buganda music ensemble

BUGANDA MUSIC ENSEMBLE is a  Ugandan orchestra playing traditional instruments and creating a new take on Traditional  folk music.Was formed around the arts center in Kampala, being initiated by Albert Bisaso Ssempeke, the son of the late Dr Albert Ssempeke who was  a Ugandan veteran Musician and  Musician who played a big role in promoting and preserving Ugandan Traditional Music and who had Knowledge of  former Music traditional of the Kingdom of Buganda. Bisaso Ssempeke is now a manger the few contemporary Musician in Uganda today. thereafter  studied this music from his father. Bisaso has since become a well-respected musician and expert on Uganda and Buganda  Culture,Dance and Music . Bisaso Albert continues to carry forward the traditional of Kiganda Music  that have  been passed down through his talented Family for generations.

Bisaso plays a Variety of Traditional Music Ugandan Instruments, including Amadinda (long-xylophone),Endigidi (one string Bowed lute),Endongo (Bow lyre) Akogo (thambpiano), Ndere (flute) etc.

Currently Bisaso resides in Kampala, Uganda. He plays with a Variety of Bands and Musicians a round the City on a regular basis and He does private Teaching on traditional music instruments and Dance movements to those interested. 

ABOUT BUGANDA COURT MUSIC 

The music which we perform in our Ensemble  basically  is Amadinda which  is One of the most important musical styles of Uganda music, which received wide attention in Europe by composers like John Cage and György Ligeti, who worked with the "amadindas, the East African xylophones. 

Through the unique combination of musical language and word meaning melodies and lyrics have been since the pre-colonial kingdom of Buganda in the 14thCentury historically delivered exactly as they emerged as reports on current events. At that time was Muteesa himself, and even passionate xylophone player, who admitted the musicians a high priority in his court. In the "royal enclosure" came the leg xylophone "amadinda" ("ama" = big, "Dinda" = mood) on various occasions. The tuning is pentatonic with a five-tone scale, which consists of "F, G, A, C, D.
The composers of the court music of Buganda created music melodic-rhythmic figure in conscious artistic intention.

In hours of meditation, they composed on the harp "ennanga," said the harpist, the combinations of its series of notes and develop them into the pattern as a dialogue with the voices of spirits and ancestors heard.
This is also the starting point for the Ssempeke with buganda music ensemble , performed on original period instruments ennanga (bow harp), endongo (lyre), Endere (notched flute) and the amadinda enhanced by the musical traditions of peoples that also some located around the Lake Victoria.

Our Ensemble performs  occasionally   on Kabaka's events in the palace and also performed on many events like world music day which usually organized by French Culture Center in Kampala and also international music festivals like BAYIMBA International festival of Music and Arts  in 2009 and 2010 .

In the year 2003 December, Buganda Music Ensemble was invited to perform on birthday of Gyogy Liget who was Germany Classical  composers and  performed alongside Philharmonic orchestral in Berlin. In 2004, Ensemble was again invited to perform in Austria on the birth of Professor Gerhard Kubik and  performed at the opening of the enthnomusicologist symposium on African Perspective pre colonial History.

2009.We recieved 2 invitations to represent Buganda royal Court Music in Paris and  Amsterdam. in Paris we performed at the Head Quoter's of the  French Cultural Center and Music Festival at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (Amsterdam