Roni Bat-Or Parnass
Roni Bat-Or Parnass is an Israeli world music percussionist specializing in West African traditional drumming. She is a N’goni Harpist (West African Harp), composer and facilitator of West African drum workshops, women’s drum circles and Communication Through Music workshops.
Her musical journey began at home with her father, a former drum set player, teaching her the love of beat making on tables, chairs and any platform two hands could drum on. Upon completing her military service at the age of 20 Roni followed her inner calling and began pursuing percussion education. This led to years of diving into West African drumming with leading African masters in Africa and worldwide, as well as majoring in Percussion Performance at the Rimon School of Jazz & Modern Music.
Roni is co-founder of Malaika Trio, an all-women percussion trio, Perfusion Ensemble, a show with a grand cast of 16 musicians & dancers celebrating the vibrant cultures of West Africa, a leading drummer in Drum Cafe Israel and a percussionist for dozens of Israeli artists.
Following her vision to encourage & empower women through drumming, as well as a strong calling to bring healing through drumming, Roni founded and is leading the group “Poamot” – an all-women drumming group focused on the deep musical & healing qualities of the drum. She works with various institutions for children & adults with special needs and conducts musical sessions for 2nd generation holocaust survivors, all while continuing to explore the fields of sound healing and the beautiful, mystical connection between the woman and the drum.