Kabanda Wins International Acclaim

By Mathias Mazinga • July 24, 2003    Another Ugandan is causing ripples in the US. After Somi, the first Ugandan Jazz singer to perform at New York's prestigious Blue Note Club, Patrick Kabanda, 28, a Ugandan student at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, has done Uganda proud again. Kabanda was recently awarded the William Schuman Prize, for his outstanding achievements and leadership in music. The Dean of Juilliard presented the prize at the School's 98th Commencement Ceremony, at Lincoln Centre on May 23.

He might be enjoying top honours in New York, but Kabanda's music career started out as humbly as that of any other Ugandan musician. He got his first training in music as a chorister at Namirembe Cathedral. With the inspiration of Cathedral organists, Michael Mukiibi and Samuel Kimuli, he taught himself piano and organ. Later, with the help of Dick Ten Brink, Director of Operations at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, he began performing as a lounge pianist at the same hotel, while he doubled as organist at Namirembe Cathedral.

Currently, Kabanda is pursuing his Masters degree of Music in Organ at the Juilliard School. As partial fulfilment for this degree, he presented an organ recital at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City, on May 16. He performed with Thami Zungu, a renowned South African soloist. Kabanda performed such classical pieces as Bach's Prelude and Fuge in C Minor; Crumb's Pastoral Drone; Weaver's Prelude on Beach Spring; Mussorgsky's Mephistopheles; Mendelssohn's Sonata No. 3 in A Major; Karg-Elert's Herr Jesu Christi, Dich Zu Uns Wend and Reubke's Adagio.

Before joining Emmanuel Church, where he currently serves as organist, Kabanda was an organist and Music Director at the Church of Intercession, USA, from 1999-2001. Kabanda is also a recipient of the Jerome L. Green Scholarship, the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship, the Roichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship and the 2001 Daniel and Nina Carasso Prize, all for his outstanding achievements in music.

In 2000, he received a grant to extend an educational tour in which he presented more than 30 programmes, through teaching and performing in Uganda and Kenya. Before transferring to Juilliard for a BA in Music, in 2001, he attended Brevard College, North Carolina, from 1996 to 1998. He also attended Brevard Music Centre for a few months.

In the US, Kabanda has given numerous concerts including frequent appearances at such venues as Lincoln Centre, Adolphus Busch Hall at Harvard University, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and Swarthmore College in Philadelphia, where he was invited to perform the Saint Saens Organ Symphony, with the College Orchestra.

New Vision • http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1263657/kabanda-wins-international-acclaim