Ghanaian concert pianist, George François was born into a musical family and so began piano lessons as early as age 2. His passion to make good music took him to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, where he won the Charles James Heywood Prize for Piano; the Charles Hall Scholarship; and the Terence Weill Prize for Chamber Music.

He has participated in numerous international concerts with a contemporary music ensemble, a jazz band and other smaller ensembles. With his keen passion for celebrating and promoting African folk idioms, he is gradually leaving his mark on modern classical music as an exponent of African folk music. He plays arrangements of African folk music that are his own arrangements/compositions. He has deep respect for the works of renowned Ghanaian composer, Prof. J.H Nketiah, and has played several compositions from the professor for audiences across Europe and America.

Although Mr François normally performs for audiences that are used to the works of musical icons such as Beethoven, he tries to incorporate works by great African composers into his performances, with the hope that gradually his audience would accept the use of African rhythmic patterns, melody, scales and forms. The sense and direction of his compositions are influenced by living and being. He doesn’t see working within a predominantly Western territory as a challenge but rather believes that the real challenge for him is to expand. He adds that the best way to expand his art form is to play with standards which can be compared with the best in any part of the world. This attitude has certainly paid off as he has won several competitions and played in some very important concert halls.

As a pianist he hopes to always play with excellence and keep on improving. He also hopes to run an annual international Festival of African Music to celebrate and promote African composers who use African Folk idioms. The Festival would provide a forum for African composers to have their works performed by world-class solo and chamber musicians in an environment that would give them exposure to the Western music market. He hopes the festival would kick off in October 2009. Jamati had a short discussion with this true African gem.

Jamati: Tell us a little about what you do.

The world of a concert pianist involves going to play at concerts, concert halls and dealing with audiences that are used to performers playing works like Beethoven. So you try and play those things so that those audiences get their money’s worth. You also try to introduce new things and I my case, I try to introduce works by Professor JH Nketia from Ghana, so that gradually they might get used to new things that are happening in the classical word.

Jamati: So basically you play compositions by others
Occasionally I play compositions that I have done myself too.

Jamati: What inspires your compositions?
It could be anything, ranging from how I am feeling to my own sense of African folk music or even Christian music. I am very eclectic in my taste; I play many different types of music, quite apart from classical piano.

Jamati: Do you find any challenges, being African, and working in a Western territory, so to speak?
I think the challenge is to expand and it is not just Western territory. There are a number of Africans trying to do that. And the way to do that is to make sure that when you play, your standards are just as good as the Western people.

Jamati: How long have you been playing?
I started playing since I was two years old.

Jamati: What have been the highlights of your career so far?
There have been different highlights depending on what perspective you are coming from. I have won some competitions and played in some important halls. Sometimes when you are playing, you are able to hit a certain peak and that can also be a highlight. It really depends.

Jamati: What do you hope to achieve as a pianist?
As a pianist I hope to play with excellence, always play with excellence and keep on improving.