Project Creative

The Music School

mission of the Singing Gorilla Music School is to "Create self-esteem through music, dance and drama”. Singing Gorilla Projects has provided musical instruments (recorders, ukuleles, drums, harmonicas, melodicas, brass instruments, string instruments and a whole host other musical instruments) in which the community can learn whilst having fun and spreading goodwill.

Since the Music School was set up in 2014, the community have managed to perform to a number of camps, lodges and passing tourists in the area and have made enough money to set up a community pig farm. Who would have thought that music could also bring the bacon home!

Singing Gorilla Projects takes instruments that were used by children and adults and place them in a new home in Nkuringo. As these instruments are used and played, the vision is that between the community in Nkuringo and the donors back home, barriers of race, wealth, and language are broken and a connection is made. By creating these connections we can in some small way create a better, improved life for the community. Chris Read goes on to say "One day, I hope in my lifetime, I would like to see the Music School visit us here in the UK to perform. I am always on the lookout for more musical instruments, do drop me a line if you have lurking in your home that are not being used"... contact me.

The local people in Nkuringo, the Bakiga/Bachiga, are incredibly musical with fantastic rhythm. Their dancing is a very energetic form and coupled with the rhythmic drumming provides an intoxicating musical experience. Have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TslATQiricU. The intention is that by the introduction of western musical instruments that a new form of music can be created that borrows elements from both traditions.

The Creative Projects are managed by Singing Gorilla Projects.