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Main Menu Home About Us Contact Us MHS eNewsletter Composers Conductors Instrumentalists Vocalists Featured Artists & Groups Reviews Donors Search Site for... Links Newsflash Fun Stuff Hot Topic! Predicting the Future of Orchestras Classical Music & Today's Youths Ghana @ 50: Journals of Rodger French Solos for Treble Instruments--Sheet Music Education and the Diversity Dilemma, Pt. 2 Education & the Diversity Dilemma, Pt. 1 Walker Sonata No. 1 for Solo Piano Hope Briggs & SFO Black Orchestras Pt. 10 Black Orchestras Pt. 9 A Message from Sinfo-Nia Black Orchestras Pt. 8 Black Orchestras Pt. 7 Black Orchestras Pt. 6 Black Orchestras Pt. 5 Black Orchestras Pt. 4 New Research on Arts Audience Attitudes and Behavior Support Fisk University Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Black Orchestras Pt. 3 Wendell Weaver--Music Ed (1) Black in Canada want Black-focused school Wendell Weaver--Music Ed (2) December eNewsletter correction Wendell Weaver--Music Ed (3) On Black Men & Boys Wendell Weaver--Music Ed (4) The Power of Words Wendell Weaver--Music Ed (5) Hope Briggs returns Celebrating Dr. King Part 2 Institutionalized Racism Musings on Mentors and Mentees Black Orchestras Pt. 2 Beethoven was BLACK! Black Orchestras Pt. 1 Call for Diversity in Orchestras Relevancy of CMOC Children at Concerts Talking to Audiences Concert Hall Etiquette Defining Black Music US Black Classical Instrument Discrimination Love for Sale? Bibliography Events Myrtle on the Web Guestbook Finding the truth is not enough. What we also have to find is justice.                                ~Rigoberta Menchu Ghana Journals of Accordionist Rodger French from Accra, Ghana Monday, 03 September 2007 Accordionist Rodger French and FredO sharing a moment Hello there... Rodger French here. As promised, the inestimable Fred Onovwerosuoke -"FredO" - blew into town with an entourage, including some truly excellent musicians. I had the good fortune to hang out with them and perform on the same bill on several occasions, so it has been one hectic week. Lots to report, so let's get right to it, shall we? Ghana@50 Jubilee Music Festival A project undertaken, with significant corporate and business support, by FredO and Edusei Derkyi, Honorary Secretary of the Winneba Youth Choir, the Jubilee Music Festival was a celebration of Ghanaian composers. Featured performers were: Rachel Barton Pine, virtuoso violinist from Chicago; Wendy Hymes, flute professor from New Orleans; Rodger French, Atlanta-native accordionist currently residing in Accra; and George Francois, New York-based Ghanaian-American pianist. I highly recommend checking them out online. Oh, yes - and the Winneba Youth Choir (WYC) as well as the National Symphony Orchestra of Ghana. All in all, quite the ambitious undertaking. Thursday, 16 August: Adaekese Hall, La Palm Royal Beach Hotel The "Event Launch" opened with lengthy remarks from a tuxedo-clad dignitary followed by what was billed as a short lecture on "The potential and role for African Music in the contemporary world" by Professor J.H. Nketia. Professor Nketia, a lovely gentleman, is also a revered Ghanaian composer and had some very interesting things to say, albeit at some length. (Sidebar: Ghanaian speakers do tend to go on a bit, but local audiences will let it be known when enough is enough.) And so, eventually, on with the show. I'd rather not bore you with, not to mention actually type, possibly tedious lists of song titles, etc. (If you are actually interested in those details, let me know and I'll get them to you.) Suffice to say that Rachel, Wendy, and George - all of whom are classically trained and can play their asses off - rendered, beautifully, selections by various composers, including Professor Nketia and FredO, in duet and trio ensembles. Friday, 17 August: British Council Auditorium Similar in content, with the highlight of the program being a tour-de- force piano performance by George Francois of the Sonata in B minor by Franz Liszt. How on earth does one commit music of such complexity and length to memory? Absolutely superhuman to me!  The accordionist (moi), who fully appreciates such facility, harbors no illusions about his capabilities in that regard. But he did alright. Saturday, 18 August: National Theatre of Ghana I arrived at 2:00 pm for rehearsal and finally got my shot at 6:30 pm. This. Is. So. Typical. Time has no meaning here… But the delay did give me an opportunity for some interesting conversations, most memorably with Edusei, FredO, Wande (a visiting Nigerian musician), and Greg, Rachel's husband, who is a real mensch. So, the afternoon passed quickly enough and, eventually, it was Showtime. This was a more ambitious program with a couple of significant additions; namely, the accordionist (moi) finally got his shot at playing with one of the visiting artists. Collaborated with Rachel Barton Pine on a duet of the William Tell Overture. This was the first time I had ever played the piece with anyone and it was also the first time Rachel had ever played a duet with an accordion. Naturally, we nailed it. I can't say it was technically