General

An Enchanting evening in celebration of 200yrs of Chopin Music

Published

15 years ago

December 4, 2010

Mark Wamai

As the evening breeze gently swayed the ribbons and other decorations, he walked in with a sense of purpose, and paused briefly to take in the surrounding. His sweeping gaze observed the walls draped in the traditional Makerere red, black and green; the audience murmuring softly;

the piano, set and ready to go; and finally the dignitaries conferring quietly at the high table. With a satisfied grin, he took a few steps and assumed his position at an imaginary podium. Back straight and respectfully clutching the programme of the day with both hands in front of him, he cleared his voice and made his remarks.

“It is my honor, to invite you today, to a concert where we are celebrating 200years since the birth of Francois Fryderyk Chopin,” remarked Prof. Justinian Tamusuza, Department of Music, Dance and Drama and emcee of the evening, as he welcomed the audience. The Chopin Music Concert was jointly organized by the Quality Assurance Directorate and The Department of Music, Dance and Drama, and featured eight of the over 230 pieces of Chopin’s surviving work.

Francois Fryderyk Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) was a Polish Composer, Virtuoso Pianist, and music teacher of French-Polish parentage. He was one of the great masters of Romantic music, and his music is penetrated by a poetic feeling that has an almost universal appeal. On the evening of Friday November 26, 2010, Makerere University’s Senior Common Room played host to the first ever Chopin project in East and Central Africa, and four of Uganda’s distinguished pianists; Fredrick Kiggundu Musoke, Wilson Tamale, Job Ivan Tezigattwa and John Baptist Walugembe had been lined up to enchant the audience.

The evening’s able emcee was however not yet done with his audience. Before he could invite the Vice Chancellor to address his guests, he ordered everyone in the room to switch off their phones and strictly not to applaud, until the pianists had finished their pieces, as signaled by a polite bow. “I am a dictator and I hope we will all adhere to this,” he added to the amusement of the now anxious audience.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba in his speech read by Dr Tickodri-Togboa, commended the Quality Assurance Directorate and the Department of Music, Dance and Drama for embracing the University’s strategic vision. “As an institution that is increasingly becoming conscious of the importance of integrating internationalization in her core functions, we are truly proud to be the pioneers not only in Uganda, but in the East African region to participate in this project,” remarked Dr Togboa. Without further ado, Prof. Baryamureeba then wished everyone a great evening.

Wilson Tamale holds an Associated Board of Music (ABRSM) diploma in piano playing and has until recently, been living in Iowa State, USA. He kicked off the evening’s performances with an Etude in C Major. Op. 10 No.1, and the audience were immediately captivated. The audience watched with almost bated breath as this up-tempo piece, which required swift movements of the fingers as well as accuracy was played. However, the towering Wilson Tamale seemed to breeze through the piece and the resounding applause as he bowed at its end was well earned. His performance had indeed set the pace for this “vehicle artistic expression”, The Chopin project.

The bespectacled John Baptist Walugembe was soon to follow with another Etude in F Minor. Op. 25 No.2 and the first Nocturne of the evening in A flat Major. Op. 32 No. 2. Whereas Etudes as piano pieces focus on stretching the fingers, Nocturnes on the other hand are shorter pieces with a song-like melody. Walugembe an Engineer by training who currently works as a management consultant showed his expertise in not only playing the more dazzling Etude but also seamlessly switching to the more melodious Nocturne. A respectful bow after playing both pieces and the applause that followed confirmed the audience’s appreciation of Eng. Walugembe’s piano mastery.

The youthful Job Ivan Tezigattwa then played two Nocturnes in E Minor. Op 72 and E flat Major. Op. 9 No. 2. Tezigattwa a Bachelor of Music Student at Makerere University sought to explain that Nocturnes were best suited for playing in the evening; a time most relied upon by lovers to woo their partners. Starting off with the Op. 72 composed by Chopin in 1827, Tezigattwa then switched to the popular Op. 9 No. 2. A glance at the audience at this point revealed faces unmistakably lost in reflection. The evening of musical enchantment had indeed claimed its victims. Their reverie was soon abruptly brought to an end as the piece turned more passionate as it wound up.

Next up was the most traveled of the evening’s pianists. A Civil Engineering graduate from Makerere University, Fredrick Kiggundu Musoke holds the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM) in piano performance and the Associated Board of Music (ABRSM) Diploma in piano teaching and flute performance. He has performed at the National Theatre, in Amsterdam with the Nairobi Ochestra, at the Edinburgh Festival, and at a luncheon held in honor of Her Majesty the Queen of England when she visited Uganda during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2007.

