Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, has appointed Keith Waithe as the Visiting Distinguished Artist-in-Residence in the Vice-Chancellery for the period, February 20 to April 8, 2017.
According to the release, Waithe, a flautist, is an expert in traditional Guyanese folk music and jazz. He will be conducting master classes at both the Turkeyen and Tain campuses in a range of musical styles including the flute and drumming as the key instrument. He has also been named a member of the planning committee for the Diaspora Engagement Conference where his focus will be to help organise the cultural aspect for the week-long event, and help mobilise Guyanese in the United Kingdom to attend, the release stated.
The release quoted the Vice Chancellor as describing Waithe as an “outstanding music and culture ambassador of our nation, whose prowess as both a performer and a teacher, I am happy to leverage for the benefit of our students and staff.” Moreover, the release quoted Griffith as saying, “he is one of a few musical leaders who command respect across our racial and cultural landscapes and can assemble reputable musicians in the Diaspora and in Guyana along those lines.”
Waithe currently resides in the United Kingdom where he has been performing and working as a visiting lecturer with the School of African and Oriental Studies at the University of London, the Royal Holloway Uni-versity of London, and other institutions.
