#Armaah

[cbjustmusic]

“Angels Voices, Ever Singing” Descant By James Varrick Armaah performed by the Harmonious Chorale from Ghana _________________________ Angel Voices, Ever Singing Composer: Francis Pott

Angel voices, ever singing, round Thy throne of light Angel harps, forever ringing, rest not day or night Thousands only live to bless Thee, and confess Thee Lord of might.

Thou Who art beyond the farthest mortal eye can scan Can it be that Thou regardest songs of sinful man Can we feel that Thou art near us and wilt hear us? Yea, we can.

Lord, we know Thy love rejoices o'er each work of Thine Thou didst ears and hands and voices for Thy praise combine Craftsman's art and music's measure for Thy pleasure didst design.

Here, great God, today we offer of Thine own to Thee And for Thine acceptance proffer, all unworthily Hearts and minds, and hands and voices, in our choicest melody.

Honor, glory, might and merit, Thine shall ever be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, blessed Trinity Of the best that Thou hast given Earth and heaven render Thee...

[choralmusicghana]

FUTURE STARS: Youngsters Dazzle at Varrick’s Maiden Juvenile Art Music Expo

The premier edition of the Juvenile Art Music Expo, a concept driven by James Varrick Armaah, took place at the Christ the King Parish Hall on the morning of Constitution Day.

The event, organised by Varrick Productions and Think Media Expert, a media training/education and production company, was attended by choral and classical music enthusiasts and parents, as well as partner media organisations including Joy News and Choral Music TV.

The first Juvenile Art Music Expo, in James Armaah’s words, represented the “small beginnings” of a very great idea. Making a case for the arts as a way of fostering social cohesion and harmony, the founder of Harmonious Chorale went on to state his motivation for encouraging young musical talents.

Primarily driven by the concern that this type of music - choral and classical music as experienced in Ghana today - could die if it isn’t successfully transferred to and encouraged in the next generation, Mr. Armaah’s effort to helping to shed light on the talent of young musicians and to build their capacity has resulted in this initiative.

In his own words, this project is meant to “groom people for the future”, so “when some of us are old, we will still have people playing our favourite music”.

Among the talents displayed at the concert hall were 18 year old flautist Michael Amoah, who performed theme music from The Secret Garden and Schubert’s Ave Maria, 13 year old John Saade who played Handel’s “Surely He Hath Borne Our Grief” as a solo piece on a keyboard, and accompanied the Corpus Christi Children’s Choir in performing that same composer’s “And He Shall Purify”.

The children from Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Sakumono fielded an impressive cohort of over 40 choristers and left some members of the audience on their feet after their opening performance. Led by Blessed Yawson and later conducted by Rev. Fr. Akpabli, the choir also performed GF Handel’s “And the Glory of the Lord”, the hymn “The Lord’s My Shepherd” to a tune written by their music director, and James Armaah’s highlife “Praise Him”.

The other children’s choir in attendance was the Garrison Children’s Voices, a choir from the Garrison Methodist Presbyterian Church at Burma Camp and led by Harmonious Chorale’s Edward Opare-Addo.

Whereas most of the young musicians performed pieces from Ghana’s standard choral repertoire, some of the stand-out performances of classical pieces included 17 year old Robert Onumah’s selection of a fugue from JS Bach’s “The Well Tempered Clavier” and an invention from the same composer, and two student piano pieces from Louise Farrenc and Clementi, performed by 13 year old Lois Ansa Asare, daughter of Dominic of Mido Productions.

The concert also featured guest performances from former child prodigy Sita Korley and Joseph Ansa Asare. Also present at the occasion was Rev. Joyce Aryee, a patron of choral music and Mr. David Agyefi-Mensah, the CEO of Think Media Expert.

[zylofonemusic]

His Voice - Orekyekye

His Voice – Orekyekye

His Voice – Orekyekye Artist name : His Voice Album : Orekyekye Released Date: 22nd October, 2021 composer: James Varrick Armaah Listen / Download: Orekyekye  

[footballghana]

Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan supports Ghana tennis stars

Former Black Stars Captain, Asamoah Gyan who has of late been playing lawn tennis has disclosed that he wants to support the top players and motivate then to shine in their chosen field of sports.

