Congratulations to our Music student Phalyce Kumdana!
Phalyce Kumdana, a 22-year old bass guitar student at the Music Crossroads Academy Malawi and a member of the all-female Daughters Band, has been selected to participate in the project Mandela Shuffle, based in South Africa.
The ‘Mandela Shuffle’ is a project of United Cultures for Development (UCD), a network of cultural and development organisations from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe, aimed at enhancing the sustainability of partner organisations through cultural and social entrepreneurship. Music Crossroads Malawi is a partner organisation in the network, hence its involvement in the project.
The project aims to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, late former President of South Africa. Applicants were asked to send in 3-minute videos of themselves showing a skill that best describes what Mandela means to them. Selected applicants from Malawi, Kenya, South Africa, India, Ghana, Bolivia and Ghana will then create a production that will include music, theatre, dance and poetry among other things to best honour the memory of the icon.
Phalyce’s involvement in the project is not only a plus for her music career or Music Crossroads Malawi, but also the entire arts industry in the country and ultimately Malawi as a whole. She will represent the Malawian people on an artistic level and form networks with other artists that will help improve our arts industry. Essentially, the project is empowering her not only as an artist, but a female artist, something that will serve as an encouragement to other female artists in Malawi.
She leaves the country for Auckland Park, Johannesburg on 31st October, and will be there till 8th December, during which time they will be working on the production. Once it is complete, they will record the material and post it on YouTube to raise publicity about the project. The group will then go on tour in 2015, performing the production in some countries.
Phalyce started playing bass in 2013 at the Music Crossroads Academy in Area 23, and has since developed her skills. Her involvement with the Daughters band also helps her brush on her playing skills. She holds a Diploma in Business Management, which she obtained at K & M Institute of Management.
