BY KIMBERLY KARIATI
CHITUNGWIZA-BASED six-member musical group Nyangamabwe is set to represent the country at a student talent competition, Imagine Festival, to be held virtually on September 4.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style recently, the group’s representative Munashe Zvingowaniseyi said they were eager to compete after a long wait due to COVID-19-induced lockdown.
“We are happy that the competition is finally here after the COVID-19 pandemic had hit hard on us and got in the way of the competition’s way,” he said.
“We won at a national competition in 2019 against five other groups at Music Crossroads. We were supposed to go to Poland, but now the competition is going to be held virtually due to COVID-19.”
Zvingowaniseyi said the group will showcase Zimbabwe’s diverse culture through instrument playing and song.
“At the festival, students from various music schools will be representing their nations, showcasing the diversity of the cultures from the respective countries.
“There is a prize, but we are not yet sure of what it is, but we are ready to make it ours,’’ he said.
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“Our group is made up of keyboard player Tariro Ruzengwe, with Abel Mafuleni on marimba and vocals, Ebenezer Tsingozizviwa on percussion, Mitchell Gumi on vocals and mbira, Prosper Masumbukera on bass guitar and myself as a drummer.”
Zvingowaniseyi said the group has held a series of rehearsals in preparation for the competition.
“We are optimistic that if we work hard, we are going to win this competition. It is quite a challenge to go against other countries especially when we have not seen the competitors we are up against,” he said.
“We are, however, confident and up to the task, hoping that our talent will take us to the finals of the competition.
“I believe this festival has already opened a lot of opportunities for us. It has given us a greenlight to do more and better musically.”
At the competition, the group will take on other students from Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway and France.
Follow Kimberly on twitter @lizellekimkari
