Lovers of Ghanaian highlife music will be treated to a two-day symposium and concert, which comes off at the National Theatre in Accra this weekend.

At a press conference organized last Tuesday at the National Theatre, Mr. Akunu Dake, Chief Executive of Heritage Development, organizers of the event said his outfit and the New York University are collaborating with the National Commission on Culture, the National Theatre of Ghana and the Musicians Union of Ghana in the two-day celebratory event on Ghanaian highlife music.

A night of vintage highlife music that will showcase the rich tradition of highlife music and its contemporary manifestations comes off tomorrow while the symposium comes off on Saturday, November 27th. The celebration is themed "Celebrating Ghanaian Highlife Music: Its Impact and Relevance".

According to Mr. Dake, the symposium is designed to provide a forum for academics and practitioners as well as other stakeholders in the music industry and the interested public to dialogue on the historical impact and contemporary relevance Ghanaian highlife music.

"It will also offer the opportunity for the discussion of a broad range of issues affecting the development of this art form in particular and Ghanaian music in general," he said.

Mr. Dake said "we will also look at the question of tradition, popular content, contemporary relevance and development of classical pieces; the 'language' of highlife music as well as its 'poetry'".

Elaborating on the concert, Mr. Dake said the night of Highlife music concert will see presentations by master highlife artistes representing the different epochs in the development of the art form from its early years  through its structuring phase in the 1930s, 40s, 50s through the independence period in the 1960s and from the active 1970s through to the present time.

He outlined the stages of the performances as 'Re-living Highlife at Birth', through the epoch themed "We are here to stay" representing Highlife music of the 1940s through the mid 1960s which will feature musical giants like K. Gyasi, King Onyina and the Ramblers will take us through the period of the music of groups such as Broadway, Uhuru and music of artistes passed on such as E.T. Mensah, King Bruce and so on.

The night promises to be exciting as the concert moves into the historical period called 'We live the tradition' representing highlife music of the late 1960s through the 70s and showcasing performance of highlife maestros such as Nana Kwame Ampadu, C.K. Mann, A. B. Crentsil, Papa Yankson, Jewel Ackah, Pat Thomas, Ebo Taylor, Awurama Badu, Wulomei and music of musicians passed on such as Snr Eddie Donkor, Akwasi Ampofo Adjei, etc.

Another phase will be 'Let's spread the music - Dance the body music featuring artistes such as Mac Tontoh and music of Osibisa, Orlando Julius of Nigeria, Pozo Hayes, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and George Darko'.

Concluding, Mr. Dake said it is expected that this initiative will stimulate renewed interest in Highlife music and create the necessary synergy for the resurgence of the art form.

Present were Alhaji Sidiku Buari, MUSIGA President, Professor Anyidoho and Professor Awam Amkpa of New York University, Mac Tontoh and Mr. Michael Attipoe of the National Commission on Culture and host of musicians.