are the heart and soul of the kora’s musical repertoire as well as some of his own personal compositions.

There is no admission fee to attend this family friendly event thanks to sponsorship by the Carroll Paul Memorial Trust Fund of the Peter White Public Library.

For more information, visit www.pwpl.info or call 226-4318.