George Mensah Essilfie
George Mensah Essilfie
Iconic Ghanaian Composer from Ghana, West - Africa. He employs intercultural approach to his music compositions. Living in Africa, The Caribbean, UK and USA, GME pulls from all these experiences and experiments with the fusion of elements that define Art music and Ghanaian traditional music.
Started composing at the age of 9. In 1994, he won the ' World Peace Prayer Society songwriting contest organized by the World Peace Prayer Society in conjunction with the UN. In 1996, under the auspices of the British Council, Ghana, he was invited by the British Choral institute to attend the Easter music school for Music educators in the U.K.
“HOPE for the SHACKLED” - Composed for the
32 Bright Clouds project and received its World Premiere in Washington DC on January 24, 2019. It is connected to Beethoven’s Sonata no. 16 in G major, Op.31 No. 1.
Curated and performed by pianist Yael Weiss, an International Award-winning pianist. 32 composers selected from different countries. George Mensah Essilfie represented Ghana with his piano piece, "Hope for the Shackled."
The piece is dedicated to those living with psychotic disorders and being physically bound up within faith-based camps in Ghana rather than receiving appropriate medical attention.