Gyan’s Baby-Jet Promotions partnered MANCWA Commodities to organize the recent Top 16 Invitational tourney at the Army Officers Mess at 37, Accra said he just wants to support and raise the image and standard of tennis in the country as there are some wonderful players who must be inspired.

Speaking to the media at the tennis event on a penultimate day, he expressed that tennis is not popular like in the past, and the current players need to be pushed to go high.

“Ghanaians don’t follow tennis like before”, Gyan observed.

“I’m appealing to the media to give tennis attention a bit”, he stressed.

He said although “football is the number one sport and we respect that, tennis “is my second love, this is what I am doing now,” Gyan stated.

Black Stars all-time top goalscorer believes helping others to get exposure with their talent is the way to go.

The prolific striker revealed that the plan is to unearth talents in tennis, as he has witnessed some impressive performances.

On the final day, Johnson Acquah defeated Bernard Ashitey Armaah 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in 2 hours 45 minutes to win the maiden edition of the Baby-Jet & MANCWA Commodities Top 16 Invitational tourney at the Army Officers Mess Tennis Club, 37.

source: https://footballghana.com/

[choralmusicghana]

Augustine Sobeng, Others, hold Pipe Organ Seminar in Accra

Last weekend, Augustine Sobeng, a young Ghanaian organist, together with fellow organists and musicians, put together a pipe organ seminar for performers and enthusiasts at the Trinity United Church, on the campus of the Trinity Theological Seminary at East Legon, Accra. It was Augustine’s first such event.

The seminar saw over a hundred participants gather for a few hours to learn from some of the leading figures of choral and church music in Accra. They were also treated to some remarkable performances of organ and vocal works from German, French and Italian masters. The seminar also included moments of congregational hymn singing, conducted by the venue’s music director, Isaac Adjei-Bamfo.

The event began with a presentation by James Varrick Armaah on musicianship as a profession. The founder of Harmonious Chorale covered themes which included fundamental professional conduct - a concern he felt affected musicians of all classes - and certain misconceptions about remuneration for creative work. He bemoaned the myth that persons gifted “as it were by God” should not use their skills for private financial gain, especially within the context of church music.

He made a strong case for the necessity of musicians, arguing that one could not go a day without encountering music in some form. Mr. Armaah used his presentation to encourage musicians to work together for their own welfare, saying “There was no profession made lucrative by people outside of it”.

James did not hold back on some of the structural limitations affecting the quality of musicians the country’s schools produce, which make them less competitive on the international market. Similarly, Mr. Armaah did not reserve his feelings about persons and platforms that openly share manuscripts that could have been profitable to composers, highlighting the irony that the practice - encouraged by musicians - undermines the viability of an industry that is in need of every pesewa it can earn.

Augustine Sobeng led the audience through the fundamentals of the pipe organ. A four-manual electronic organ supplied by Olive Organs, a Tema-based organ manufacturer, was the focus of his practical demonstrations. Augustine’s approach to this technical introduction allowed more casual appreciators a peek into the complex world of the instrument’s history and contemporary practice. He hinted at future masterclasses that will delve deeper into some of the ideas he shared.

The final speaker was Joseph Ossei-Little, a practicing pharmacist and organist, who took attendees through a productive practice routine. He used his unique situation to speak to concerns relating to the serious pursuit of music while maintaining a demanding career.

The seminar was attended by several young church musicians and organists, as well as musical enthusiasts. Rev. Joyce Aryee, a specially invited guest, seized the opportunity she had to address the audience to speak extensively about the spiritual dimension of the work of the church musician, whom she believed was primarily a practicing Christian before they were a practicing musician.

The organisers of the event announced the formation of an “Organ Club”, an initiative which they believed will help encourage serious practice and deliberate collaboration among organists in the country.

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About the author: Jesse Johnson is a writer at Choral Music Ghana.

[choralmusicghana]

Aroma of Praise: Tamale Youth Choir's First Virtual Choral Experience

The Tamale Youth Choir (TYC) is a choral group based in the Northern Region of Ghana. It was initially established in 2017 by a team of exuberant individuals led by Samuel Dowaana Mensah. The motivation behind its creation was to create a platform for many young people to display their talent in the field of choral music in northern Ghana, and to collaborate with other choirs from the southern regions of the country.

