The Restoration of Dr Ephraim Amu's Piano

Available for over a year

This is a charming followup programme to an interview with Dr Ephraim Amu, a Ghanaian composer and musician renowned for composing new African music, in November 1993. In that programme it was apparent that Dr Amu's piano was in need of repair. Dr Ephraim Amu bought it in London during World War II and shipped it out to Ghana in the 1950s. When he retired he took it with him to Peki in the Volta region of Ghana. The programme prompted the following letter from a listener in Kenya: "I was late in tuning into the radio this morning, but I heard Dr Amu of Ghana being interviewed. When asked how he spends his time he said he used to play the piano, but now some of the keys are out of order so he cannot enjoy it any more. I'm sending you a cheque for $100 to help restore this equipment for Dr Amu. Kindly keep this contribution anonymous please. I love the songs of the grand old man." This is the story of how the piano came to be restored.