Wind Ensemble
The Wind Ensemble provides a unique setting to perform diverse genres of music originals and transcription for wind instruments, also known as Military Band Instruments. The instruments used in the ensemble cut across the three sections of the classification of the Western musical instruments, which are Brass (trumpet, cornet, fugal horn, French horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba), Woodwind (recorder, flute, clarinet, Oboe, Soprano sax, alto sax, and tenor sax bassoon) and percussion ( bass drum, snare drum, tenor drum, triangle, and glockenspiel). These instruments used in the ensemble also serve as practical instruments that students have the opportunity to choose from and study. Students are taught how to play all genres of music, including traditional, highlife, jazz, blues, and classical, on their respective instruments. The ensemble performs on campus and in outreach programs and is open for membership to music majors and non-music majors, usually by audition or permission by the director. Aside from the other performances, the ensemble holds two major concerts annually during the end-of-semester concerts of the Department. The mission of the ensemble is to produce wind instrument performers with good reading and listening skills, as well as good intonation to fit the music industry across the globe. Most of our products find themselves in the top positions of well-known musical institutions in Ghana, including the National Symphony Orchestra and Security Bands (Ghana Police Band, Ghana Military Band, Immigration Band, Prison Band, Customs Band, and Fire Service Band). Aside from getting employed by Government and private Institutions, most of them have also created their own bands, including The Ghana Big Shot Band, Adaha Dance Band, and Deedew Band. Among the past directors were Mr. Armison Djokoto, Dr. Frank Hukporti, and Dr. Hilarius Wuaku. Currently, the Ensemble is under the directorship of Dr. Stephen Aidoo and Mr. Albert Tseste.
Choral Ensemble
The choral ensemble of the department of music, school of Performing Arts, is the premiere choral group of the University of Ghana.
The ensemble is opened to all students wishing to have a collegiate choral experience, but mostly draws its membership from the most talented vocal students in the department. It provides professional foundations for performance and choral music education, as well as meaningful musical experience for university students who wish to have voice training and continue to sing in a vocal ensemble even when they are offering or reading different courses.
The ensemble performs literature from all styles and other masterworks with renowned pianists, Conductors, and Orchestra like the Ghana National Symphony Orchestra at the national Theatre and other prominent places in Ghana. In addition to the end of semester concerts which is done in the form of examining the students, the choral ensemble presents two major concerts which is the Easter and Christmas concert for the University in collaboration of the University choirs. The choral ensemble groom music students to become profitable choral musicians at Theatres, churches , schools and many places. Some of the repertoire being performed are Esther, Majesty of Christmas and many repertoires across Africa and the world. The choral ensemble has produced world award winning Art musicians like Mr. James Varrick Armaah , director of the Harmonious Choral Ghana, Rvr. Newlove Kojo Annan , director of Greater Accra mass choir and currently produced Gabriel Adu-Gyamfi , director of Friends of Music- Africa.
Currently, the ensemble is directed by Dr. Amakye Boateng, Dr. Alfred Patrick Adaquaye , Dr. Peter Twum Barimah and Mr. Nii Sowah.
String Ensemble
The string ensemble of the department of Music provides a unique setting for members who wants to join the Strings orchestra to perform diverse literature of chamber music, symphonies , baroque and classical concertos, contemporary music with solos, duets, trios and strings quartet. Ghanaian local pieces are also rearranged for the strings orchestra ensemble with these foreign strings instruments such as the Violin, Viola, Cello and Double bass.
The string ensemble is directed by professionals from the Ghana National Symphony Orchestra and with good qualifications in music. It is directed by the experienced Violinist and conductor, Mr. John Hammond-Acquaah and Mr. Justice Turkson all from the national symphony Orchestra. Since the strings orchestra was invented from the western world, they usually invite renowned players for workshops and friends from the national symphony orchestra to join the students for rehearsal and teach them. The national symphony orchestra normally picks their string players from the university of Ghana string ensemble and also students get job opportunities to perform solos at concerts and many places.
The ensemble organize itself around both music majors and non-music majors usually with permission from the Dean. The ensemble holds two major concerts annually during the academic year.
