Ha Orchestra at Merchant Square, Glasgow. Commomwealth Games 2014. Photo: Karen Gorden.
Ha Orchestra, the first professional African Symphonic Orchestra in Scotland, the UK and Europe, is a melting pot of musical experiences from various regions of Africa and its Diaspora, that taps into the vast unexplored treasure of musical cultural experience and value.
Founded by Dr. Tordzro in 2014, the orchestra’s international musicians are from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gambia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Belgium, Scotland, England, Denmark, and France. Their instruments, some of which are unknown, include the Kora, Ngoni, Gimbre, Krakab, Axatse, Gakogui, Seprewa, Sogo, Apentema, Kpanlogo, Atumpani, Fontonfrom, Dondo, Endingidi, Goje, Bolong, Atenteben Flute, the orchestral Flute and the Ego Calabash Gourd.
“Ha Orchestra is a demonstration and example of the opportunities migration can present to society”, says Gameli Tordzro and adds that, “African musicians and the musical instruments they play rarely come together from the different subregions of the continent due to the sheer size of Africa and the fact that the transportation infrastructure does not support easy movement of people across the continent. However, having migrated to various parts of Europe, African musicians have brought their instruments into closer proximity in the diaspora than they have ever been on the African continent”.
As it can be difficult to find St Cecilia’s Hall, there will be a member of the conference team standing outside the entrance to McEwan Hall, in Bristo Square from 30 minutes before the performances, with a large placard saying Ha Orchestra. The team member will guide delegates to the venue.
Ha Orchestra is a successful experiment by Dr Gameli Tordzro. He has used the opportunity to bring musicians, their instruments and his compositions together in a way that captures the enrichment created of new symphonic sounds, orchestrated from the experiences that originate from different cultural heritages interacting and influencing each other, thereby creating a distinct symphonic system that sounds different from the western classical music played in Africa and the African Diaspora. See their website for more info.