NANAKRHYTHMS

STREET RHYTHMS 31-10-2016 *THE CHOREOGRAPHY* In Africa, when we talk about music, we are talking about drumming, singing, and dancing. It is very pathetic to see choristers refusing to dance when they are singing 'danceable songs'; they expect their audience to dance, while they aren't... When it happens like this, then there is an expression problem. At least, the  'pendulum dance' - the left & right movement - with expression could do. Today, apart from the pendulum dance, there has been the introduction of choreographed movements during choral performances. However, some choirs over do it during performances and as a result, it is either their choristers loose focus; loose energy to sing or the audience only concentrate on those dances - and be expecting the next movement. It is good to note that the choirs that are able to blend singing with choreographed dances on stage do it with discipline. They dedicate time to learn them and know which movement

STREET RHYTHMS 29-10-2016 *THE CHOICE OF COSTUME* One afternoon, while I surfed the Internet, I came across a popular Ghanaian ensemble performing classical pieces in _Fugu_. On another platform, that same ensemble was performing Ghanaian pieces in Suit. Many a times, we consider our costume for our performances; but most of us don't consider the relationship of the costume to the performance...  You will need to consider that. Do you perform with the theme 'Portraying African Heritage' and you sew an Indian-Styled-Costume with African prints? Or you perform in an African ensemble with a long-sleeved-shirt on trousers? In Ghana, most choirs perform in African prints; but never choose a style : - because that is the latest in town; or probably, choir 'A' used it recently. - or because the dressmaker says so; remember that whenever you pick a shirt at the boutique, the sales personnel will always tell you "it is nice on you", just for you to buy it.

STREET RHYTHMS 26-10-2016 *THE STAGE MANAGEMENT* Many of us (performers) don't manage our stages well. We are given a stage to use, whether big or small, and we find ourselves crumpled at one corner of the stage. As a conductor, it is your duty to manage your stage: be sure everybody is at a comfortable place before you begin. You don't just arrange your choristers but you should do that with a 'craft' in mind. You also see choristers hiding behind their colleagues, spoiling the craft that has been made. Some short choristers are also seen hiding at the back. The stage is for only those who are ready and confident; if you aren't ready, don't perform. Even if you have to walk or match onto the stage, you should know how to arrive on the stage nicely, as well as exiting the stage. Don't walk in and out, as a dismissed assembly. Most at times, you see soloists performing behind the conductor; organists also play showing their backs to the conductor. Wh

STREET RHYTHMS 24-10-2016 *THE EAR PLUS THE EYE* Music is the art whose medium of communication is sound; and so, we use to listen, understand, and appreciate/criticise the sound that is produced. Today, performers have gone an extra mile to include elements that need the sight to appreciate it as well during their performances; this means that the audience is made to follow the music that is being performed with his/her ears and eyes. Some of these elements meant for the sight are the stage craft, costume, gestures/or actions, choreography, etc. However, some performers don't pay much attention to some of these elements. They perform with a 'minus' stage craft as well as stage manners; costume is of no/lesser concern; they don't even care about the uniformity of their dances/movements; not to even think of the expressions. While some choir masters/directors and choristers are doing their best, others have just decided not to improve; even when they are prompt

STREET RHYTHMS 21-10-2016 *THE OFFSIDE SONGS* Every song you choose for an occasion must be in line with the occasion or the theme for that purpose. Most choirmasters/church leaders/preachers choose liturgical hymns because probably they it's common to the congregation. The most annoying part is that the preacher chooses hymns all because they are his/her favorite hymns. All though the hymn  'Jesus keep me near the cross' is a Christian song, you can't use it for a service with the theme 'God be praised', it is offside. Liturgical songs reinstate the theme for the service and so if church members miss/forget the word, the songs can put them back on track. Most choir masters hear songs being performed by other choirs and they quickly teach their choirs to perform them. You should be mindful the song relates to the theme for the day. From your procession to recession, you must make sure all hymns are in line with the theme. It is also important that prais

STREET RHYTHMS 14-10-2016 *THE TRUNCATED HYMNS* Hymns carry messages to us; and sometimes, you can't get the complete message unless you sing all stanzas of the hymn. Taking out some of the stanzas may break the flow or  chain of the information. During our liturgical services, most a times, you hear our liturgists or MC taking some of the hymn stanzas out of the liturgical hymns. Most of them do it for fun. "... We shall sing the first and last stanzas... " (most of them sound like this). A few may decide to read some stanzas though,  but must you just read the stanza while it can be sung? Sometimes, the time used to read the stanza is equivalent to the time that could be used to sing it. *_Liturgical hymns are the hymns in the liturgy, for church services_* It may not be bad to truncate the hymn, probably due to time constraints. But when you truncate the hymn right from the opening hymn to the closing hymn, then there is a problem. Most people don't actu

STREET RHYTHMS 18-10-2016 *THAT VOICE* That voice which sings through the microphone while the choir is leading a congregational hymn. Either the voice of the liturgist or the MC or the Osofo. That voice mostly sings off pitch. It drags the song; and sometimes counter the flow of the music. It also distorts the vocal production. We can politely inform that voice not to sing through the microphone during congregational singing, which is being led by the choir. That voice that also holds the microphone and sings alone through it when the choir is singing (a chorus) alone; The choir master's voice; the past leader's voice; etc. Although this voice does not necessarily sing off pitch, but it may drag the song; it may also control the flow of the music and also distort the vocal output/production. We can position the microphone to pick the whole choir's voice or majority of the voices we need. Kingsley J.E.K Acheampong #NANAKRHYTHMS www.facebook.com/nanakrhythmslive

