Cordeiro Anne MUSI 1004 Gabe Alcorace Section 2 Music: The Universal Language Earlier this year my classmates and I were privileged enough to see a performance from Gideon Ampeire. Gideon is a University of Connecticut student from Uganda who also is part of and directs Echo Uganda. Echo Uganda is a performance group who performs music from Eastern Africa, while also providing viewers/participators with great insight into the culture of Uganda and other similar Eastern African cultures. Echo Uganda not only performs traditional music from the region, but also incorporates the integral aspects of storytelling and dance. This particular performance however, was not the entire group but rather Gideon solo. Seeing as this performance was the first we witnessed and still early in the semester, I was still a little hesitant as whether I would enjoy the types of music we would be covering in the course. Despite my reservations Gideon came with a litany on instruments and knowledge; showing me that music does and always will connect people. Regardless of essentially knowing nothing about what I was about to see, I walked away with a newfound respect for non-western music and culture. Through Gideons performance I was truly able to see that music is indeed a universal, and that more often than not music and hospitality will always go hand-in-hand. We saw Gideon in a traditional auditorium: raised stage in front
with viewers seated looking at the stage. I didnt anticipate this being any sort of issue, however I did notice that this type of set-up might have not been ideal for this performance. Gideon strove to not only provide us with information about the instruments, he wanted us to feel and know the instruments. Therefore he constantly urged the audience to participate in all aspects of the performance. Had the setup not been so polar (audience on one side, performer up on the stage) I think the performance would have been that much more amplified. Participation would have been almost forced had we all been up on stage or more on the same level. However Gideon did start the show with a Ugandan responsorial shout, in which the audience was more or less forced to shout back. Gideon, who wore traditional African garb, started by simply going through many of the instruments giving a detailed explanation of each; describing it origins, its sound, materials used to make it, and the context the instrument was used in. A few of the instruments we were lucky enough to were: see the adungu, similar to a guitar, the amindinda, a wooden xylophone, and numerous drums, which really provided for incredible power in the pieces. By describing the context of the instrument it provided a great atmosphere for storytelling. Gideon would describe of few instruments then allow students to play, as he continued to indulge us in the Ugandan culture. This provided a very festive atmosphere. The storytelling provided an amazing aspect to the entire
performance. Before Gideon even really showed us an actual piece often performed in Uganda, the mood was extremely celebratory. Despite not having any idea about what I was about to see I immediately felt welcomed, as if it was completely natural for me to be there enjoying myself. Due to time constraints Gideon was only able to fully show us the nature of a full Ugandan music celebration; telling us the story of the Baakisiimba. The performance is based on the story of a Ugandan king who essentially got drunk off a drink made from banana plants. As the king stumbled around he said the words abaakisiimba, bebaakiwoomya, roughly translated, those who planted the bananas, made them delicious. As the king was staggering and repeating these words the musicians around him began to mimic the beat the king was make with his feet and words, and the women began to imitate his movements. Now the dance is essential to Ugandan culture and will continue to be performed for generations. Seeing as Gideon was solo, this performance called for extreme audience participation. It really brought the performance home incorporating all the aspects we had just learned about. Not only did it incorporate almost all the instruments, but there was also the great story, call and response singing, dancing, and it really got the audience involved. Overall creating a fun, lively, powerful atmosphere allowing me to realize the importance of music and performance.
Gideons performance was amazing, despite the time and space constraints. I went into the performance with absolutely no insight into Ugandan music or culture and came out with a remarkable appreciation for the music. Yet more importantly I gained a great perspective that even if you are unfamiliar with a particular music or culture there is no reason why you shouldnt explore it. Music is clearly a universal and a great connector no matter how much you do or do not know about it, something Gideon was able to prove to me and something I continue to carry on.