AMA adopts Accra Symphony Orchestra as cultural ambassador

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has adopted the Accra Symphony Orchestra (ASO) as the city’s orchestra and cultural ambassador.

An agreement to that effect was signed between the two entities in Accra last Wednesday.

Per the agreement, the AMA is also to support the ASO by creating the necessary platforms that will enable it to put up performances throughout Accra.

The AMA is also expected to include the ASO in its international sister city programmes.

On the other hand, the ASO is expected to help promote the city of Accra as a cultural metropolis of Ghana by representing the city at all its international musical events.

However, the agreement allows the parties to the MoU to maintain their distinct identities with their separate missions.

Cities and events

At the signing ceremony, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, emphasised the need for the city to partner reputable institutions or events, as a way of promoting Accra on the international stage.

“I have travelled worldwide, and it happens that our country Ghana is not known, not to talk of the city of Accra. As part of strategies to promote the city of Accra, we must ensure that we partner with all the good things that are happening in the city,” he said.

The Executive Director of the ASO, Mrs Korkor Amarteifio, for her part, mentioned the important roles cities played in harnessing the creative energies of their citizens, adding that cities provided homes for creative energies and space for their birth and development.

She commended young musicians who chose to study and perform classic and opera music in a country in which they were relatively unpopular.

“I admire the courage of the musicians who decided to adopt classical and opera as their music of choice, learning it, practising it and creating audience for it,” she observed.

Accra Symphony Orchestra

The ASO, which was started in 2012 by Dr Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, is committed to the reinterpretation of African music in the orchestral style, as a way of preserving African music.

The orchestra is currently made up of artistes from Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroun. It looks forward to recruiting more artistes locally and internationally in order to upgrade its capacity and reputation.