Orchestra in the City brings concert to golf’s green
by Ernest Jjingo · The ObserverIn a rare and captivating blend of classical music and jazz, the “Orchestra in the City” event dazzled the audience at the Uganda Golf Club in Kampala on Saturday night.
Hosted by House of Jazz and sponsored by Johnnie Walker Green Label, the unique event featured outstanding performances from the Kampala Jazz Orchestra and Maurice Kirya.
In a city where orchestral music and jazz are not everyday entertainment and where golf courses are not the typical concert venues, “Orchestra in the City” proved to be a trailblazer. The event not only provided premium entertainment for the Kampala elites but also shined a spotlight on the preservation of the Uganda Golf Club, one of Kampala’s last remaining green spaces.
The evening kicked off with guests arriving at the lush greens of the golf club, greeted by the sight of a luminous tunnel and stunning car displays that set the stage for a night of elegance, music and magic. As the clock struck 7:30pm, guests made their way to Hole 11 which had been beautifully transformed into an outdoor concert space.
The evening began with an Asian Fusion dinner by Fairway hotel, providing the perfect backdrop for a night of soulful melodies. Poet John Mary opened the night’s performances with a poem, which highlighted the event’s dual purpose: showcasing Uganda’s hidden creative talents and shining a light on the vital need to preserve Kampala’s only standing green belt.
Christine Mawadri, co-founder of House of Jazz, said: “Through ‘Orchestra in the City,’ we aim to elevate the uniqueness of Kampala and draw attention to the aspects of the city that require preservation. We aim to draw more attention to the desecration and degradation of Kampala’s prime green space; the Uganda Golf Course and call for its preservation and sustenance.”
The Kampala Jazz Orchestra then took the stage and performed an exhilarating set, with Flex Nyanzi, Rebecca Gitta and Ken Musoke serenading the audience with renditions of classics such as Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight, You Make Me Feel So Young and My Way; Peggy Lee’s Fever, Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely and Aretha Franklin’s A Natural Woman.
Each set of performance was met with loud applause as guests soaked in the beautiful blend of jazz and orchestral sounds. The evening reached its peak when Maurice Kirya took the stage for a soulful performance of hits from his 2022 album, The Road to Kirya. His performance of Entebbe, Muse, Ssenyiga and Ku Lunaku Olwo had the crowd on their feet before leaving fans yearning for more with his iconic Busaabala and Never Been Loved Before hits.
The event not only delivered an unforgettable night of music but also served a greater purpose. Proceeds will go towards supporting efforts to protect this iconic green space from deforestation, poor drainage and urban encroachment.