On the 25th of July 2020, the choir held its first virtual concert - the tenth edition of “Aroma of Praise” - at the Pentecostal International Worship Center (PIWC) at Kakasunaka, Tamale. The program, the brainchild of Mr. Sitsofe Anku (CEO of Chorale Music General), has previously featured various guest choirs in the southern part of the country.

The president of the TYC, Mr. Felix Agoligi stated that the practice of choral music in the northern part of the country hasn’t been encouraging, and that the choir hoped to bridge the wide gap between the northern and southern part of the country. He talked about how many of its members who are young and unemployed were passionate and determined to forge a more positive future for themselves.

Most of the music the choir performed were compositions - in various local dialects - by their founder and music director, Samuel Dowaana Mensah. Works from James Varrick Armaah, Kweku Abeku Ansaeku and Albert Adusei were also performed. The founder suggested choral music will be better appreciated by their audience if it were written and performed in their own languages.

Both founder and president of the choir appealed for support from individuals and institutions, as well as help from more experienced persons from the south of the country to help realise the dream of the choir.

Among the immediate and future plans of the Tamale Youth Choir are a virtual peace concert in anticipation of the 2020 General Elections, to have the choir officially inaugurated and position it as the representative of choice for choral music from the northern regions.

[choralmusicghana]

George François & Friends raise funds for New Horizon Special School

Over the last weekend, Dr. George François, a New York based Ghanaian concert pianist, held a fundraising concert in support of the New Horizon Special School.

Hope Concert ‘19, supported by the Australian High Commission, featured performances with Fulbright scholar Dr. Cristina Ruotolo and celebrated cellist Sally Singer. The main concert performances were preceded by an exhibition of works from Michael Bortei-Doku and Adjei Sowah, serenaded by a string quartet assembled from some of the best musicians from Accra. 

The fundraiser was the climax of two weeks of musical activities surrounding George's visit to his home country. The visiting pianist held two masterclasses for beginner and advanced pianists at the residence of the Australian High Commissioner, while Dr. Singer led a class for string players on the cello, double bass, viola and violin.

The trio also held a number of private concerts, including one at the US Ambassador's residence and the Ghana club.

The New Horizon School was started in the early 1970s as a response to the plight of Helen, daughter of the founder Salome François, who had developed neurological problems as a result of a medical misdiagnosis. The school, located in Cantonments, Accra, provides education, vocational training and employment for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Salome François’ vision of helping intellectually challenged persons to live fulfilling lives has earned her the support of several donors touched by her effort to transform a personal tragedy into hope for many children.

The concert proper featured Dr. George François on a piano, playing JS Bach’s Partita No. 2 in C minor and Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31 in B♭ minor. The first half of the concert ended with a performance of the first two movements from Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op 49.

After an intermission which included students from the school on a catwalk and a fundraiser auction of some items they had made at school, the second half of performances saw four singers from Seasonal House Opera - a Ghanaian company specialising in operatic singing, on stage with Dr. François.

Joseph Quaynor performed La Donna è Mobile from Verdi’s “Rigoletto”, Mitchelle Ajeigbe impressed the audience with Mozart’s Voi Che Sapete and Leslie Carine left them stunned with Der Hölle Rache Kocht in Meinem Herzen, by the same composer. 

Baritone Kennedy Dankwa also sang Votre Toast, Je Peux Vous le Rendre from Bizet’s “Carmen”. The quartet ended their performances with Luigi Denza’s Funiculì, Funiculà! 

All soloists are choristers with Harmonious Chorale, one of Ghana’s most internationally successful choirs.

Ms Nhyira Coleman, a Chartered Accountant with KPMG, brought the performances to a close with a special tribute song for Mrs. François. She was also accompanied by George.

The visit marked an important few days for the growing classical music community in Accra, which had the opportunity to interact with some of the finest players from the United States, and with patrons of the arts. 

Dr. Singer and François’ visit to Ghana came at the end of the visit of the Junge Kammerphilharmonie Rhein-Neckar to the National Symphony Orchestra, and concluded only a week before the NSO’s own “Evening Classicals” concert. 

Along with the climax of a year of live performances at Afro Classical Nights late last month, August and September 2019 have turned out to be a success for classical music in Accra.

[choralmusicghana]

National Symphony Orchestra Celebrates 60 Years

  By order of Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, the National Symphony Orchestra was established by Philip Gbeho (the composer of the music for the national anthem) in 1959. Nkrumah's vision for the orchestra was two-fold: to introduce European classical music to Ghanaians, and to promote the performance of Ghanaian music of that calibre.

