SONG OF AFRICA – GRAND UNION ORCHESTRA’S
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2022 PROGRAMME

The Grand Union Orchestra continues to celebrate its 40th anniversary year with a season of reflective informal evenings, creative workshops and joyous performances across East London venues. They will open up and explore the heritage and culture of some of the less familiar countries of the African continent, and above all their music.
 
This year’s BHM 2022 programme is being led by Grand Union artists born or brought up in musical traditions ranging from Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and Somalia, as well as South Africa, Burkino Faso, Ghana and Nigeria.

Some of the Grand Union Orchestra’s long-term collaborators are artists who hail from across the vast and diverse continent of Africa and have settled as professional performers in the UK. Many are first-generation migrants, refugees or asylum seekers, bringing with them their deep knowledge and cultural perspectives on their African musical heritage. Song of Africa brings together all generations to explore and honour the influence of African traditions on our society today.

Song of Africa begins with informal evenings of music and conversation where audiences are invited to bring along their own music and songs, talk about their own connections to Africa and learn more about its postcolonial history. Half term workshops for young people follow, also exploring African musical traditions. Participants in both these programmes will be invited to join professional performers in a finale performance of Song of Africa at St John on Bethnal Green Church at the end of October. 

The programme will be led by veteran South African trumpet-player Claude Deppa (South Africa).

Other Grand Union Orchestra musicians taking part in Song of Africa:
Abass Dodoo (Ghana – master-drummer)
Desi Nakeni (Angola – dikanza)
Tawanda Mapumba (Zimbabwe – marimba) 
Jacqueline Lwanzo (Democratic Republic of the Congo – voice)
Francis Fuster (Sierra Leone – talking drum)
Mohammed Maalow Nuur (Somalia – oud)