By Ibrahim S. Bangura
The Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts at 27 Liverpool Street in Freetown, on Friday October 27, 2023, at the Logie Wright’s auditorium at the Academy, will celebrate its 28 years of existence to honor their lost members and celebrate their accomplishments.
This year’s celebration will be graced by the Groovy Colours Band, a premier band at the academy; Stephan Flore, a German Music Expert; a team from the Wells Cathedral School in the UK, one of the renowned schools in the United Kingdom; Model Brass Band Drum Line, one of the popular School Brass Bands in Freetown; and many more.
According to Lovelace Love-Harding, the Principal of the Ballanta Academy, since the academy was founded in October 1995, they always celebrate the academy every year in the form of concert to honor its founders. He said, “Every institution needs to celebrate their founders’ day. So, in every year, we hold an anniversary to celebrate our members and achievement as a music academy. The entrance is free, so we encourage people to come in a large number to celebrate the academy’s birthday with us.”
According to him, the academy has nurtured many people who have become professional musicians in the national and international platforms. “The likes are of Drizilik, Rozay, etc. were all trained to do professional music from Ballanta,” he said.
Ballanta Academy of Music was established with a vision to be a worldwide inspiration for the development and promotion of West African music and dance. The institution has nurtured many students that have become professional musicians in voice, guitar, piano, dance, keyboard, seven drum etc.
It has over the years steadily grown in stature. The academy aims to providing first class classical and modern music tuition for the people of Sierra Leone and beyond. It also aims to teach music to a high standard, continue to drive its development, to do the best possible in everything, from teaching beginners to producing concerts, musicals, festivals and competitions. Ballanta provides a centre for arts education and entertainment of indigenous and international content through practice, training and research to people in Sierra Leone, thereby providing a platform for nurturing talents to be internationally recognized.