The orchestra regularly performs at events such as the National Festival of Arts and Culture, Panafest and the National Theatre Week. Some of these have featured internationally renowned performers like Valerie Naranjo, a New York based xylophonist.

The 30-man orchestra is currently conducted by Mr. Isaac Annoh. Throughout its celebrated existence, a number of outstanding musicians have led the group. Some of these past conductors included the late Kweku Acquaah-Harrison, Ken Kafui and Diana Reindorf. Others included the late Nana Danso Abiam (who went on to found the Accra Symphony Orchestra) and Emmanuel Gyimah Labi.

Several members of the orchestra have risen to individual fame outside of the institution due to their own outstanding musicianship. Some of these work as instrumentalists for various choirs and smaller ensembles, most notably the Accra String Quartet.

As part of the 60th Anniversary, a number of concerts have been put together. The first of these comes off on the 31st of March at the National Theatre. The event, "National Symphony Orchestra in concert with Harmonious Chorale" is tagged "60 years of promoting African and Ghanaian music."

Among the highlights of the orchestra’s year-long anniversary celebration include the unveiling of a “youth orchestra” with Harmonious Chorale in December and a performance of orchestral arrangements of the music of the legendary AB Crentsil at the National Theatre in September.

Tickets for this weekend’s concert start at 20 cedis for students, and 50 cedis for everyone else.

[choralmusicghana]

Harmonious Chorale wins Gold at World Choir Games!

On the 10 of June this year at the “Heaven” concert, it was announced that Harmonious Chorale was chosen to represent Ghana at the World Choir Games in South Africa. This year’s contest is titled “Tshwane 2018”. Harmonious Chorale is the first Ghanaian choir to be invited to the competition.

The idea to create an event like the World Choir Games is based on the Olympic ideals, which aims to peacefully unify people and nations connected by song in a fair competition. This idea is supposed to inspire people to experience the power of interaction by singing together.

The World Choir Games (formerly  Choir Olympics) is the largest choral event organised by INTERKULTUR Foundation, a German based organization that promotes art and culture. The first competition was held in Linz, Austria in the year 2000, from the 7th to the 16th of July.

Since it is a biennial competition, this year’s is the 10th World Choir Games. It is being held for the first time in Africa. The event began on the 4th of July with an opening ceremony, but the contest proper began on the 5th with over 300 choirs from about 50 countries participating. The competition is divided into two parts: the Open Competition and the Champions competition, each having different competitive categories.

Harmonious Chorale took part in the Open Competition and participating in 3 categories which are the Mixed Choirs, Musica Sacra with Accompaniment and the Scenic Folklore categories. For the Mixed Choirs category, they sang “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” arranged by J. Rosamond Johnson, “Mema m’aniso” by George Mensah Essilfie, “La Nuit” by Jean Phillipe Rameau and “Aseda Nka Nyame” by James Varrick Armaah. For the Musica Sacra with Accompaniment, they sang “Cantique de Jean Racine” by Gabriel Faure, “Abofo rekyin” by Newlove Annan, “This is the Day” by John Rutter and “Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts” by Henry Purcell. Lastly, for the Scenic Folklore category, they performed some traditional pieces like “Yaa Amponsah” arranged by George Mensah Essilfie,  “Every body bring your calabash” which was also arranged by George Mensah Essilfie and “Oye” by James Varrick Armaah.

Harmonious Chorale performed remarkably in the part one of the Open Competition, which has officially ended. They won three gold medals (awarded based on accumulated points) - one each for the “Musica Sacra with Accompaniment” category (O16) as Level IV winners with 23.74 points, “Mixed Choirs” category (O9) where they were Level I winners with 20.73  points and the “Scenic Folklore” category (O27) of which they were the overall winners with 22.80 points.

We asked the Director of Harmonious Chorale, James Varrick Armaah, how he felt about their success and the reception of Ghanaian choral music at the event. He said, “I believe the choir has worked so hard to attain this feat. Passion, interest, love for perfection and advancement of Ghanaian Choral music has brought us thus far”. He also said that people at the event are eagerly waiting to hear more from Ghana and this is proof that Ghana has something to show to the world. Speaking to Kennedy Dankwa, bass soloist and Head of Choral Management of the choir and a member of the World Youth Choir, he asserted that he felt very happy and excited for Ghana and that Ghanaian music was received and embraced by all the people as they really loved it.