Pop Ensemble
Since its establishment in the late 1990s, the Pop Ensemble has provided a platform for students of the Department to harness their creative abilities in popular music. The introduction of Popular Music Studies in the Department led to the creation of the ensemble. It creates an environment that enables students to understand and appreciate African and Ghanaian popular music and performance practices and the essentials needed to organize pop concerts. As a practically oriented ensemble, it allows students to design, organize and perform in a 'pop' concert setting.
The ensemble's repertoire includes items from across the continent but mainly focuses on Ghana. The ensemble continues to groom young musicians serving the local music industry, including Foster Romanus, Seth Kpodo, and Albert Owusu Brown of Nkyinkyim fame, Prince Kwaku Boateng, Alexander Obuobi, Samuel Agyare and Charles Armah of Adaha Band, Minster OJ to mention a few. Until recently, the ensemble has had several directors, including Ebo Taylor and Mark Millas Coffie. Currently, the ensemble is directed by Dr Eric Sunu Doe and supported by Mr Kofi Kudonu Labayile, Prof. Austin Emielu, and Mr. Michael Ohene OKantah Jnr.
African Ensemble
The African Ensemble at the Department of Music, University of Ghana, serves as a cultural gateway for foreign and international students and visitors interested in exploring the rich diversity of African music and dance, specifically offering a unique immersion into the vibrant worlds of Ghanaian local instruments. The ensemble serves as a platform for students to learn and perform a variety of musical and dance forms ranging from folk and traditional to contemporary expressions. It has become a vital avenue for those seeking an authentic experience of Ghanaian musical tradition. Over the years, the African Ensemble has evolved, embracing a myriad of traditional performance styles. What was once a singular entity has now blossomed into a collective of smaller ensembles, each specializing in a distinct facet of African music. This expansion has broadened the ensemble’s scope, making it a rich hub of Ghana’s diverse musical heritage.
The term “African Ensemble” is an umbrella for five distinct performance areas, each contributing to the ensemble’s multifaceted identity.
a. Dance Music Ensemble:
Provides a flexible space for the exploration of various traditional music practices. It adapts to different focuses each semester, offering students a diverse performance experience.
b. Atenteben Ensemble:
It focuses on the traditional performance style of the atenteben instrument.
c. Adenkum Ensemble:
It specializes in the performance tradition of the adenkum instrument.
d. Jama Ensemble:
The Jama ensemble is the newest addition to the list of ensembles in the Department of Music. It offers a unique musical experience centered around Jama music-making and performance, which contributes to the ensemble’s diversity. Jama is a term used in reference to music performance by a group of people who sing with very strong energy and high volume, normally cantor and chorus or call and responds style and most often out-of-tune singing. It serves as a source of entertainment and also a morale booster for performers. Songs are largely drawn from the folks and community interspersed with chants. It has become the toast of most students outside of the department. The ensemble aims to serve as a research laboratory for formal academic engagements to interrogate the concepts surrounding Jama to understand its essence within Ghanaian communities and institutions. Through the ensemble's activities, students appreciate the varied forms of Jama as performed in different parts of Ghana and learn to perform and analyze their salient features. It also uses innovative ways of incorporating tunes from Ghanaian popular music genres in its renditions in presentational and participatory performances, thereby extending the frontiers of creativity.
The ensemble is currently under the directorship of Dr. Eyram E. K. Fiagbedzi and is ably supported by the African music instructors in the department.
Membership of the ensemble is open to all students of the Department of Music, with specific requirements for those majoring in xylophone, atenteben, and percussive instruments. Through active participation, students get to work on their group performance skills while deepening their understanding and mastery of Ghanaian traditional music and its instruments.
Ms. Grace Takyi Donkor is the current director, working closely with experienced instructors. These instructors include Mr. Issac Kwabena Yeboah, Dr Eyram Fiagbedzi, Mr. Osei Korankye, Mr Michael Davor and Mr. Aaron Bebe Sukura.
The ensemble showcases its practices through at least one major performance each semester, providing a platform for students to share their collective achievements with the broader university community.