Ugandan Artist Haruna Walusimbi to Perform at Oakland University

Haruna Walusimbi, one of Uganda's most celebrated artists, will present two concerts at Oakland University on Oct. 20 and Nov. 22 - and another at the Pontiac Creative Arts Center on Nov. 2 - as part of his residency at OU as a visiting international scholar.

"Haruna is sharing his deep knowledge of Ugandan music, dance, and culture with OU students enrolled in our Exploring African Music class, Music of World Cultures course, African Ensemble, and World Percussion Ensemble," said Mark Stone, associate professor of world music and percussion. "He will also be working with students enrolled in OU dance and jazz courses."

The wider community will have a chance to experience Walusimbi's artistry on Sunday, Oct. 22 as OU's School of Music, Theatre and Dance presents East African Music and Dance, a professional artist concert, at 3 p.m. in Varner Recital Hall on the OU campus. Tickets are $14 for the general public and $8 for students and can be purchased on etix.com.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, Walusimbi will introduce the community to the music and dance of East Africa during a workshop and concert at the Pontiac Creative Arts Center, which is located at 47 Williams Street in Pontiac, Mich. The workshop begins at 11:30 a.m. and is open to all ages, while the concert begins at 1 p.m. Admission for both the workshop and concert is free.

Also in November, the annual World Music and Dance Concert will feature Walusimbi, OU's World Music Ensemble (Akwaaba - African Ensemble, Pain-Jumbies - Steel Band, and Ngoma - World Percussion Ensemble) and dancers from OU's Department of Dance. The concert begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 in Varner Recital Hall. Tickets at $8 for all seats and can be purchased online on etix.com.

For more information on these and other upcoming performances, call (248) 370-2030 or visit oakland.edu/smtd.