Harmonious Chorale signed up for the Part one of the Open Competition and therefore will not be staying throughout the event.

We enquired from the Public Relations and Publicity Director of Harmonious Chorale, Emmanuel Osae-Nyarko, about some comments and reactions of other people at the event. He told the Choral Music Ghana crew that, people were surprised about the ability of a Ghanaian choir to switch from traditional music to classical music. Feedback from a South African couple who said “From today, our perception of Ghana has changed” was very humbling.

We also asked him what his participation in the contest meant to him personally. He highlighted two contrasting reactions. First, the quality of the event and attention to detail, time consciousness and the fraternizing with like-minded people with similar interests were very memorable. In his words, “It will take years for this to wear off.”

He however had concerns about his country’s ability to host such an event. In a moment of self-assessment, he reckoned that Ghana may not be ready to pull off “even 10% of what would be required to host the event.” From issues with transportation, availability of theatres and concert halls, the continuous supply of electricity and accommodation of over ten thousand singers in one city, in one location, the resources needed to host an edition of the World Choir Games require more than we can manage at the moment.

“We as a people need to rise up and see that developing the Human Potential is the greatest asset we have got and stop the over reliance on Natural Resources”, he added.

We also spoke to the Principal Organist of Harmonious Chorale, Augustine Kweku Sobeng. He expressed how grateful he is to God for an opportunity such as this. He said, “It is awesome that in such a little time, we were able to put together all the acts and musical details for this competition.” 

He stated that they met great choirs who had awesomeness up their sleeves and that they have learnt so much from them. “We are grateful to have won a gold diploma in all categories in which we participated and the overall best in scenic folklore”.

Talking about people’s feelings towards Ghanaian music, he added, “Ghanaian music was in stride at this INTERKULTUR event in Pretoria. We, and our songs were really mostly all over the place. We made so many friends and admirers and we appreciated and loved other cultures as well.

One question remained unanswered: why Harmonious Chorale did not participate in the “Champions Competition”. On this, we found out that the champions competition is closed to new entrants, and comes with an extensive list of requirements for qualification. Some of these include;

International competitive experience and a proven level of achievement or proof of comparable artistic level,

Being listed among the top 500 of the MUSICA MUNDI World Ranking List which is available at interkultur.com,

Having won a Gold medal at World Choir Games since 2013,

Reception of a recommendation diploma for the Champions Competition in a previous INTERKULTUR event,

This suggests to us that, since Harmonious Chorale has won more than one gold medal, they may be eligible to partake in the Champions Competition in the next World Choir Games.

This year’s event is expected to end in a week's time, on the 14th of July.

[choralmusicghana]

Harmonious Chorale, Others, Nominated for Entertainment Achievement Awards

Harmonious Chorale Ghana was among several cultural icons nominated for the maiden edition of the Entertainment Achievement Awards, an initiative of Citi TV to celebrate distinguished talents in the country’s entertainment industry.

The awards scheme was launched in December 2020 in Kumasi, at an event that brought together stakeholders in the entertainment industry and members of the Academy, whose industry insight and oversight guides the execution of the programme.

Nominations for the Entertainment Achievement Awards cut across the diversity of active creative industries, from film to stand-up comedy, the literary arts and fashion.

Harmonious Chorale Ghana’s Festival of Praise and Worship - Virtual Experience, their first online-only event, are among four others in the running for the Event of the Year. The event was held in July last year, as restrictions on public social interactions were beginning to ease. It was the first time in four years that the Fellowship of Praise and Worship did not feature a live audience.

Other events nominated for the category include Sarkodie’s Black Love virtual concert and the Pa Gya! Literary Festival. 

The awards ceremony will be held on 27th March, 2021 at the Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City, in Accra.

[choralmusicghana]

Is Falsetto Singing Always Right? Ben Adjei Discusses with Meroni

The third edition of the Ben Adjei @ 5 series was broadcast on 26th July 2020, at 5pm. The series forms part of a number of activities marking the 5th year of the soloist’s career. This edition featured Isaac Ntim Buah (known as Meroni) from Gramophone Chorus, in conversation with Ben Adjei on the subject of falsetto singing.

