Zimbabwe Discovery: Zimbabwe Academy of Music

British Friends of the Bulawayo Music Academy provide music lessons to pupils in the Western Suberbs (aka: the slums.) A few students are selected and come on Fridays with their teachers, who also get lessons. They learn the marimba. They don't take any instruments home. A very nice program, but seems like they should be learning recorders or some simple instrument so they could take it home to practice!

As luck would have it, every two years they put on a week of performances. I was lucky to be there July 30 and 31. The academy is very old. A lot of dedicated white people were working hard to keep the place running, the electricity on and the roof repaired. Thursday night featured white and black students playing piano, guitar, flutes and singing. Reminded me of Mrs. Thurston's piano recitals. They all had to bow. Some teachers played accompaniment. Between the students' performances and the professionals, they served dinner in the lobby. During the conversation, Ken said he and his wife (flute teacher) had a farm with a beautiful garden. If I had time, perhaps I'd like to visit. [see Last Days in Bulawayo for more.]

Friday the show kicked off outside with the marimbas- first the teachers, then the students. Such joy was on the students' faces. Then we moved inside. The teachers were very creative. One piece featured 3 students taking turns playing with the teacher. A 3 yr old played his recorder [father Chinese, mother Zim] I was very impressed by the dedication of the small group of people who were keeping the academy running. It's an important cultural institution for them. They bring in artists to perform. Friday night they were showing a DVD of a performance in Argentina. As everywhere in this country, they struggle, they persevere and they have fun doing it along the way.