The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1927-04-30
Ballanta-African Musician

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The recent award Of John Simon
Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fel-
lowship to Nicholas G. J. Ballanta
of Free Town, Sierra Leone (Africa)
for the comparison of these concep-
tions with the musical conceptions OF
the older systems OF music in Europe
is Of great importance to Afro-Amer-
leans. Mr.. Bahama or Ballanta-Tay-
lor as he is sometimes called, began
his musical activities as a lad in
Sierra Leone and his early struggles
should be source of inspiration to
his American cousin. He first became
interested in music when British
Regimental Band was stationed at his
home and through the kindness and
interest of a clarinetist of this band
he was taught this instrument aud
the rudiments of music. Probably
through the knowledge of the achieve
ments of s. Coleridge-Taylor, whose
father was a native of Sierra Leone,
although he was not a relative of Bal
lanta, our young musician early as
PRED to compose, and although his
knowledge of composition and the
theoretical subjects leading up to COM
position was entirely self acquired, he
wrote several anthems and sent them
off to England to a publisher who was
much taken with the talent displayed
and offered encouragement in the way
of books and music which he sent
young Ballanta. After attempting
sacred cantata written with full or
chestra accompaniment and an orches
trail rhapsody written on African
rhythms, he managed to get to Eng
land for serious study. Here Bal
lanta made many friends but failed to
receive the financial support to 60 on
with his studies SO he decided to try
America.
He first came to Boston at the sug
gestion of Mrs. Casley Hayford and
her niece, Miss Kathleen Easmon
(Samango) who were in America in
the interest of all African school. While
in Boston the African Rhapsody was
performed at Symphony Hall in an
African Pageant under the musical d.
rection of the writer. Mr.. Ballanta
stayed that winter in Boston and
studied Orchestration under Jaccie,
Director of the Boston Conservatory
Of Music, but later went to New York
where he attracted the attention Of
Walter Demrosch who brought him
to the attention Of his brother, Frank
Demrosch, head of the Institute Of
Musical Art where ne was given a
scholarship and after several years
study graduated. During his sojourn
in New York, he was brought to the
attention of Mr.. George Foster Pea
body, who gave him financial aid and
made it possible for him to visit St.
Helena Islands off Charleston, South
Carolina and compile and publish a
splendid book of rare Negro Spirituals
Later, through the assistance Of Mr..
Peabody he was enabled to return to
Africa for research work.
Mr., Bahama has already done some
excellent work in the scientific study
Of African scales and rhythms and the
award will enable him to do much
more along this line. Being talented
and thoroughly trained musician witt
an unparalleled opportunity for this
work in Africa, we may expect much
valuable material to be placed at the
disposal of musicians at large, and al
though Mr.. BalIanta is not an Ameri-
can Negro, we are glad to know that
this honor and we'll placed philan-
thropy has come his way. 1t is vel
to know that before this award was
granted that through the efforts of Mr.
Peabody, DR.. Robert Motion, Principal
of Tuskegee, and number Of Negro
musicians in America, movement
was started to give financial assistance
to Mr.. Ballanta to continue this fine
research work.