News

CALL FOR PAPERS

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP

“Comparative Musicology in the 21st Century”

Venue: Department of Music, University of Ghana, Legon

Date: 15 to 17 September 2026

The department of music, University of Ghana in collaboration with the Collaborative

Research Center ‘Transformations of the Popular’ (sub-project ‘Low Pop’) at the University of

Siegen, Germany is organizing a 3-day international workshop titled “Comparative musicology

in the 21st Century”

Concept

On Thursday, 19th February 2026, the second-year students of the Department of Music’s Pop Ensemble transformed the department courtyard into a vibrant musical space during an unplugged session titled Yendi Yenho Nkɔmɔ. The evening brought together performance, memory, and musical reflection as students revisited the sounds that shaped Ghana’s early-2000s hiplife era inviting audiences to listen closely to familiar songs reimagined through live performance. 

The Department of Music on Thursday, 29th January 2026, held the first Unplugged Session of the semester at the Department’s courtyard. The session featured Bandless UG, a student ensemble made up of core members of the Department’s Dance Band, including Kelvin Antwi (drums), Emmanuel Nii Okine (keyboards), Grace Aboagye (bass), and Cybll Abbey and Jeff Gyasi (vocals). The group opened the series with an energetic live performance.

The Music department participated in an orientation session organised by the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana. It took place on the 2nd February 2026 at the ETS Drama Studio. The purpose of this orientation was to officially welcome newly admitted students into the School.

The Department of Music at the University of Ghana kicked off this semester’s Unplugged Sessions series with an evening of live burger highlife music dubbed “Fire Connection” on Thursday, 19th June 2025, in the department’s courtyard. The event spotlighted two talented first-year students from the Pop Ensemble, Winsid Pascal and Vivian Asiedu, whose performances brought fresh energy to classic sounds.

The Department of Music, in partnership with the Israeli Embassy, recently hosted an inspiring jazz masterclass featuring the internationally acclaimed Yogev Trio. Held in the department’s seminar room, the session introduced students to the world of Israeli-Moroccan jazz fusion through an immersive and hands-on musical experience.

On April 29, 2025, the courtyard of the Department of Music at the University of Ghana, Legon, resonated with live music as the Bannerman-Bentil Music Foundation, led by acclaimed guitarist and composer Mr. Alfred Kari Bannerman, donated a suite of professional musical instruments to the department.

The Embassy of Israel in Accra has initiated a partnership with the Department of Music, following a visit on March 5th, 2025. Their visit was to reignite existing collaboration between the two institutions over the years.

The embassy’s delegation, headed by Mrs. Nitza Gizlad, Head of Culture and Diplomacy, engaged in discussions with Dr. Benjamin Amakye-Boateng, Head of the Department of Music, to explore possible partnerships for their upcoming Independence Day celebration. They suggested a masterclass for the students of the department.

The Department of Music's Unplugged Session for 2024 kicked off in sensational style with an electrifying performance by Rama Blak and the Vibe Tribe Band. The event, held at our department's forecourt, drew a diverse audience of music enthusiasts, spanning from eager Level 100 students to seasoned patrons.