Sierra Leone News: Ballanta Academy Concludes Free Music Training
By Ibrahim S Bangura
Ballanta Academy of Music has on Wednesday October 24, 2019, concluded a music classes for over 50 Sierra Leoneans in Freetown.
The training was geared towards capacitating Sierra Leoneans on how to play different musical instruments including voice, trumpets, drums, piano, French horn, tuba, and guitar, among others. The objective of the free classes was to spread music in the country. There were eight different specialized instructors who came from UK to offer this free training as away of improving the music industry in the country.
A student of Well Cathedral School in UK, Freddie Falzon, who is an Instructor of French Horn instrument, told Premier News that, they have taken many adventures to making music a universal language. He said, “We really want to see that music becomes a universal language, and we are willing to share what we have acquired.”
He added that they offered different kinds of training to the people who came to Ballanta for the free classes. “We offered voice classes, French horn, Piano, Drums Guitar, Organ, and Tuba,” he said. “I teach French horn and I am willing to spread it around.” He added that they are willing to teach every category of people who are interested in music and who are ready to learn music.
Falzon thanked those that participated in the free training, noting their readiness to learn music. He congratulated the Academy for their good work in the past and present times, adding that there is no different between Ballanta Academy of Music and the Western Music School.”
A student of Saint Edwards Secondary School in Freetown, David Sylvia thanked the Academy for offering him a free music class. He said that he is a pianist and a chorister, adding that Academy has greatly contributed to his music career.
“My way of playing the piano has totally improved during the classes. I have also learned how to play different kind of instruments. I have been playing saxophone in church, but during the classes I have learnt how to play French horn which I have never dreamt of leaning,” he said.
Another participant, Mariama Sesay said she is a singer, but she has been finding it difficult to control her voice when singing and to reach at certain pitch. “I have learnt so much from Ballanta. Currently, I am able to control my voice and also reach the required pitches,” she said. “I can hit any note of my choice and I can control my voice now.”
The Academy has contributed to the development of the music industries for over the 20 years. It has built many venerable musicians who had got both national and international recognition.
Different tutors in different parts of the world come every year to render free training to the academy as a way of promoting music in the country.
