Tanzanian Choir Group to Sing with Grosse Pointe Middle School Students

GROSSE POINTE - The Tanzanian Choir, the Imuka Singers, will be joining the middle school chorus students of Grosse Pointe for an educational outreach program at Brownell Middle School bridging the cultural gap from Tanzania, Africa and the United States.

The Imuka Singers will spend the day working with students and performing for the school ending the day with an evening performance for the community showcasing traditional African music and dance and will feature the middle school singers for a song.  

The 20-person-choir is made up of highly talented musicians and dancers representing a dozen community groups from the northwestern shores of Lake Victoria, Tanzania. Imuka is a Kihaya word which means, “Rise”. Imuka brings together not only rare singing techniques, electrifying choreography, hand drumming, and multiple percussions, but also traditional dancing techniques that are adopted from the oldest East African folk songs and dances.

The Imuka Singers use the platform of choral music to promote sustainable economic development in their communities, and to foster cultural ties with the world. Using concert venues as market outlets, the choir subsidizes their tour expenses through the sale of handcrafted goods and authentic African instruments made by local artisians in rural Tanzania. A significant portion of the revenue is used for micro-grants for women and youth and to support social projects, such as health and education in Bukoba, Tanzania. The choir is passionate about helping the less fortunate in their communities “Rise up” to reach their full potential.

Tickets for the October 25th 7:00 p.m. concert are available at Wild Birds Unlimited, 20485 Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods or at the door before the performance.  For more information contact Carolyn Gross 313-432-5582.