Thursday, October 20, 2011

Reader Seeks Piano Music for 16-year-old to play for Federation Festival

A reader asks AfriClassical for suggestions of classical piano music, of appropriate length and difficulty for a 16-year-old, written by a composer of African descent who is not from the Americas, for the Federation Festival which will be held across the country early in 2012.

“The National Federation of Music Clubs festival is a musical event held every year in spring as a means to foster musical education and development among students of music of all ages. The festival is held in many locations all over the nation. Students prepare musical pieces which are performed before a judge. The judge issues each participant a written critique to help them improve and grow as musicians. In addition to providing a valuable educational opportunity in a non-competitive setting, students can earn gold cup trophies and certificates for their participation.”

AfriClassical replied to the request:
“This reply is copied to some of my associates, including Dr. William Chapman Nyaho, whose landmark 5-volume series, Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, published by Oxford University Press, seems an excellent place to begin your particular search. The publisher provides a detailed outline of the volumes at:

“You may find the appropriate volume in a library, or you may purchase it from Amazon.com or other online dealers in sheet music.” “Other associates may also make suggestions directly to you.”

Michael S. Wright of the U.K. Replied:
“May I suggest that the wonderful piano works by Professor Kwabena Nketia would be really suitable (I suggest these would be equivalent to Associated Board grades 6 to 8). I am assuming that the book is still in print. At a lower level of pianistic skill, some lovely works that were published by the late Robert Kwami (probably grades 2 to 5) would be very suitable. I have also got manuscripts by Vindu Bangambula who has written some charming works that would be ideal. (grades 5 to 7). The late Joshua Uzoigwe’s works are all suitable but from my experience, more difficult to play than would appear on first looking at the scores. (suggest grade 8+). Some of these works will be in Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora.

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