The teaching and performing of African music has grown in Italy over the past few decades thanks mainly to musicians from Western Africa. Much less is known, however, about the rich elaborate musical output in the Eastern part of the continent.
In collaboration with the Department of Art, Dance and Drama at Makerere University, Kampala (Uganda), the Cini Foundation’s Intercultural Institute of Comparative Music Studies is promoting for the second time a course on the music of the Baganda, the largest ethnic group in Uganda, and of their neighbours, the Basoga.
This large xylophone or akadinda, played by five musicians, was of key importance in performing the court repertories in the ancient kingdom of Buganda. A second xylophone, the amadinda, is played by three musicians. Today both instruments are played by expert musicians using a special technique of interlocking musical formulas.
Similar to the amadinda, the embaire is played by the Basoga, the Baganda’s neighbours, who cultivate a great variety of instruments and musical repertories. The xylophones are accompanied by a special set of drums.
Dance (“music to be seen”) is an integral part of Ganda and Soga music, as it is in other Ugandan musical cultures. The course will be in particular on the bakisimba, the most important Baganda dance, based on a very unusual movement of the pelvis.

More info musica.comparata@cini.it

Sala Capriate, Venice, Island of San Giorgio Maggiore
27 – 29 March 2009

Master Class: 27 – 29 March 2009
9.30 – 12.30 and 14.30 – 17.30

Information: Istituto Interculturale di Studi Musicali Comparati
tel. +39 041 2710357
e-mail: musica.comparata@cini.it