St Stephen’s Church of Uganda Luzira Parish Choir sing during the Classical Fusion Benefit Concert at Kampala Serena Hotel recently. PHOTO | SYLIVIA KATUSHABE.
Music is considered the core of the modern-day church service. In many faith denominations, it is as central to the service as the sermon. There is a way gospel music soothes one’s mind and heals the broken hearted and it has become an integral part of many people’s day-to-day life.
Just like a farmer prepares their fields before sowing seeds, so does music prepare our inner souls, especially during worship.
This was evidenced at the fourth annual edition of the classical fusion benefit concert 2024 organised by Kampala Music Society held at Serena Hotel recently.
The performance by choirs from Seventh Day Adventist Kanyanya, Pan African, St.Jude Wakiso Parish choir, and St Stephen’s Church of Uganda Luzira parish and soloists Brenda Blessy and Harriet Amoding brought goose bumps and tears in eyes of revellers.
Kate Nyongole, a student who attended the concert, said she loved the classical performance by different choirs. Above all, she got motivated to enrol for music classes to pursue her dream of performing at an opera.
“I have a deep desire to be a classical performer but I have always been afraid of the cost for training. After here, I am motivated to do my thing,” Nyongole said.
Affordable music classes
According to Emmanuel Zzinda, the organiser of the event, Kampala Music Society has embarked on establishing a music school in Gayaza with the aim of dispatching talent across the country.
Zzinda is optimistic that the development will handle various unanswered questions that have been limiting parents from embracing music programmes.
“This will answer questions of parents who claim they stay far so, finding it difficult to bring their children to a school in Kampala because most of music schools are in Kampala and residential,” Zzinda said.
He added: “We came up with an answer of putting up a school that will offer residence classes, especially during long holidays and we offer a term of two to three weeks.
He explained that the main objective of establishing a music school is to spread their wings wider so that opportunity does not only benefit the urban dwellers.
“Currently in the city centre, an hour training for piano goes for Shs80,000 but we want to charge for 300,000 for a month where our students will enjoy a boarding facility and its benefits,” he said.
Money-making venture
Much as most people in Uganda have not yet looked at music an income generating venture, Josephat Nuwabeine, director of stakeholders’ engagement who represented the Auditor General as the guest of honour, urged revellers that one actually make good money out of the craft.
“Music is good because it calms people’s minds. When you are going through challenges,and you listen to music, you calm down, but also it can be commercialised. This is evident as some people have earned through it,” Nuwabeine said.
He added: “Although some people treat it as a lowly job, with music, you can serve the whole world because we are in the age of internet and everyone has an opportunity to listen to your music.”
Healing tool
Nuwabeine also noted that although it is a money-making venture, when it comes to church music, it heals the soul and enables one to communicate with their God.
The guest of honour added that music teaches us listening skills saying for one to pick a message from a certain song, one has to pay attention. Otherwise, it can be leisurely and a waste of time for some people.
“With music, you must be attentive because if you do not listen to music, it becomes noise, you must listen carefully for you to pick a message because certainly that is what it does,” Nuwabeine said.