Before his performance, Musoke dedicated the Ballade in F Minor Op. 38 to his late Engineer Father, who admittedly spent 60% of his time playing the piano. The ballade which opens very softly progresses into an almost violent tempo before halting suddenly then resuming with calmer tempo till its end.

Eng. Walugembe then returned to perform the Waltz Grand ValseBrillante in A Flat Major Op. 34 No. 1, and thereafter Musoke returned to play the evening’s last piece, A Scherzo in C# Minor. Op.39.

Reacting to the evening’s performances, Mr Carr, husband to Mrs. Fiona Carr who taught piano at Makerere University in the early seventies commended the artists for a job well done. He praised the organizers for a putting together a state-of-the-art show, which brought back memories from their times at Makerere where students of the Department of Music, Dance and Drama congregated in the Senior Common Room to listen to similar performances.

Downloads

The Vice Chancellor's speech – MS Word Version, PDF Version, Postscript Version

mwamai@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office

General

Makerere University Fees Waiver for 40 First Year Female Students 2025/2026

Published

10 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Mak Editor

Makerere University Tuition and Functional Fees Waiver is a Scholarship Scheme that was initiated by Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and was approved by the Makerere University Council in December 2010. The Scheme supports bright female students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds to access education at Makerere University. The University waives off tuition and functional fees for the duration of the study of the beneficiaries of the scheme. With effect from 2021/2022 academic year, the Scheme has offered waiver of tuition and functional fees for 40 female students joining the University who meet the criteria. All Programmes in the Colleges at Makerere University Main Campus and at Makerere University Jinja Campus are eligible for this Scholarship support. These scholarships are administered by the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, Makerere University. Persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

ELIGIBILITY

Scholarship applicants should meet the following criteria:

Should be female of Ugandan Nationality
Should be a first-year student admitted at Makerere University Main Campus and Jinja Campus for the academic year 2025/2026 under the Direct Entry Scheme.
Should be from a genuinely disadvantaged socio-economic background.
Those not admitted on Uganda Government sponsorship to any public university.
Those who do not hold any other scholarship e.g. District Scholarship
Must be willing to participate in a selection process as shall be determined by the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate Scholarship Committee.

THE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM SUBMITTED SHALL BE DEEMED COMPLETE ONCE IT CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ATTACHMENTS;

Copies of ‘O’ and ‘A’ level academic documents.
One Passport size photograph.
A Copy of the applicant’s birth certificate.
Incase of deceased parent (s), a copy of death certificate(s)
A hand drawn physical map of an applicant’s home/residence with clear directions of how to get to that home or residence from the nearest main road (indicate approximate distances in kilometres).
A copy of the admission letter to Makerere University.

The scholarship covers only tuition and functional fees. The applicant must be able to pay for their feeding, accommodation and other learning necessities required by the University for the duration of the study period.

Interested and eligible applicants can pick application forms free of charge from the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, Senate Building, Level 4, Room 402 OR download a copy from the Makerere University Website: https://mak.ac.ug/

You can also access more information on our X handle @MakerereGMD

For more information or inquiries, please contact us using the following contacts:

Office Mobile Numbers: +256702960616 / +256781866728
Email Address: director.gendermainstreaming@mak.ac.ug

The Application deadline is Monday, 8^th August 2025 at 5:00pm.

Euzobia Mugisha Baine (PhD)
Chief Gender Mainstreaming Officer

Makerere-GMD-Fees-Waiver-Scholarship-2025-2026_Download

Makerere-GMD-Fees-Waiver-Scholarship-2025-2026-Application-Form Download

General

Korean Language Courses-Semester

Published

11 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Mak Editor

Students walk into the Arts Quadrangle, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Centre for Language and Communication Services (CLCS), College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) Makerere University in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) invite applications for Korean Language Classes for students and members of the public.

Courses by Level

Beginner
Elementary
Intermediate
Online
TOPIK

Instructor: Wongo Yoon wongoyoon@gmail.com

Registration is open, you can register to join the class at any time.

Registration:

To register, call the Centre for Language and Communication Services (CLCS): +256 756 12 8046 / +256 775 424704

Fee: UGX 80,000 a semester

For more information Whatsapp: +256 790 505658 (Yoon) / +256 757 710511 (Mariam)

See downloads for Class Timetable

The Korean Corner is located on the 2^nd floor of the Main Library at Makerere University.

