INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY - AFRICAN TO AMERICAN MUSIC

49 Waltham Avenue, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 9QF UK

Telephone +44 1483 536689 (UK)

E-Mail mswright@isaamnet.org

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Landscapes of Africa: Music for Orchestra -  Click to listen to tracks!

Founded in 1996

• To educate and promote public awareness of art music, written by all composers irrespective of race, of African origin or descent, whether living or deceased.
• To encourage performances, broadcasts and recordings of the music of William Grant Still and the art music of any other worthy composers irrespective of race, who are in any way of African origin or descent, whether living or deceased.
• To provide accessible points of contact and information for all people who are interested in performing, teaching, researching or studying the music of composers, irrespective of race, of African origin or descent.
• To provide the public with accessible points for contact and information on the work of composers, irrespective of race, of African origin or descent.
• To raise funds and interest, to encourage the education and development of new composers, and production of new works by composers, irrespective of race, of African origin or descent.
• To ensure fair reward to composers of African origin and descent and those retaining copyrights.
• By gentle persuasion, not confrontation, seek to overcome barriers of race and creed, and to discourage any form of prejudice and hindrance because of racial intolerance in all areas of the music industry.

Members include:

·                     Over 45 composers and arrangers of orchestral, operatic, choral, vocal and instrumental music;

·                     European instrumentalists - pianists, violinists, percussionists, organists, flautists, saxophonists and guitarists;

·                     Orchestral and choral directors;

·                     African instrumentalists including xylophone, mbira, kora; membrophones including adowa, dundun and kiriboto;

·                     Scholars and teachers, including world leaders in musicology;

·                     Broadcasters, archivists and people in the media;

·                     Students and people who are interested in music.

The Society presently runs without any public support or commercial sponsorship and a membership contribution of £15 or US$25 is requested from people outside Africa or other developing countries. The efforts and initiatives are the results of its members.

 On 15 April, 2000 the Society held it’s first Festival at Great Torrington. A CD ‘Spiritual Fantasy’ featuring organ music by African and African American music played at Great Torrington by Lucius Weathersby (with Wendy Hymes) has had critical acclaim and is now available on Albany Records, TROY440. For more on that festival click here.

 The Symposium and Festival August 2-4 2001 at Churchill College, Cambridge was partly sponsored by the Society. In addition, the Society sponsored another organ recital and art exhibition at St Pancras Parish Church, London on August 6 2001 with performances by Lucius Weathersby and Gerrit Jordaan (South Africa). Dr Willie Hooker held an exhibition that also featured some works by his students and colleagues.