【About US．關於我們】PROFILE OF THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF UNITY DRUM THEATER.

My name is EMMANUEL CHARLES RICHARDSON, The founder and director of UNITYDRUM THEATER.
African music and dance has been my life since I was born to the earth of Ghana in Africa. At the age of five my father started teaching me drumming but different from traditional drumming. My father was a great musician on the Ghana Cape Coast then.
When I was nine years of age my dad and my elder brother took me to a group called the Twerampong Traditional Drumming and Dancing Group at the Cape Coast Castle. They knew where my source of motivation in life came from. I never knew I could dance but I always see the music in me as my passion. I humbly submitted to my leaders in the group and learnt drumming and dancing very well and everything else they were willing to teach me.
When I was in junior high school my dad died and it was like I have lost all my life. But I never give up on what I do. I continued but stopped my formal group and became my own master by teaching foreign and local people to earn some money for a living. In late 2007 when I was in senior secondary school I got the opportunity to teach my mates in school for the school’s speech and prize giving day. After this day, I took those people and I taught them drumming and dancing. This way I started forming my own group now called UNITYDRUM THEATER which was first known as the Peace Academy Youth Group. My aim was to pass on my knowledge to others. However, after only four months the group was on the verge of collapse due to financial problems because we spent too much on drums and other equipment.
Despite these initial setbacks I still kept the vision alive, continuing to walk on the path I felt was laid out for me. And that has lead me to where I am now. I love to keep African culture and also to share to the world.

EVENT I HAVE INVOLVED IN .
In 2008 when I met Joy Tang the founder of one village foundation, working with National Tsin Nhua University from Taiwan, my interest and love was in to support and help them to fulfill all the aims in Ghana.

I helped them again in 2009 translating some Ghanaian local language to English also helped them for the video achieve which is from rainforest to drum village project which basically talk about the reforestation. In 2010 I also help them for their project digital achieve which was recording the life history of the people by the use of the digital tools, which UNITY DRUM THEATER group was part of this achieve. This link might help you more to understand: 2http://www.onevillagefoundation.org/ecotour-2
http://ghanaeco.blogspot.com/2010/04/akwaaba-to-ghana-nthu-2010-group.html

In 2010 ending to 2011 beginning I participated in the magazine named We-magazine which was led by Ulrike Reinhard (http://www.facebook.com/ulrike.reinhard) in Germany. The link to the magazine: http://www.we-magazine.net/we-volume-04/our-culture-%E2%80%93-a-source-of-life-affirming-joy/

Moreover, 2011 April ending to may ending I was in Taiwan for International Volunteer Exchange program held at National Tsin Nhua University (Hsinchu).
Due to my zeal in music, dance and drama i have been to Europe and still wish to explore more and make more impact to the world.

Finally I am the writer of the book African music and dance which is still on the process to come out.

My love and peace to all you out there and my fans. The best is yet to come!!