I write this entry in haste, as I still have some last minute Christmas shopping to do, and Takoradi is busier than ever! I have just got back from 4 days at Brenu Beach Resort, where Fiffi and I led training workshops for the 5 teachers at Mansek. There are a dozen or so photos from this in the Photo Album. Brenu was the perfect location, and we both felt we achieved a lot, both with the training and with the rehearsals of the orchestra every eveing. Now Christmas is almost upon us and my travels are looming…….

TEACHER TRAINING AT BRENU

We left on Tuesday morning for Brenu Beach Resort, a beautiful and remote coconut tree-lined beach, about an hour from Takoradi. As well as being a great opportunity to pass on new skills to the teachers, it was lovely to be able to spend some time with them just relaxing and getting to know each other a bit better, away from our busy lives at Takoradi. And Brenu was the perfect place to do this, as our time in between ‘work’ could be spent walking on the beach, swimming in the sea, or, as Ghanaians seem to be very fond of, sleeping!

The idea behind the training was to make the teachers more reflective about their own work, as this was realised through some excellent open discussions, and by observing peer to peer lessons (I learnt the violin for the first time- look at the photos for my pained expression!). Every morning, after a long walk on the beach at sunrise, we would start with a rhythm workshop, bouncing tennis balls to different pulses, and then sight reading increasingly complicated rhythms from flashcards, which as well as being very fun was really productive! We would then observe the peer to peer lessons, and discuss their effectiveness and suggesting improvements. We would take a few hours off for lunch, and I must say that the food was delicious, in particular their red-red – a Ghanaian dish, made up of fried plaintain and spicy curried beans, wonderful! Infact, their portions were so big, we often took a siesta to sleep it off! In the afternoon, we developed our recorder skills through some ensemble pieces, mainly Christmas carols and, bizarrely, the theme from the Magic Roundabout! Then I led a workshop on conducting and music leadership which, as with all of the sessions, was very practically based and lots of ‘doing’ with a minimum of talking! Then after another quick break, we ended the day with a two hour orchestra rehearsal, playing a lot of new music that had arrived last week (to much celebration!) from the UK. In particular, the teachers have developed a real taste for Mozart, which is great! We played a variety of pieces, and it was a lovely, relaxed end to the day. The group is really improving all the time now, playing with a lot more finesse and style. Fiffi was even quoted as saying ‘I wish we could rehearse with orchestra all night! It has really touched my heart….’ but by 8pm we were very hungry again, so had to call it a day! In the evening I enjoyed sitting up with Kokobush (trumpet player), listening to some awesome Ghanain / Latin music he brought on tape, and it had us both enthusing about all the funky brass parts! I then played him some of my big band from Liverpool - ‘Swingshift’ - which he really enjoyed (in particular the trumpet/flugelhorn solo on ‘MacArthur Park’).

So, all in all, we felt that it had been a very productive few days, and has given the teachers lots to focus on in the New Year. For me, it was nice to be able to pass on some new ideas and skills to the teachers, and in particular helping to develop the orchestra. I can see that when I leave (in just over 4 months time, time is flying!) they will be well equipped to continue without my guidance, which is a lovely feeling. Kweisi (violin) is emerging as a very natural and competent leader, and so I hope the orchestra continues to go from strength to strength under his (and Fiffi’s) leadership. Fiffi has said that he would like the teaching training to become an annual event, and has already invited me to help lead it in December 2007!

IT’S CHRISTMAS!

Despite my valiant efforts, I’ve found it hard to enter the true Christmas spirit, when the two central elements of any Christmas – cold weather and family – are absent for me here in Ghana! It’s been so lovely receiving parcels from the UK these past few weeks, and I have been shopping for presents for my Ghanaian host family, and I’ve a feeling that Monday will be quite hectic, with lots of people in and out of the house all day (well, more so than usual!). I am making up a stocking each for Emily and Patricia (aged 2 and 10!) which will be fun, I don’t think Santa normally visits Ghana! I will go to church tomorrow (Christmas Eve) for Candles by Candlelight, so I’m sure that will get me in the spirit! Anyway, many thanks for all the festive messages on my messageboard, I think this will be the time that I feel more far from home than ever, so it does mean a lot to me!

SEE YOU IN 2007!

On 27th December, I am packing my backpack and going travelling for a couple of weeks, first to Accra for a few of days to check out some live music, and then to the mountainous Volta Region which by all accounts is incredibly beautiful, with lots of opportunities for walking, biking and just relaxing! So I’m not sure when my next entry will be, but will probably be early next year.

So, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you! Thanks for reading!

James ‘Kobinah’ Sills x