perfect, at least for my part, since we played it at something like Warp 9.5; but it was definitely exhilarating and great fun; the audience actually cheered. And the accordionist held his own alright. (Sidebar: Rachel's violin was made in 1742 by Joseph Guarnerius was supposedly a handpicked gift by Johannes Brahms to virtuoso Marie Soldat, one of the rare female concert artists of the day. This violin definitely has a soul, and now a Ghanaian name, which I believe is "Abaa," a female name, even though Rachel insists her violin is male!) Additionally, the Ghana National Symphony of Ghana, which is pretty good in spite of some intonation issues and a dearth of brass players, performed with the Winneba Youth Choir. This group is a treasured cultural institution in Ghana and simply wonderful to listen to. The orchestra premiered Gyimah Labi’s Fantasia in Bb and FredO’s Tribute to Great African Composers No. 1 & 2 with the Winneba Youth Choir, In Dance Tribute, pianist George Francois gave a supreme performance. (The orchestra and choir members I spoke with were very nice and quite complimentary, which meant a lot to me.) Of course, there were the inevitable peeches/remarks/acknowledgements during the evening, but it was a great concert and the performers were presented with spectacular bouquets of beautiful flowers as a token of appreciation. The flowers would be put to good use. (One more sidebar of the National Theater event: Our own FredO was honored by His Royal Highness, Nana Ghartey, of of the Efutu Chiefdom, making him a Distinguished Friend of the Winneba People of Ghana. His Royal Highness personally attended the event to present the Totem of the Deer, the official symbol of the Efutu Kingdom). Sunday, 19 August: The Hamptons Since we've been in Ghana for a year (and in honor of the accordionist's birthday), Anne decided it was high time we had a poolside soiree for Embassy colleagues, local friends, and, as it happened, visiting musicians and guests. Good idea. It turned out to be a lively event: nice people, yummy food (including AJ's absurdly delicious zucchini birthday cupcakes), floral arrangements, and libation enough for two parties. Rachel played a wonderful Paganini-esque theme and variations on "Happy Birthday" and there was even torch juggling. All in all, a memorable evening.   Wednesday, August 20: Arts Centre, New Nkrumah Square MasterClass 1 Rachel Barton Pine conducted a masterclass with GNSO strings, while Dr. Wendy Hymes did the same with the woodwinds and brass. Composer FredO occupied himself with the two resident conductors of the GNSO and a handful of composition students from around Ghana. Tuesday, August 21: International Conference Center (aka: "The Pink Lady" Building) Finally, a Command Performance for His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, President of Ghana, and the First Lady, with approximately 70 assorted dignitaries and poobahs also in attendance. This was, I must conceed, a wicked cool way to spend my 60th birthday. The program was essentially the same as the National Theatre concert, which means that Rachel and I reprised our duet of the Lone Ranger theme. Nailed it. The Symphony and WYC were in great form, particularly on FredO's wonderful compositions, and the honored guests appeared to enjoy themselves. Heads bobbed and toes were seen tapping. Afterward, there was a short, but brief, reception and we all had an opportunity to shake hands and have our pictures taken with their Excellencies (which is, incidentally, also the name of a roadside barbershop on Cantonments Road). When I remarked to President Kufuor how much we were enjoying our stay in his beautiful country, he responded, "I'm glad you like it." Then we packed up and lit out for the Golden Tulip Hotel for a late dinner-for-thirteen from the African-themed buffet, which is just so totally not a good idea at my age, but what the hell. (FredO missed out: he had to go try to find his cousin who was coming into Accra from Lagos, Nigeria - by bus. That should make for a good tale to tell.) Eventually, I said my goodbyes, skipped out on the check (hey, I'm old... it was late... I'll fix it), and scored a ride home with Edusei. Wednesday, August 22: Arts Centre, New Nkrumah Square MasterClass 2 Wendy poses with some GNSO woodwind players Second masterclass by the trio of Rachel Barton Pine, Dr. Wendy Hymes and FredO. Rachel Barton Pine donated 6 violins, 2 violas and 1 cello, a gift from the Rachel Barton Foundation, to start a youth orchestra program from the Winneba Youth Choir kids. She also donated strings for use by GNSO musicians. Wendy Hymes presented a flute, a gift of Bostonian philanthropist Joanie Greenfield, toward the youth orchestra project. FredO had a heart-to-heart motivational chat with GNSO musicians and administrators, unveiling plans for future collaboration. Hearty and teary goodbyes were exchanged.   And that's the scoop for this extended-edition posting. It was a wonderful week, full of great music and lovely people.   < Prev   Next > [ Back ]       © 2012 myrtlehart.org Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.

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