| PRESENTATIONS: Performances
-- Lectures -- Presentations Availability -- Photo
Gallery 1 |
GUEST PERFORMANCES With the endongo (8-string bowl lyre) as his main instrument, James Makubuya is a proficient performer of several instruments, including the akogo (thumb piano), adungu (9-string bow harp), endingidi (1-string tube fiddle), amadinda (12-slab log xylophone), and engoma (drums). He is also an accomplished dancer and choreographer, having studied with several master musicians and dancers from various East African musical traditions. Beyond the basic music concepts concerned with music-making like tuning, rhythm and melody on musical instruments, James’s presentations give a much deeper insight into various aspects of the culture of the people to whom the instruments belong. In the presentations James Makubuya discusses his explorations of the extent to which, beyond musical sounds, the shapes, decorations, and iconography of musical instruments are symbolic of the folk cultures from which they originate and, consequently, represent. His guest lectures, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and concert performances are founded on the case studies resulting from his fieldwork. The following are some of the musical instruments his guest presentations are based on: |
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The adungu
(nine-string bow harp) of the Alur 
The ndingidi (1-string tube fiddle) of
the Baganda and Basoga
The madinda (twelve-slab log xylophone)
of the Baganda 
Madinda
Audio Sample 
The ndongo (eight-string bowl lyre) of
the Baganda 
The akogo (thumb piano / lamellaphone)
of the Teso 
Engoma (drums) for accompaniment to 
instrumental
and vocal music as well as folk dancesRECENT CONCERT PERFORMANCES
Calgary, Canada Presentation, February 2-4, 2017. Performed a concer with Wu Man and Lee Knight.
Beijing Chinese International Festival & Shanghai Lutes Conference. Saturday, October 15 – Friday October 28, 2016. Performed joint concert with 4 colleagues including: Wu Man (pipa lute), Lee Knight (banjo), Walton (percussion) and James Makubuya (lyre, fiddle, bow harp, thumb piano, and xylophone)
Museum of Making Music (MoMM), Carlsbad, CA. During the weekend of September 14, 2013 I was invited to participate in the “Harp Exhibition” and presented a 45 minute Lecture followed by a 45 minute Concert Performance on the topic, “The Adungu Bow Harp: Its Origins, Development, and Innovations.”
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. During the summer weekend of August 6-8, 2010, I participated in the Santa Fe Chamber Music Summer Festival in New Mexico. I did that by performing the adungu and endongo (Ugandan bow harp and bow lyre respectively), together with Wu Man on the pipa (Chinese lute), Lee Knight on the Appalachian banjo and musical bow, and Julian Kytasty on the bandura (Ukrainian lute).
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, New York, USA. January 22, 2010. Performed a concert on the endongo (8-string bowl lyre), adungu (9-string bow harp) and endingidi (1-string tube fiddle). In this concert, I collaborated with Wu Man playing the Chinese pipa, and Lee Knight playing the Appalachian banjo and musical bow.
(Left to Right) Lee Knight (banjo); Wu Man (pipa); James Makubuya (endongo)
Kansas University, Kansas. March 19, 2009. Performed a concert on the endongo (8-string bowl lyre), adungu (9-string bow harp) and endingidi (1-string tube fiddle). In this concert, I collaborated with Wu Man playing the Chinese pipa, and Lee Knight playing the Appalachian banjo and musical bow.
Weber State University, Utah. October 25, 2008. Presented a workshop and Concert performance on the endongo (8-string bowl lyre), adungu (9-string bow harp) and endingidi (1-string tube fiddle).
Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, New
York City, New York, USA. April 6, 2006
London Trinity College of Music, London, U.K. March 12,
2004
Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, New York City, New York,
USA. February 28, 2004
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
October 15, 2003
RECENT GUEST WORKSHOPS:
On July 12, 2010, at the Lew Wallace Museum, Crawfordsville IN.. I conducted a whole day’s Summer workshop for elementary and high school students. Exposed and introduced them to basic performance skills on African drums and the Aije (harvest) community dance.
On July 11, 2009, at the Lew Wallace Museum, Crawfordsville IN. I conducted a whole day’s Summer Workshop for elementary and high school students. Exposed and introduced them to basic performance skills on the madinda (12-slab log xylophones).
"The Teaching of Performance Skills on East African Folk
Instruments to Elementary and High School Students." Indiana
Orff Schulwerk Association, Carmel, Indiana, USA.October 16, 2004.
"Baakisimba Drumming Techniques on the Mbuutu,
Nankasa, Mpuunyi, and Ngalabi Drums of the Baganda."
London Trinity College of Music, London, U.K. March 12, 2004.
"Advanced Improvisation Performance Skills on the Adungu
(bow harps) of the Alur."And "Basic Plucking Technique
on the Adungu (bow harps) of the Alur." International
Folk Harp Conference, Bloomington, Indiana, USA. July 14-16, 2003
I have attended various national and international conferences, colloquia,
and seminars. Because my area of ethnomusicological research is geographically
located in the sub-Saharan African region referred to as East Africa,
the papers, lectures and lecture demonstrations I have presented so far
have basically focused on the case studies of my past and continuing research
on the folk instruments from that area. This region boasts of hundreds
of folk instruments owned and used in the hundreds of cultures geographically
located therein.
The themes of my presentations have and continue to be focused on the
often unarticulated set of cultural values, aesthetics, and myths associated
with the instruments by the folk cultures from which they originate, and,
consequently, represent. From my recent and on-going fieldwork research,
I have and continue to be fascinated by the way those elements help to
interpret the cultures of the people that own and use the instruments.
"Contextual Functions of Traditional Instruments in Selected Ugandan
Cultures." Guest Lecture and Lecture Demonstrations.
Bergen Community College, New York City, New York. USA.
April 7, 2006.
" Folk East African Chordophones: An Examination of their Contemporary
Roles." 38th International Council for Traditional Music.
University of Sheffield, England, United Kingdom. August
4-6, 2006.
"Ugandan Folk Music: A Powerful Medium for Mass Mobilization."
International Council for Traditional Music Colloquium.
University of Limerick, Ireland. September 1-6, 2004.
"The Traditional Music of Uganda: An Examination of the Role of Musical
Instruments." Kent State University, Stark Campus,
Stark, Ohio. February 18, 2004.
"Engoma (drums): The Heart of A Culture in East Africa." The
Galpin Society Conference. Edinburgh, Scotland, United
Kingdom. August 3-6. 2003.
"The Role of Music and Dance in East Africa, with Special Focus on
Uganda." University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri,
USA. March 17, 2003.
AVAILABILITY
I treasure opportunities given to me for offering a variety of presentations
related to the Folk Music and Dances that originate from and subsequently
represent the East African region. My academic education and professional
training provided me with a triple professional role as (1) a teacher,
(2) a performing musician, and an individual actively (3) engaged in ethnomusicological
research. The presentations I am available to offer at your invitation,
provide me with an invaluable opportunity for sharing my research findings
on East African musical instruments with audiences. The presentations
range from full-scale guest concert performances and workshops to guest
lectures and lecture demonstrations.
Events and venues for my presentations -- on the Folk Music and Dances
of East Africa, have ranged from conferences, colloquia, and seminars,
to academic and cultural institutions, as well as archives, museums, folk
and culture festivals.
CONTACTS
James Makubuya (on sabbatical year of leave and available from August
1, 2006 through July 31, 2007.
makubuya@wabash.edu
765 361 6474 (office)
Music Dept. Wabash College
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
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