The US Secretariat of the International Centre for African Music and Dance was established at the University of Michigan in 1997, with the purpose of extending those goals established by the ICAMD in Ghana. The U.S. Secretariat of the ICAMD has three primary objectives:
- To work with, assist and support the ICAMD organization based in Legon, Ghana.
- To act as a networking center and clearinghouse in the United States for information related to African music studies and African music performance.
- To facilitate the organization of periodic seminars, conferences, workshops, and special events in the United States that bring together specialists of African music and dance.
Recently, the Secretariat has completed the following initiatives:
- A grant to purchase several hundred University Microfilm dissertations related to African Music and Dance, for the ICAMD in Legon.
- A music education book drive for the ICAMD in Legon.
- A Spring 2000 Symposium about the future of African music studies in higher education.
- Working closely with ancillary groups based in the United States such as the African Performance Clearinghouse, Africa Exchange, and the African Music Caucus, towards establishing a stronger presence of African music scholarship and performance in the U.S.
The U.S. Secretariat is working on the following initiatives:
- Publishing the proceedings of the Spring 2000 Symposium, as well as other works.
- A grant to dub copies of African music recordings now housed in the United States to be placed in the ICAMD in Legon.
- Setting up a video conferencing link between the ICAMD in Legon and the U.S. Secretariat.
- Assistance in getting print and audio materials now housed at the Legon Centre put online and on CD-Rom, or making hard copies available for library loan and sale through the U.S. Secretariat.
- Organizing African music summer camps in Ann Arbor, and African music study tours to various priime locations on the African continent.
For more information about the U.S. Secretariat, for suggestions for workshops, seminars, or performers to be supported by the U.S. ICAMD at the University of Michigan, feel free to contact us.
Frank Gunderson, Ph.D. Secretariat Coordinator.
U.S. Secretariat of the International Centre for African Music and Dance,
International Institute, University of Michigan.
1080 S. University Suite 2660. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106.
E-Mail: fgunders@umich.edu Phone: (734) 936-2777. Fax: (734) 763-9154.