Compiled by Alfred Adams Email:[email protected] WhatsApp: 0272542986 The Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Catholic Church, Accra, was the venue where lovers of choral music thronged to witness the much-vaunted launch of the maiden choral and contemporary album entitled ‘Maseda Nyi’. ‘Maseda Nyi’, which is the creative work of the Principal Organist of the Holy […]
The post Holy Spirit Cathedral Organist launches ‘M’aseda Nyi’ Choral album appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.
Compiled by Alfred Adams
Email:[email protected]
WhatsApp: 0272542986
The Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Catholic Church, Accra, was the venue where lovers of choral music thronged to witness the much-vaunted launch of the maiden choral and contemporary album entitled ‘Maseda Nyi’.
‘Maseda Nyi’, which is the creative work of the Principal Organist of the Holy Spirit Cathedral Church, Joseph Ponty-Kwofie, consists of ten choral tracks. The songs were sung mainly in Fante, and a few in the English language.
The album starts with “Ayeyi Wura” with a different arrangement.
What is peculiar about these choral songs is that they are a combination of usual choral and contemporary gospel music.
The idea to combine both choral and contemporary pieces, The Choral page understands, was the initiative of the technical producer of the album – Mr. Ben Adjei.
The launch commenced with a welcome song in the Fante language titled ‘Akwaaba’, composed by Ponte-Kwofie, and rendered beautifully by Mrs. Maria Thomas Calobo, a Portuguese national.
The participating choirs on the occasion of the album launch were:
* Holy Spirit Cathedral Youth choir
* Adehyeman choral group
* St. Cecilia Choir – Christ The King Church
* St. Peters Catholic Choir – Ajumako.
The number of guests performing choirs at the launch of the album goes to tell the contribution of Ponty-Kwofie, when it comes to playing and composition. The Cathedral Youth Choir, for instance, sang Ponty’s ‘Hyira Nka Nyame’ to the admiration of the audience.
Mr. Ponte-Kwofie has served as an organist for the Cape Coast St. Francis Cathedral, St. Peters Cathedral-Kumasi, and currently at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Accra. He is an electrical engineering technician by profession.
He had no formal training in music, except knowledge in harmony and fugal expression acquired from one Mr. Moses Kinnah.
Ponte-Kwofie said that his aim was to spread the word of God through his music, as well as inspiring lovers of choral music. It is interesting to know that all the anthems rendered by the invited choirs at the launch of ‘Maseda Nyi’ were the creative works of the Holy Spirit Cathedral Organist.
Singing artistes featured on tM’aseda Nyi included:
* Baaba Buckson – Soprano
* Joel Mcbryan – Alto
* Ben Adjei -Tenor
* Joshua Frimpong – Bass
* Ruth Adjei, guest artiste, did the free style singing.
The composer expressed his thanks to the Almighty God with the 3rd track “M’aseda Nyi” for giving him the opportunity to further his education, after spending a few years blacksmithing.
“My sincere gratitude goes to my wife, Mrs. Victoria Ponte-Kwofie, and children. Special thanks are directed to my elder brother, Mr. Mark Kingsley Kwofie, and my siblings.’
He also thanked Ben Adjei for paving the way for him in the production of the album and Jones Kwesi Andoh, Sunyani, for his tremendous support.
He also thanked Mr. Ezan, who chaired the function and everyone who supported in diverse ways.
In 2013, Ponty-Kwofie’s anthem ‘Arise Catholic Faithful’ was selected as the compulsory song for the finals of a singing competition organised by the Archdiocese of Accra, in commemoration of its 120th anniversary.
He also composed the piece, ’Nimdie Hyiren’, for the Kumasi Polytechnic, now Kumasi Technical University.
Currently, Ponty is the Choirmaster Principal Organist for the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Accra.
Pix: Joseph Ponty-Kwofie
One Voice Choir thrills in ‘Hymns in Worship’ show
As the name of the Choir suggests, One Voice Choir –Ghana, so it was demonstrated it in singing with all the four parts (SATB) producing one voice on the night of the show, dubbed ‘Hymns in Worship’ (HIW).
The venue for the show was the magnificent auditorium of the Prince Emmanuel SDA Church (Ringway Estates).
The main objective of the Hymns in Worship’ show, which is an annual ritual, was to maintain the essence and relevance of hymns in our daily lives as Christians, and its appropriateness in our Christian worship.
Following the well-patronised 2015 edition of Hymns in Worship, this year’s edition treated the hymn-loving audience to a good number of carefully selected repertoires of spirit -filled hymns, which cut across our rich Ghanaian traditional and foreign hymns.
Against this backdrop of the fact that hymns are a valuable aid to worship, they help to focus our attention on the goodness and glory of God.
Amongst some of the renditions ministered included, ‘Now Praise We Great’ and ‘Famous Men’, ‘Now thank we all our God, ‘O Divine Redeemer’, ‘I’m trying to be like Jesus’, ‘Our Savior’s Love’ and ‘Through all the changing scenes of life’.
The aforementioned hymns, written by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady, admonish us to continually praise and glorify God in all facets of our lives, and believe that, as Christians, all things (not just some things) work together for our good to them that love God.
Some other local hymns composed by Sitsofe K. Ayi – “Ka Hw3 “and “Onyame W’adom Boro Meso’ – were extraordinarily rendered by the performing choir.
The organists for the evening were Humphrey Kwaah, Mark Ato Baah and Mr. Denis Adjei Asare.
Conducted by Mr. Derick Asare Antwi, the audience was told stories behind the lyrics and orchestration of their most loved hymns, and how they relate to their Christian lives today.
Copies of the choir’s albums and copies of the previously held HIW were up for grabs.
Pix: Singers of the Choir on stage at the HIW
The post Holy Spirit Cathedral Organist launches ‘M’aseda Nyi’ Choral album appeared first on The Chronicle - Ghana News.
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