Makerere-CHUSS-CLCS-KOICA-Korean-Language-Classes-for-Semester-Poster Download

General

NCBA Commits UGX 1.45 Billion to Makerere Marathon, Pledges Five-Year Support for Inclusive Education

Published

5 days ago

July 9, 2025

Mak Editor

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (C) flanked by Dr. Maggie Kigozi (R) and Mr. Mark Muyobo (L) on 9th July 2025 at Makerere University. Makerere University Endowment Fund (MakEF)’s flagship initiative – the Makerere University Marathon unveiling of NCBA Bank Uganda as Platinum Sponsor with UGX 1.45 Billion over five years, 9th July 2025, Kampala, East Africa.

_{By Eve Nakyanzi and Atwenda Nancy}

Makerere University has officially unveiled NCBA Bank Uganda as the platinum sponsor for the 2025 Makerere University Marathon (#MakRun2025), marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey toward inclusive and sustainable student support. The partnership was formally announced during a colourful event held at the university, attended by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Dr. Maggie Kigozi, Chairperson of the Makerere University Endowment Fund, and NCBA Bank Uganda CEO, Mr. Mark Muyobo.

NCBA Bank Uganda’s UGX 1.45 billion sponsorship over the next five years is the largest corporate contribution to the Makerere Marathon to date. It underscores the bank’s commitment to supporting quality education, community development, and equity. Mr. Muyobo said that, “We are driven by the desire to leave every community better than we found it”. He added that the goal is to empower disadvantaged students to live without limitations, describing this initiative as a bold stride toward establishing a world-class international marathon.

Left to Right: Mr. Mark Muyobo, Dr. Maggie Kigozi and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe pose for a photo at the Main Building entrance. Makerere University Endowment Fund (MakEF)’s flagship initiative – the Makerere University Marathon unveiling of NCBA Bank Uganda as Platinum Sponsor with UGX 1.45 Billion over five years, 9th July 2025, Kampala, East Africa. — ***Left to Right: Mr. Mark Muyobo, Dr. Maggie Kigozi and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe pose for a photo at the Main Building entrance.***

“This is more than just a sponsorship, it is a strategic partnership built on shared values,” Dr. Kigozi remarked. “With this support, we are positioned to establish a fully equipped Disability Support Unit and a sustainable pool of funds to assist economically disadvantaged students.”

The marathon, slated under the theme “Run the Hills for the Future,” seeks to unify students, alumni, corporate entities, and professional athletes in pursuit of a common cause. At its core, the MakRun2025 promotes active lifestyles, social inclusion, and a sense of communal responsibility.

“It’s not just a race,” Prof. Nawangwe emphasized. “It is a movement to break barriers, change lives, and build a resilient, inclusive university.”

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe poses with the #MakRun2025 photo frame. Makerere University Endowment Fund (MakEF)’s flagship initiative – the Makerere University Marathon unveiling of NCBA Bank Uganda as Platinum Sponsor with UGX 1.45 Billion over five years, 9th July 2025, Kampala, East Africa. — ***Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe poses with the #MakRun2025 photo frame.***

The marathon’s broader impact includes fundraising for students living with disabilities and those facing financial hardship, contributing directly to the university’s Endowment Fund.

A major highlight of the event is the introduction of a full 42.2-kilometer marathon—bringing international standards to the annual run. Organizers have promised a professional, accredited experience with traffic-free routes and ample support for runners.

“This edition will elevate the MakRun into a world-class event,” said Mr. Muyobo. “We are proud to support Makerere University in realizing its dream of a globally recognized marathon that reflects Uganda’s commitment to education and inclusivity.”

Beyond the race itself, the event will feature a vibrant line-up of activities, including music, drama, and games for all age groups. It is designed to foster a festival-like atmosphere that welcomes every member of the community.

Makerere University Endowment Fund (MakEF)’s flagship initiative – the Makerere University Marathon unveiling of NCBA Bank Uganda as Platinum Sponsor with UGX 1.45 Billion over five years, 9th July 2025, Kampala, East Africa. — ***Officials pose with runners in the Freedom Square.***

Organizers and university leaders have extended an open invitation to students, staff, alumni, corporate partners, and Kampala residents to participate, cheer, or donate to the cause.

“Every step taken is a step towards hope for a student,” Dr. Kigozi stated. “Together, we are building a Makerere that cares, includes, and uplifts.”

The partnership is expected to significantly enhance the university’s ability to support underprivileged students and improve campus infrastructure for students with disabilities. It also sets the tone for future collaborations that align with the values of compassion, excellence, and innovation. The fifth edition of the MakRun is scheduled to take place on August 17^th, 2025.

The Writers are Interns in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University