Uniting nations through culture

“Hello Sehr erfreut” - those were some of the words said to strangers to mean “nice to meet you’’ as a way of welcoming them last Saturday at the Goethe-Zentrum Uganda German Cultural Society gardens.

This is where the Brass Band from Rainbow House of Hope, Kampala held a concert after hosting their counterparts, the Big RTG-AAG Band from Germany. The Big RTG-AAG Band is composed of 34 students from the German Regental-Gymnasium Nittenau and Albrecht-Altdorfer-Gymnasium Regensburg.
This was their fourth time in Uganda after a 12-year partnership with the Rainbow House of Hope where they both host each other after a given period.

The start
The evening started off with a press conference where the guest of honour, Mr Joachim Duester, the charge d’Affaires at Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany, thanked the organisers for the cultural motivation and cooperation between the two nations.

“We at the embassy are glad to be involved in such cultural activities since they extend our mutual understanding with Uganda and bring more exchange of brotherhood in both citizens,” he said, acknowledging that music is a unique element that gives a piece of mind.

Later on during the cold evening, guests were served with refreshments as the band directors, Michael Mwase of Uganda and Barbara Vielberth-Baer from Germany, ushered in the young talented entertainers.

The performances
The Ugandan band performed different dance styles, produced rhythms by clapping their hands, and sound by engalabi (long drum), ndingidi (one-stringed fiddle), panpipe and amadinda (xylophone).

The Germany band performed acoustic sounds with their instruments like soprano cornet, trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, euphonium, tuba and keyboards.

The presentation was given more life when the performers called the guests to join them before its culmination.