Gakondo live in Muhanga

Rwanda’s leading traditional music group, Gakondo is set for what is billed to be a ‘highly rated’ live music concert in Muhanga district (formerly Gitarama) The gig is organised in partnership with Goethe-Institut and Ahazaza centre at Muhanga district (formerly Gitarama) and it starts at 6:30 pm.After the premiere of this new musical program in Kigali at Ishyo Theatre hall which was full to capacity on April 3, 2013, the Gakondo group will present the musical journey at Ahazaza Center in Muhanga, tomorrow, May 30.Entrance fee is Rwf1000 per person. Discover the musical treasures of Rwanda’s provinces.Rwanda’s musical heritage belongs to the most precious of its kind in Africa. However, the preservation of the old tradition is still a challenge. With every old master of Inanga who dies a whole library of musical wisdom disappears. Luckily, a young generation of musicians have heeded the call to save the music of their ancestors. The Gakondo group headed by popular traditional musician Intore Massamba is the most prolific guardian of Rwanda’s traditional musical heritage. Consisting of eight musicians, for this concert Gakondo and friends will perform with the following musicians: Jules Sentore, Daniel Ngarukiye, Sofie Nzayisenga, Michel Ngabo, Manu Habumuremyi, Lionel Mulinda, Abédé, Didier, Tamfum, Intore Massamba, Claude, Nyamaswa, Teta Birangwa, Maria Yohani, and Jean-Paul Samputu. “We are not Americans. We are not South Africans. We want to conserve our own culture,” Massamba says. He adds: “We encourage the young generation to play our traditional instruments like Inanga, Ikembe, Umuduri, Umwirongi, Ingoma, Iningiri and Ikondera...!” The musical journey will start from the northern province of the country, with the Ikinimba from Byumba, Inanga z’urukiga and Ikinyemera from Musanze- Rubavu, followed by the Poésie pastorale and Poésie guerrière, the Igishakamba from Nyagatare (Eastern Province), music and dances from the royal court, Intwatwa from the Batwa, not forgetting the ku Nkombo music (Western Province) and a great variety of ritual music. As local artiste, Daniel Ngarukiye put it: “The old music of my country reminds me of who I am.”

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Gakondo live in Muhanga