For the first time in the series, Ben began his Facebook live broadcast with a few minutes of voice training, focusing on ideal singing posture and running through several scales.

Ben began the discussion by expressing his displeasure at the tendency for some tenors to sound like the alto voice when they use the falsetto technique to sing high pitches. Falsetto is a term borrowed from the Italian “false”, which is used to describe singing with a “false voice”, usually employed by male voices in an attempt to sing above their usual range. Isaac admitted to using the technique for just that purpose - when notes seem out of his comfortable range - but also for its pleasing tone. 

Ben Adjei demonstrated the possibility of producing a strong tenor tone without using falsetto when he sang excerpts of the solo part from FW Peace’s “And I saw a New Heaven”. He highlighted one particularly high C which is popularly performed with the technique. Isaac agreed with Ben, going on to admit his use of the technique for that particular note.

Isaac proposed that, since tone and range vary with each person, the use of falsetto came down to individual preference, for both comfort and aesthetics. He spoke at length about some of the characteristics of such a voice and how they may aid or hinder the performer’s ability to deliver. His mention of the thinness and lightness of the falsetto-voice was noteworthy, as it contrasts with the usually heavier texture of a tenor.

His primary concern, however, was that the right notes were struck with confidence, and that was acceptable if an individual could only manage that with a falsetto.

During the interlude, Isaac gave a performance of James Armaah’s M’akoma so Adea - accompanied by Vincent Agbeko on the keyboard - to which Ben joined.

The second half of the broadcast focused on some comments and questions from the online audience. One viewer suggested that the use of the technique also depended on the mood of the song under consideration.  Ben Adjei clarified that he was not trying to censure the technique: his concern was the use of the technique as a way to cover-up for a singer’s under-developed vocal range. 

The discussion focused next on how to reduce the dependence on falsetto. Isaac advised his fellow tenors to rehearse constantly, to find and understudy a role model, to learn to better their individual voice. Ben chipped in with encouragement, suggesting that singers should put in a conscious effort to improve and outdo their role models. He added that every choir should have a standard for their tenors, and choir directors should work at improving their singers to achieve these levels of performance.

He also shared a few tips on how he improves his own tone, including his use of fasting to free up his vocal path and rehearsing songs in keys higher than their original. He wrapped up by entreating singers to not remain in their comfort zones.

The broadcast ended with a performance of Newlove Annan’s Okyeso Nyame by Ben and his guest.

The next episode of this series features Prof. Sekyi-Baidoo in a conversation about understanding the words we sing. It will air on the 23rd of August.

[choralmusicghana]

Thousands Join Harmonious Chorale’s First Major Online Concert

The Harmonious Chorale Ghana mesmerized choral music lovers once again with their performances at this year's edition of Festival of Praise and Worship which was dubbed “Virtual Experience”.

This concert which attracted views from all walks of life to the YouTube channel of the choir showcased the innovation and versatility of the 2018 World Choir Games champions during this pandemic. COVID-19 restrictions have hampered many activities globally, but that has barely affected the ability of the choir to promote its brand and music. Harmonious Chorale have been hosting a series of virtual worship ministrations since the country was hit by the pandemic.

The much anticipated and well-promoted concert, under the baton of the renowned composer and conductor Mr James Varrick Armaah, who is also  the executive director of the group, was broadcast live from the Christ the King Parish Hall in Accra. 

The programme commenced with a series of soothing and beautiful hymns, anthems and highlifes sang by the choir. The performances were well embellished with aesthetic instrumentation and lovely solo renditions of compositions from both prominent indigenous and foreign composers, including pieces from WA Mozart’s Requiem in D, Sekyi Baidoo’s “Tell Me the Old, Old Story”, Harvey Essilfie’s Makokyem Nyame and Armaah’s own Onyame Akasa.

The exciting performances drew a lot of appreciation and enthusiastic commentary from over eight thousand viewers. The massive online reach is testament to the choir’s strong brand and presence within and outside their home country.

The music was interspersed with scripture readings from Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, as well as inspirational messages admonishing believers to trust in God, not only in these trying times. She led the choir in a short memorial prayer for those who have lost loved ones due to the ongoing pandemic, health workers and the leadership of the country who are leading the fight against COVID-19. 

She hinted that the choir will have more virtual concerts in part due to its spectacular reach.

The choir will resume their virtual Weekend Worship in August.

