Mathematics teacher releases second album

Simon Ngundu, who is a mathematics teacher at Maboleni High School and is into sungura music, said he will be releasing a second DVD album soon.
“I am a teacher by profession but I have a passion for music. Since 2004 I have been into music on part-time basis and in 2009 I released my first sungura music CD,” said the soft-spoken teacher.
Ngundu who bemoaned lack of support for up-and-coming artistes by music promoters, said he was in the music industry only because of his passion for music.
“I am not into music because I am getting any dividends from playing the guitar but I am driven by my passion for music. The problem with music in Zimbabwe is that up-and-coming musicians like us do not get the much needed support.
“Music promoters prefer dealing with established musicians. As a result many up-and-coming musicians do not achieve much because of lack of support,” he said.
Ngundu, who was recently arrested in Gweru for contravening the Copyright Act by pirating his own music, also cited piracy as the major challenge facing musicians.
Recently another prominent gospel artiste, Kudzi Nyakudya, appeared in court for pirating his own works.
“As we struggle to get recognition, I recently had a brush with the law after I was found selling some pirated discs and my new DVD.
“We are forced into such activities because piracy is now rampant in the music industry and even us who are still to grow are affected,” Ngundu said.
He said he was expecting to officially release his seven track DVD album soon. Ngundu said he has been working on the project for the past two years.
“The reason why we were tempted to sell some of the pirated songs on my new DVD album is that we discovered that people are enjoying the songs,” he said.
Ngundu’s seven-member band is called Orchestra Pachedu band.
Some of the songs on the new DVD album are Manyerombe, Ngativimbane, Nyarara and Ndozochema, among others.