Analyses of selected works of Kenn Kafui

Abstract

Art music composers from Ghana have been working seriously since the colonial days to develop the genre till today. As every composer has his own style of writing art music, Kenn Kafui, who is the subject of this study has his unique styles of writing art music. The study sought to find out if innate experiences (whether tonal, melodic, rhythmic, timbral) from ones environment enhance creativity and innovation of new musical works. Three major works of Kenn Kafui, a Lecturer in Composition at the University of Ghana, Legon were selected for analyses to expose his style of writing art music. It came out that the composer liked the use of African music resources–melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, form, timbre and their generative processes–in his choral and instrumental compositions. It was also revealed that as a prolific composer he has contributed to the development of art music in Ghana. He writes pieces for voices–solo with pianoforte accompaniment, SSAA, SATB, TTBB and double choir. In addition, he writes for piano, the orchestra and also a sonata for drums. As an ambassador of Ghanaian art music Kenn Kafui attended several conferences to present his works. Among the eminent scholar-composers he interacted with are Akin Euba, Carl H. Stochausen, William Chapman Nyaho, Edwin Ferguson, Ton de Leeuw, Nigel Osbourne, El-Dabh, Maxine Franklin and Andrei Eschai. As a teacher-composer he has nurtured young talents like C. M. Placca, Sita Korley and David K. Kafui.