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MUSIC, education, technology and faith will come to life at Zimbabwe’s AV Expo on 26 and 27 June at the Harare Showground.
AV Expo, organised by Audio Academy is an annual trade event for advanced media and entertainment technologies.
Founded by Mbaki Nleya who said the AV Expo highlights innovative technologies and services from industry leaders in AV systems integration and communications, church settings, live entertainment technology, television and broadcast, animation and film, studio and production, DJ and pro-audio equipment.
This year’s event features an impressive lineup of workshop facilitators, including Saimon Mambazo Phiri, who will explore incorporating technology into theatre and music; Mark Marlherbe from Prosound SA, an EV specialist and sound designer; Pastor Bapiro, who will discuss safety and rigging for large format events and installations; and Nqobizitha Mlilo from Nafuna TV, who will share insights on animation and CGI in film. The main speakers include Andrea Granata, Sales Manager at Meyer Sound, and Tatenda Gurupira, a Studio Mixing Engineer, Music Producer, and vocal arranger.
Nleya said this is the third time the event has been hosted in Zimbabwe, although it is the first on this scale, with major industry stakeholders set to exhibit.
“The goal is to unite the local industry, exposing regional players to both a global and regional audience, and giving local and foreign trade guests access to an incomparable selection of the latest products and services,” said Nleya.
He said growing up as a pastor’s son in Family of God Church, he was inspired by how sound technology started to improve.
“That’s when I fell in love with sound. I’ve been a music producer in Botswana and a live systems and mixing engineer, and I’ve worked with local, regional and international artists.
“I wanted to convert my passion for sound into something that could impact my country and business. So, in 2013, I headed back home to Zimbabwe and started the first pro audio college in the country, called the Audio Academy,” said Nleya.
He said as time went on, he realised that many of the people who enquired about the academy had very little knowledge about equipment.
“This is still a major problem, including in houses of worship, where it is so important to have clear audio,” he said.
Nleya said during his career, he has done sound for various events around Harare and has come to appreciate AV technology.
“Over the years, an appreciation for better sound has grown in houses of worship, and church leaders are more open to investing in better audio technology. Line array systems are becoming the norm in many churches since they are trustworthy, affordable and produce great sound quality.
“In essence, AV technology gives every pastor the chance to experience high-quality sound systems for their sermons. Coupled with immersive visual displays to engage congregations and interactive tools such as live streaming, services can be greatly improved,” said Nleya.
He said organising any event was not as easy as it appears.
“A lot of prayer and preparation goes into making it happen. The biggest challenge is getting in touch with international companies and making them aware of the event,” said Nleya.
Sidumisile Mabena