Gakondo Group vows to revive traditional music

In a bid to keep alive traditional Rwandan music, eight traditional musicians have come together to operate under one umbrella -- a move which they say will promote their music further and help them work in a more organised manner.

Sunday, March 17, 2013
Intore Masamba. Net photo.

In a bid to keep alive traditional Rwandan music, eight traditional musicians have come together to operate under one umbrella -- a move which they say will promote their music further and help them work in a more organised manner.The umbrella known as Gakondo Group is headed by renowned traditional musician Intore Masamba. The other members include Jules Sentore, Daniel Ngarukiye, Michel Ngabo among others.Speaking at one of their concerts organised at Hôtel des Mille Collines on Friday, Masamba said that the initiative was spearheaded by the need to streamline their operations."We wanted to come together and make our group strong instead of each one of us working alone; and I am sure that this is the right direction,” said Masamba."It is also important that we keep traditional Rwandan music going strong,” he addedThe singer said that the group will be launching its activities soon and that they will be recording their music before putting it on the market."We want to make sure that we play a vibrant role in promoting the Rwandan culture through our talents,” he said.Every Friday, the group will be performing live at Hôtel des Mille Collines from 6 to 9 pm.Masamba revealed that the group is in talks with various hotels also interested in the group’s performance.