Month: December 2017

A report from Jocelyn Banyard on the excellent women’s workshop she ran this past summer in Zambia!

“Even though women in Africa often shoulder the bulk of the financial responsibility in raising children or maintaining a household, they often lack basic knowledge of the financial services available to them, or the skills to manage their income wisely.

As well, women in the arts often work in isolation, or their work remains invisible to the rest society. The women’s workshop held in the Wayi Wayi studios was sponsored by Financial Sector Deepening Zambia (FSDZ) with the specific goal to educate women artists in how to reduce their financial risks and increase their access to basic services like banks, health and education. In this way, the aim is to include these Zambian women artists in one of the fastest-growing art markets in the world.

 The workshop and resulting exhibition were well covered by the press, both in print and in live news casts. This alone gave the fourteen artists unprecedented exposure and much-needed publicity.

 Since then, the women have organized a second exhibition. The workshop and exhibitions have motivated most of the women to network via social media and sell their work. There is already talk for another workshop in 2018.”

Report on Malambo Grass Roots Scholarship programme at Ngoma Dolce

In 2017 there were three scholarship students supported by Malambo Grassroots. They come from Chibelo Primary School, a state-run school 1km from the Academy. They come in on Tuesday afternoons for individual lessons. At the end of each term we hold Ensemble Week which, as it’s during the school holidays, allows the students to meet each other and work in groups (see below). The students are:

Chaange Chilo

Chaange writes:

I am 11 years old and in grade 7 at Chibelo primary school.
My favourite subjects are social studies and English, apart from that I love music and Art. In 2016 I was given an opportunity to learn how to play the piano, at Ngoma Dolce Music academy through Malambo Grass Roots scholarship program. I had to compete during an audition with many other students, I thank God I made it to be given a scholarship. When I started my lessons, it was not very easy because I had to learn theory and practical. Growing up in a community of people who don’t play any musical instrument or taken any music lessons was a bit tricky for me but all my life, it’s been my dream to learn how to play the piano because it’s my favourite instrument and many thanks goes to Malambo Grass Roots for their generosity and continued sponsorship that has made my dream come true. I am really enjoying my lessons now that I am able to read music notes and play them on the piano with fewer challenges. I have done John Thompson 1 and 2 and now starting John Thompson 3.

Paul Msiska

Paul writes:
My name is Paul Msiska, 11 years old, grade 6 at Chibelo primary school.
I have always wanted to play the guitar and now I have a chance through Ngoma Dolce Music Academy. I am grateful to Malambo Grass Roots Scholarship program, for sponsoring me fully. I am able to play basic classical guitar pieces and I have also learnt to play chords.

Gift Mwape

Gift writes:

My name is Gift Mwape, 11 years old, grade 6 at Chibelo primary school. When I came in for auditions 2016, I didn’t know what to expect, but at the end of it all I was told that I was the most musical. After that I was asked which instrument I would like to learn and I chose drums. I come to Ngoma Dolce every Tuesday afternoon for my lessons, was very difficult when I started but now am getting on very well. I did my first public performance at an end of term concert, by that time I was only 2 months old at the academy, my second was during the Christmas concert and I am certain I have many more performances to do. I have met a lot of new friends at the academy from whom I have learnt a lot. I am now the main drummer at Twin Palm Seventh Day Adventists Church. This is a wonderful musical journey, I will not forget and I will forever appreciate.

Ensemble Week
Individual lessons are not enough. Students need to learn to play together in groups, and Ensemble Week is the opportunity for them to do this. This photo shows what we do in the end-of-Ensemble-Week concert, though our three scholars were too junior to perform in these groups just yet.