Music fiesta reaches advanced stage

Liberty Dube
THE second edition of the Manicaland Secondary School folk dance and music festival slated for end of this month has reached an advanced stage with more than 20 schools expected to take part in the annual event.The schools will be drawn from all districts of Manicaland province with each district, except Mutare, providing two schools. Mutare district will provide seven schools in an event that will run on March 26 and 27.

It will be held at Sakubva 1 High School.

It will run under the theme: “Our culture, Our identity”.

The festival is administered by Bembera Arts in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Heads in Manicaland and is supported and funded by Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust.

In an interview, the director of the festival, Taurai Moyo, said this year’s event would be bigger and better since there would be monetary prizes to be won.

“We can confirm that this time there would be monetary prizes of $1 000 that will be shared among the winners of each category which are mbira, marimba and traditional dance. We are happy with the preparations so far and we are looking forward to having a well-organised and fun-filled festival.

“This year the event will be bigger and better since there will be other activities lined up. These include guest performances and lectures by a 50-member delegation from Morgan Zintec, Midlands State University and Great Zimbabwe University. We are also happy that we have increased the number of participating schools from last year’s 14,” said Moyo, who is also the Bembera Arts Ensemble director.

He added that they were training two schools per district, a set piece of Mhande dance from Masvingo and the schools would prepare their own dance which originates from their district or Manicaland in a bid to promote and preserve Manicaland’s eccentric dances.

He added that the fiesta would be a platform for school children to be conscientised on the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

Among other aims, the festival intends to market and develop talent in secondary school students in arts activities and nu rture them to take art professionally.