The Gilberto Music Academy and Senior High School (SHS) of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sunyani, has paved the way for the youth within the Municipality to unearth and develop their talents in music.

Programmes being offered by the Academy include Music Composition, African Music and Dance, Music Technology, String (Guitars), Brass Band Music, Keyboard Skills, Western Percussion, Aural and Sight Singing, Voice Production and Singing Technique, and Sound Engineering.

Mr Paul Vitus Obosu, Principal of the Academy in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Wednesday said the institution offer a window of educational and career opportunities for teenagers, the youth and adults within the Sunyani Municipality in particular, Brong-Ahafo Region and the country as a whole.

Mr Obosu explained that due to the institution’s uniqueness. it had been accredited by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) to issue certificates to the graduates after successfully completing their programmes.

He said the establishment of the Academy was an initiative of the Franciscan Friars in Sunyani in collaboration with the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in 2009, but it was inaugurated in April 2010 as the first Catholic Music institution in Ghana to serve not only Catholics but all and sundry, irrespective of religious denomination.

The Franciscan Friars is an international Catholic Religious Congregation founded by Saint Francis of Assisi some centuries ago.

They were invited to work in the Sunyani Catholic Diocese in 1997 by Bishop James Kwadwo Owusu of blessed memory, First Catholic Bishop of Sunyani.

Mr Obosu who is also the Headmaster of the SHS, indicated that the Music Academy had been established to train amateur church musicians, adults, youth, children and teachers, as well as all those who desired to learn the playing of musical instruments and pursue music as a career in a period of one or two years for certificate.

Mr Peter Anum, Administrator of the Academy said “The Academy assists illiterates, semi-literates and school drop-outs to learn the playing of these instruments to feel fully integrated into the society.”

He said the SHS offers General Arts and Business programmes, and commenced in the 2010/2011 academic year, but it is now a registered WAEC examination centre.

The Academy has so far graduated two batches in the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic years.