Pays tribute: J.H. Kwabena Nketia, aged 97, a pioneer in African musical studies at UCLA
Obituary: Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia, Renowned Ethnomusicologist and Composer, Passes Away at 97
Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia, a distinguished ethnomusicologist, professor, and composer, widely recognized for his profound contributions to African music, particularly Ghanaian traditional music, passed away on March 13, 2019, at the age of 97.
Born on July 17, 1921, in Ghana, Nketia pursued extensive studies in music and ethnomusicology. He began his music education in 1937 at the Presbyterian Training College, Akropong, and later studied in England at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Trinity College of Music, and the University of London's Birkbeck College.
Nketia's academic career and contributions can be summarized through key milestones and achievements. In 1961, he was appointed as the deputy director of the University of Ghana's Institute of African Studies. In the summer of 1963, he taught the first college-level course on African music at a U.S. university, specifically at UCLA. He became a full-time professor at UCLA in 1969 and was instrumental in the development of the university's African music performance program. Three years later, he became the first African to serve as the director of the institute and the founding director of the university's school of performing arts.
Nketia is recognized as the world's leading scholar of African musical traditions. He authored seminal texts on African rhythms and music, blending scholarly research with composition. He was one of the first to document African music using Western musicological techniques and scholarly rigor, thereby elevating African music studies globally. His book, "Music of Africa," is considered a primary source for understanding the basic characteristics of African music.
At UCLA, he taught courses on theories and methods in ethnomusicology and issues in African music. After retirement from UCLA in 1983, he held the position of Andrew Mellon Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh until 1992. In 1993, he founded the International Centre for African Music and Dance at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nketia composed 42 musical works and authored over 200 publications. He received numerous international honors and awards, including the African Music Society Cowell Award (1958), the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for Music of Africa (1975), the International Music Council UNESCO Prize for Distinguished Service to Music (1981), the 1997 Prince Claus Award, the Distinguished Africanist Award from the African Studies Association (2000), and more.
Nketia's wife and their two sons, Kwabena Yeboa Nketia and Eric Kwame Gyimah Nketia, died before him. He is survived by three daughters, Akosua Adoma Perbi, Priscilla Naana Nketia, and Nana Adjoa Nketia Adutwum; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
The Ghanaian government will honour Nketia with a State Burial and he will be interned in the same military cemetery in Accra as Bosomuru Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary General. Nketia's legacy as a scholar and composer continues to influence contemporary musicians and scholars within and beyond Africa.
[1] https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Joseph-Nketia-dead-Ghana-loses-a-great-son-551744 [2] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/15/683688604/joseph-hanson-kwabena-nketia-a-leading-scholar-of-african-music-dies-at-97
Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia's dedication to education-and-self-development led him to pursue extensive studies in music and ethnomusicology, which in turn facilitated his personal-growth and contributions to the field. Throughout his academic journey, he demonstrated a commitment to learning by authoring over 200 publications and composing 42 musical works.