STREET RHYTHMS 14-10-2016 *THE COMBO VOLUME* Some of our accompanists (pianists & organists) open the volume of their combo so loud that we don't hear what is being sung. Sometimes, even at choir practice, the volume is the same; and choristers may be afraid to complain not complain at all. Loud noise (from music or other sources such as machinery or jet engines) can cause both temporary and permanent hearing loss. Apart from its health implications, the loud sound of the combo will compete with the volume of your singers; you may not hear them sing, even if they are singing correctly. Most organist play loud because they say they can't hear what they play. The best way to use combo is to position in such a way that you, the organist, will have a direct feedback; by this, you can hear the particular volume you need well. Don't just position it directly on the choristers.  The speakers on the keyboard, sometimes serve as monitors, to give us a feedback on what w

STREET RHYTHMS 13-10-2016 *OVERLOOKING THE INTERPRETATION* Most performers in Ghana either overlook the interpreter or the interpretation of what they perform. Choristers, most at times, have all their eyes on the 'screen', hymnal, or a 'passer-by'; they even follow the audience during congregational singing : they don't watch conductors and they miss the conductors gestures and interpretations. Some organists also don't watch their conductors. Even if they watch, they also try to do their own thing contrary to that of the conductor. Probably because some may think they know more than the conductor. Most conductors also know little but they will want to control every piece. By doing this, they end up not interpreting the piece very well; sometimes, not even as it is known to be performed. Let's all broaden our knowledge on these things. Kingsley J.E.K Acheampong #NANAKRHYTHMS www.facebook.com/nanakrhythmslive www.nanakrhythms.blogspot.com

STREET RHYTHMS 10-10-2016 *THE UNISON SIGNAL* Most a times, when choirs are performing a hymn, we usually get a signal from the organist to sing in unison. This is done by sounding a 'particular' pitch (tone) after an interlude or a prelude has been played by the organist. In music history, some orchestra and choir conductors were organists; and so they played the organ and conducted at the same. These virtuosos sometimes gave clues with the sound they made from the organ, as well as gestures. Today, almost every choir has a conductor and an organist; and so where there is a conductor in action, all clues are given by the conductor; organists aren't supposed to give a 'sing-in-unison' signal/clue with the organ sound, unless otherwise prompted by the conductor - in action. NB: Not just every stanza can be sung in unison (especially the first and last stanzas). In some cases, the stanza that needs the 'unison power' is in the middle of the hymn; in oth

STREET RHYTHMS 07-10-2016 *KALYPPO* In the streets of Ghana today, politicians are talking about *kalyppo*. *Kalyppo* a brand name of a fruit juice that contains no preservatives. It is pasteurized and packed in aseptic, disposable/environment friendly packing, under strict controlled conditions as certified by HACCP. This ensures that *Kalyppo* juices reach you in near natural condition. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points; and it is a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished product to be unsafe, and designs measurements to reduce these risks to a safe level. As music lovers, it may interest us to know that  *Kalyppo* and the other fruit juices contain vitamins and other nutrients that are good for our vocal health. However, a lot of these fruit juices are chemicalized and turn to make the juices irritants. They irritate our throats whenever we drin

STREET RHYTHMS 05-10-2016 *SINGING THE LAST STANZA* Most at times when we are singing the last stanzas of our hymns, we happen to completely reduce the tempo (speed) very early in the middle of the song. This, sometimes, makes us drag songs much longer than expected. If it is during a congregational singing, then the possibility of the congregation helping to drag the song is high; but this shouldn't be much a problem because the choir must lead. We can reduce the speed at either the last line or last phrase - it shouldn't be too long to drag the song. However, in this instance, it is better to _ritard_ the song (decrease the speed gradually) than completely moving slow ( _adagio_). This applies to most anthems as well. Kingsley J.E.K Acheampong #NANAKRHYTHMS www.facebook.com/nanakrhythmslive www.nanakrhythms.blogspot.com

STREET RHYTHMS 03-10-2016 *LEADERS DOING THE DON'TS* Most of our leaders in our choirs are not able to correct us when we go against the norms of our choirs. This is because they themselves are doing them; knowing that they aren't right. Because they can't correct themselves, they correct us too. Common among the areas where most choral leaders are at fault and can not correct their members are costume, performance manners, discipline, morality , etc. A leader is somebody whom people follow; and so as leaders let's do our best to always be on the right path so that we can correct our members, when they go off the path. Kingsley J.E.K Acheampong #NANAKRHYTHMS www.facebook.com/nanakrhythmslive www.nanakrhythms.blogspot.com

STREET RHYTHMS 01-10-2016 *THE 'MOVEMENTS' IN PERFORMANCES* There are some "little foxes" that interfere our performances. While some create noise, others create distraction (draws the attention of many, from the main performance). Some of these foxes are : 1. Walking into/ out of the stalls while the choir is singing. If there is the need to walk out, please let the performance end. When you are standing outside and you hear the choir singing, wait till the end before you walk in. 2. After your procession, wait till the introit or opening hymn is sung before you look for your bag/bible or you rearrange yourselves. 3. Ensure that ushers don't share letters, envelopes, or anything to choristers when the choir is singing. 4. Don't be late at concerts; and don't walk to the stage while the choir is performing. 5. Don't create scenes on the stage when correcting a colleague. NB: performance is not only done during big concerts. Anytime you are