NEW MUSIC SCHOOL BY CATHOLIC DIOCESE (SHOWBIZ, PAGE 15, MAY 6, 2010

By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah

To enrich their worship in church, the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani has established a music academy to help train choirmasters and choir leaders. The academy was founded by Franciscans’ Friars with the Sacred Heart Parish at Penkwase, a suburb of Sunyani, in consultation with the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi.
Known as the Gilberto Music Academy, work on the GHC 920,000 beautiful edifice, was completed last year and immediately after, a total of 48 students, made up of
44 males and four females, have enrolled.
The Academy, which runs four departments, namely Applied Music, Composition/ Theory of Music, Technology and African Music Departments, is equipped with musical instruments both Western and African. It can also boast of a reputable and well equipped recording studio.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the Academy last Thursday, Bishop Gyamfi said, considering the significant role music plays in the church, it was interesting to note that, it was only the Sunyani Diocese that had made an attempt to formally train, not only choirmasters but also choristers in the art of singing and also teaching interested parishioners to learn music in all its forms.
‘‘That is not to say that Gilbert Academy is meant for only Christians or for Catholics only. No. we have intended it for all who love music and want to improve on their skills. It is meant for all music lovers to come and learn and even make a living out of music’’, he explained.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo acknowledged the enormous role the Catholic Church continues to play in the development of the country in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation, poverty reduction as well as the spiritual upbringing of the youth.
He, however, expressed concern about the creeping moral decadence and indiscipline on the part of the youth in the society, and therefore, stressed the need for the church to redouble its efforts in the training of the youth on moral values, through religious education and preaching in the church.
Mr. Paul Vitus Obosu, the Principal of the Academy also observed that, the weapon to overcome every anxiety was music, saying that, music feeds the soul, releases its stress and heals its wounds.
He explained that, the courses designed at the Academy covered the areas of vocal music and instrumental music, adding that, the Academy had modernized the system of
technology of reducing the stress of students from manual or hand-written compositions.