Renowned Ghanaian Ethnomusicologist is dead

Accra, March 1, GNA- Professor Atta Annan Mensah, 80, a renowned Ethnomusicologist and the first Head of the Music Section of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in 1956 is dead.

He died in Toronto, Canada on February 24, this year and would be laid to rest on March 24, at Winneba.

A press release issued by the family of the deceased said he was also the first Head of the Music Division of the School of Music and Drama at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The late Prof. Mensah was born at Winneba on December 12, 1925 and pursued his education at Mfantsipim School and completed extensive professional studies at Achimota College and the Trinity College of Music in Britain.

The late Prof. Mensah also attended the University of Ghana, and the University of California, USA.

He joined the Kumasi College of Technology, now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in September 1951. Prof. Mensah founded the Performing Arts Programmes at Makerere University, Zambia and was also the founding Head of the Faculty of Arts at the Cape Coast University and became the acting Pro-Vice Chancellor from 1979 to 1980.

In 1981, he joined the University of Ilorin, Nigeria as Founder and Head of the School of Performing Arts and retired from this position in 1985.

He remained professionally active as a Visiting Professor at York University in Toronto, and the Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio and received an adjunct appointment at York University. Surviving Prof. Mensah were his wife; Mercy, five children and nine grandchildren.