From the age of nine, Samuel Kuffuor-Afriyie has always dreamed of becoming an organist. Growing up in the church, he had an affinity for classical music and wanted to mimic those same sounds on the keys.

Today, the Brooklyn native said he spends much of his time in the Setnor Auditorium, practicing various pieces for his coursework and performances. The Syracuse University junior is currently gearing up for his first solo recital on April 2 in Setnor Auditorium, featuring the works of Bach, Hampton, Mendelssohn and Widor.

At a young age, Kuffuor-Afriyie always imagined himself contributing to the sounds he grew up hearing. He cites his heavy involvement in church as his main influence for wanting to pursue organ performance as a career.

“I heard the sound of the organ a lot,” he said. “It just sounded so huge to me and I was young. I could imagine myself just sitting behind it and playing.”

Kuffuor-Afriyie’s music career began in elementary school when he played the saxophone in his school’s band. He then began playing piano before switching to the organ, which is now his main instrument.

His dream started to turn into a reality when he visited SU’s campus with his high school senior class.

During his visit, Kuffuor-Afriyie emailed Anne Laver, an assistant professor of applied music and performance (organ) and the university organist. She responded instantly to his email — Kuffuor-Afriyie then left his group to meet with her and soon found himself playing a piece for her in Setnor Auditorium.

He credits Laver for influencing his decision to attend Syracuse. Now, Laver serves as Kuffuor-Afriyie’s organ teacher and academic adviser.

“From that first encounter, she just seemed so embracing and supportive. I think she was one of the main reasons that made me want to study here,” Kuffuor-Afriyie said.

Susie Teuscher | Digital Design Editor

Laver said she has watched Kuffuor-Afriyie grow as a person and progress as a musician since his freshman year. Since he is one of only two people in the organ performance program, Laver is able to tailor her teaching style to his needs and wants.

“Just the amount of time that he’s put in has yielded really wonderful results,” Laver said. “Sam’s got a very good head on his shoulders (and) very good work ethic. The thing I really value about him is he’s always ready to take on a challenge and he’s always ready to help out.”

One of Kuffuor-Afriyie’s most memorable performances in the Syracuse community was a pre-recital at Holidays for Hendricks at Hendricks Chapel in 2017. It was his first year playing the concert and he said the chapel was a packed house.

Kuffuor-Afriyie enjoys playing music from the Romantic era. He believes the harmonies in such pieces can invoke more emotion than that of baroque music. Aside from classical music, some of his favorite genres are R&B, soul and jazz.

When it comes to preparing for shows, Kuffuor-Afriyie makes sure to familiarize himself with the piece he is slated to perform.

“You have to really know it on an intimate level, that’s what I’ve learned,” he said. “You have to kind of live with it and be comfortable sharing it to an audience.”

Kuffuor-Afriyie is heavily involved with music both on and off campus. He is the organist for Grace Episcopal Church in Syracuse and the Catholic Campus Ministry at Hendricks Chapel. He is also the fiscal agent for SU’s chapter of the Music Teachers National Association. In addition to music, Kuffuor-Afriyie is also a member of African Student Union and other campus organizations.

Kuffuor-Afriyie began playing music in elementary school. He played both saxophone and piano before switching to organ. Lauren Miller | Asst. Video Editor

For Kuffuor-Afriyie, the church is one way for him to network and find more gigs outside of Syracuse. He enjoys collaborating with choirs and singers, travelling often to showcase his talent.

Last summer, Kuffuor-Afriyie played in his family’s home country of Ghana. He has also performed in Toronto and frequently plays at churches back home in Brooklyn.

His ultimate goal with playing the organ, he said, is to always challenge himself to do his best and share his gift with others. He said when someone comes to hear him play, that’s the first and only time they’re experiencing that performance — so he has one chance to make it count.

“I have one chance to convey a message to that person, so I think that’s what motivates me,” he said. “I always think about that before I play.”

In the future, Kuffuor-Afriyie plans to continue developing his skills in graduate school, possibly teaching organ as well. He said he is very comfortable in the church setting and he hopes to land an organist position in a church later on.

“Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent,” he said. “In practicing music, people always think that the more you practice the (more) perfect you get. But, if you’re not practicing efficiently, you won’t be perfect.”

Published on March 17, 2019 at 9:38 pm