[choralmusicghana]

The Kalabashi Concert: Songs of Akotam

The Kalabashi Concert is a choral event that will feature an African stage musical as the highlight. The first part of the concert will feature six choirs: Harmochestra, Adehye Chorale, the DYC Choir, the African Youth Choir and Windy Voices, the Symphonials and the African Glorious Chorale.

Four of these choirs will exhibit collaborative performances. The performances will include sacred and patriotic music, as well as folk songs by George Mensah Essilfie.

The music, the showpiece of the Kalabashi Concert, will be performed by the award-winning Harmonious Chorale Ghana. The third part of the concert will, as has become usual, feature danceable highlife tunes already popular on the Ghanaian choral scene, rendered by three of the featuring choirs that night.

Songs of Akotam

The musical to be staged at the Kalabashi Concert was written and composed by George Mensah Essilfie as a five-act stage musical. Set in an imaginary Akan village, Songs of Akotam tells the story of Kamuta, a wicked giant who captures Abokuma, the beautiful princess of Akotam.

The story rests on a secret to overcome the terrors of the legendary giant.

Originally created by the composer, Songs of Akotam comprises twelve art songs, most of which were written by George himself. A few of them are founded on traditional motifs and tunes, and the rest are folk songs. The music of the play presents a mixture of Western and African traditional music, with the employment of guitars, keyboards, wind instruments, jazz and traditional African percussion instruments as accompaniment.

George Essilfie’s intercultural approach to composition, drawing from musical experiences in the Caribbean, the UK and the USA, as well as from his native land, come together to create a grand experiment: an elaborate fusion that is the hallmark of his art music.

The artistic team includes Mr. Samuel Arko Mensah, James Varrick Armaah, Sarah Boye & Joseph Boako from the Theatre Studies Department, at the University of Education, Winneba.

Mr. Essilfie sees this production as one that will help establish Ghanaian choral music as a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

Songs of Akotam will be staged at the National Theatre of Ghana, on Sunday the 5th of April at 4pm. Tickets for the concert go for only 50 cedis.

[choralmusicghana]

George Mensah Essilfie Launches SingAfriChoral

SingAfriChoral is a musical non-profit with a bias towards the exploration, advancement and promotion of Ghanaian and African folk themes and music.

Founded in 2019 by George Mensah Essilfie, a Ghanaian art music composer currently based in Ohio in the USA, the organisation is the fulfilment of his desire to portray his rich African cultural heritage through his music. Essilfie’s own body of work bears testament to his life-long desire to make great art out of the authentic expression of the African identity.

George Mensah Essilfie grew up in Swedru in the Central Region, surrounded by folk, urban and Christian influences. Being raised in a musically endowed family encouraged him to pursue his present career. 

In 1989, he founded the Winneba Youth Choir, which grew to become one of Ghana’s most successful choral groups, a legacy that helped birth numerous heavyweights in the industry today, including James Varrick Armaah of Harmonious Chorale.

His organisation, which will be outdoored in a few days, intends to carve a niche for itself as a facilitator of music that is explicitly African. Essilfie believes that the African art music community is “part of a bigger world and can't live in isolation.” The task of ensuring the African voice is heard is not a singular effort. “Some have made great efforts,  and some are still trying.  SingAfriChoral seeks to culminate these efforts.” he said in a statement to Choral Music Ghana.

Among the first initiatives of SingAfriChoral is the “Kalabashi Concert”, scheduled for the 5th of April at the National Theatre of Ghana. It will feature six internationally acclaimed West African choirs in concert. Among the highlights of the upcoming concert is an African musical, composed and directed by George Essilfie himself.

Some proceeds from the Kalabashi Concert will be used to support another project dear to the founder’s heart: the MU-MENT project, a campaign to raise awareness for mental health issues in the country.

George Mensah Essilfie’s vision for African art music is broad. These first steps, driven by a concern for the future of music of a genuine African character, are perhaps the beginning of a necessary movement within the musical arts to “go back to our roots” and rediscover our identity.

[choralmusicghana]

Afro Classical Nights Celebrates First Anniversary

The classical music community in Accra is growing. Last night, with a record turnout, Afro Classical Nights celebrated its first anniversary in grand style with an extended show at the African Regent Hotel, Airport.

