Ghanaian trumpeter Berima Amo named recipient of Dutch arts fund

The fund aims to stimulate development in the performing arts and seeks to empower creators who want to invest in the artistic quality of their work.

Amo, who is one of 58 composers and the only African recipient of the fund this year, will compose his pieces with Music Stages, a section of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. This is not Amo’s first interaction with the orchestra. In April, shortly after the release of his ‘Africa Was Born in Me’ single, he collaborated with the Music Stages for the Rotary Vinkeveen-Abcoude’s virtual benefit concert.

“I'm very excited about the grant, especially around this COVID season when most of us musicians are not working," Amo told Music In Africa, adding that he is looking forward to collaborating with accomplished musicians in Amsterdam on the new project. 

“Being given the opportunity to write in my own style, combining it with classical and string instruments, I feel like I‘m swimming in my own space because those are the things that I've grown up with and I‘ll be adding that African flavour to the compositions,” he said.

Amo says the Dutch funding will go to his foundation's resource centre to train emerging African musicians and establish a platform for creatives to finetune their skills.

The musician, who last year secured an endorsement deal with Austrian trumpet maker Schagerl, is currently in Ghana working on new music with the Osaberima Big Band, the country's first highlife big-band project in 30 years. An album with the band is due for release in September. Amo is also hosting a music production masterclass in Accra from 18 to 25 August.