{{After the premiere of this new musical program in Kigali at Ishyo Theater Hall full to capacity, the Gakondo Group will present the Musical Journey at Ahazaza Center in Muhanga. }}
Rwanda’s musical heritage belongs to the most precious of its kind in Africa.
However the custody over the old traditions is still a challenge, and with every old master of Inanga who dies a whole library of musical wisdom disappears. Luckily a young generation of musicians follows their call to save the music of their ancestors.
The Gakondo Group headed by renowned traditional musician INTORE Massamba is the most prolific guardian of Rwanda’s musical world heritage.
Consisting of eight musicians, for this concert Gakondo & friends will perform with the following musicians: Jules Sentore, Daniel Ngarukiye, Sofie Nzayisenga, Michel Ngabo, Manu Habumuremyi, Lionel Mulinda, Abédé, Didier, Tamfum, Massamba Intore, Claude, Nyamaswa, Teta Birangwa, Maria Yohani, and Jean-Paul Samputu.
„We are not Americans, we are not South Africans, we want to conserve our own culture“, Massamba says. „We encourage the young generation to play our traditional instruments like inanga, ikembe, umuduri, umwirongi, ingoma, iningiri and ikondera…!“
The musical journey will start in the North with the Ikinimba from Byumba, Inanga z’urukiga and Ikinyemera from Ruhengeri/Gisenyi, followed by the „poésie pastorale“ and „poésie guerrière“, the Igishakamba from Mutara, music and dances from the royal court, Intwatwa from the Batwa, not forgetting the ku Nkombo music (Cyangugu region) and a great variety of ritual music.
As Daniel Ngarukiye put it: „The old music of my country reminds me of who I am.“ A cooperation between the Ahazaza Center and the Goethe-Institut.
Curtain Raiser Short film “Sentore Athanase” by Patrick Lefebvre & Nadine Uwampayizina (Imitoma Productions)
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