The commemorative edition of the show featured performers from the show’s past, including its first soloist, Franklyn Gyimah of Seasonal House Opera and violinist Dr. Heather Beem, CEO of the Practical Education Network and a member of Allegro Classics Foundation.

Among some of the personalities present at the occasion were the CEO of the African Regent Hotel, Mr. John Kufuor and the wife of the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs. Teresa Barnes, and the founder and Artistic Director of Gramophone Ghana, Theophil Asamoah-Gyadu.

Afro Classical Nights has grown from its humble beginnings with just a handful of performers and guests to become a staple on Accra’s musical entertainment calendar, and a cornerstone of live classical music performance. After a moderately successful pilot held at the current venue on the 10th of August 2018, interest in the show rapidly grew, with classically-oriented musicians booking slots in advance. 

The show, a project of Choral Music Ghana, is run by Presley Joe Black, a jazz and classical pianist and Jesse Johnson, founder of the former organisation.

It is supported by the African Regent Hotel and Julius Richardson of the Genius Hive, a music school located at Cantonments in Accra. 

The anniversary show featured, for the first time, the Lark String Quartet, made up of some of the most outstanding string players active in Accra, who performed a movement from Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. For the first time on the show, music by James Varrick Armaah - an arrangement of Aseda Nka Nyame for five woodwinds - was performed. 

Kenn Kafui’s works also played a significant role, with the GH Woodwind Quintet performing Zodede, while pianist Constant Ahadzivia (DipABRSM) played his Akpi sonata.

There was a repeat performance of Dr. Hilarius Wuaku’s La Wada, while rising star Kelvin Uhondo thrilled the audience with his performance of Largo al Factotum, from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.  

Another special moment of the show was the premier of an original composition for piano and french horn by Choral Music Ghana’s Kwaku Boakye-Frempong. Titled Oman Ghana, the piece was played by Lance Corporal Solomon “King” Adonoo of the Ghana Police Band and accompanied by the composer himself.

Among the highlights for the anniversary show was the finale which saw members of the “ACN All Stars Orchestra” perform the opening movement of Mozart’s Symphony no. 40. The 20-man orchestra was made up of musicians who have previously appeared on the show as performers and guests, as well as members of the University of Ghana’s Strings Ensemble, who championed the cause.

Instrumental in organising the orchestra was Dr. Cristina Ruotolo, a Fulbright Scholar with the University of Ghana’s English Department who “stumbled” on Legon’s musical community and has since impacted it significantly.

The next Afro Classical Nights show is scheduled for 27th September, 2019.

[choralmusicghana]

Armaah Celebrates Ten Years of “Oye”

Sunday 25th August was a commemorative day for friends and fans of James Varrick Armaah, who joined the composer to mark a decade of his most popular song: Oye. 

The occasion brought many dignitaries and patrons of choral music to the Christ the King auditorium , where they were treated with good music by Harmonious Chorale, Vocal Essence Chorale, Symphonials, Press On Kids, Blue Wave Band and the singing band of St. Paul Methodist Church, Tema.

The celebration also marked nine years since the launch of “Oye”, an album by Harmonious Chorale that first featured the hit song. The album was launched by Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee at the Kama Conference Centre.

Over the last ten years, Oye has taken the Ghanaian choral music industry by storm. Its dominance has given it exposure outside the confines of the country. In recent years, it has been championed by the President, Nana Akuffo Addo, who has called it his favourite song, and has had it performed at national ceremonies. 

Oye was performed for him by a Chinese army band during his state visit to the People’s Republic two years ago.

Sunday’s event also saw the launch of James Armaah���s “Pae Mu Ka” album. The launch was graced by Rt. Honourable Speaker of Parliament Mike Ocquaye, former Chief Justice Georgina Woode and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, a former First Lady of the Republic, among other public figures. The album launch proper was presided over by Dr. Joyce Aryee, the Executive Chairman of Harmonious Chorale.

During this event, funds were raised to support Varrick Productions, an organisation set up by the famous composer to promote the organisation and production of choral activities across the country. 

Pae Mu Ka, which features previous compositions by Mr. Armaah, was recorded by Harmonious Chorale under the Varrick Productions label. The album was recorded at P16 Studios.

Varrick Armaah holds an MPhil in Music from the University of Ghana, and lectures at the University of Education, Winneba. He currently works as the executive director of Harmonious Chorale, the award-winning choir he founded two years before Oye.