Music Crossroads Academy Zimbabwe was honored to host this year’s Musica Festival between the 2nd and 8th of October in collaboration with the Italian Embassy. The vast program included workshops, stakeholder dialogue platforms and concerts.
On the 4th of October, workshop highlights included topics like the advantages of visual presentations in music or the creative process of developing songs together. Piersimone Crinelli, David Back and Bradascio Tarantiono conducted the workshops. Right after, they had a jam session with the Academy students and Heavenly Praises Choir where they jammed folk songs like “Manhanga Kutapira” and “Chemutengure”. Made in Europe and Zimboita alongside with MCAZ’s bands Too Open and Solid Steps impressed the audience in the evening with outstanding performances.
On the 4th day of the festival, two international groups, Mooyh and Dark Dry Tears held a combined workshop focusing on fusing electronics with music and improvisation. In the evening they performed together with MCAZ’s Imagine 2015 winners Jesa and with Tribe Afros.
The next day, Zimbabwe’s music maestro and living legend Dr Oliver Mutukudzi hosted a question and answer session about his career in music. He said: “I started singing the day that I was born. Growing up, my mother always reiterated that the sweetest sound that she had ever heard from me was my first cry on my birthday”. Meeting this living legend was a big highlight to MCAZ’s students.
On the 6th day of the festival, the Italian Master Max Covini held a drum clinic. The same day, there was a very interesting workshop about the basics of contemporary techniques such as playing with a click track and new breed combinations. Another music icon, Andrea Valerie simultaneously conducted the guitar clinic, covering important subjects such as adaption to different genres, use of harmonics and how to be a one-man band using finger styles.
Music Crossroads Academy was honored to host the US-American singer, songwriter and Broadway actress Shayna Steele. She held a brilliant workshop about how to get started in the music industry. The last day of the Musica Festival was held at Cresta Lodge Hotel where both, local and international artists performed. Goes to Bollywood from India, Made in Europe, Zimboita, Shayna Steele, Mercy and the Reds and Andrea Valerie impressed the audience with their performances.
A big thank you to Musica Festival for giving us the opportunity to learn and share with the afore-mentioned superstars!
