HE Rüdiger John, the German Ambassador in Accra last Thursday presented a set of instruments worth 7,500.00 Euros to the Kopeyia School Brass Band during a brief ceremony at the Goethe-Institute in Accra.
The instruments, which include assorted horns and keyboards, forms part of a project dubbed “Music Works”, which is being supported by the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin and the Goethe-Institute in Accra.
Presenting the items, HE John said melody, rhythm and harmony have the power to connect people across countries, continents and the world at large adding that both the German teachers and local students have benefited immensely by learning from each other.
He noted that alongside political and economic, cultural relations is also a cornerstone of German foreign policy while stressing that cultural programmes create a broad basis for stable international relations while fostering mutual dialogue and appreciation.
In a brief speech, the CEO of the National Youth Authority, Ras Mubarak expressed appreciation for the gesture by the German Foreign Office and the Geothe-Instut adding that the Authority will put in mechanisms to help sustain activities of this nature for the youth.
Members of the Kopeyia School Brass Band, which is based in Kopeyia, a town in the Ketu South district of the Volta region, later entertained the audience with a performance that showcased the beauty of cross cultural collaborations.
Alongside German musician Jo Junghanns, who trained the students, the group dished out a cool blend of Agbadza / Borborbor rhythms and German music forms thereby creating an atmosphere of joy as over two dozen horns and traditional drums from the Volta region turned the Goethe-Institute into a music groove.
Present at the ceremony include Togbui Kpotaka IV (Chief of Kopeyia), Norvisi Togbe (Youth Chairman of Kopeyia), Emmanuel Agbeli (Director of the Kopeyia Brass Band) and Hon Dumega Seshie (registrar of the Aflao Traditional Council), who represented Togbui Fiti V, Fiaga of Aflao.
By John Owoo
