THE Zimbabwe College of Music is set to celebrate the inception of the aerophone instrument in Zimbabwe’s contemporary music genres when it hosts the first edition of the Ridza Hwamanda Festival early next month.
BY ALOIS VINGA A senior lecturer at the college, Walter Mujuru, said plans to host the fiesta were at an advanced stage and those willing to participate should approach the college authorities.
“The festival comes at a time when we are embracing the use of the aerophone, known as hwamanda in Shona. We never used brass instruments in the country except for Thomas Mapfumo and a few from the uniformed and religious institutions,” he said.
He said the festival targetted the Zimbabwe National Army Band, the Police Band and schools that have been using the brass aerophone like Churchill Boys, Bradley High and Saint John’s College.
Churches expected to participate at the festival are the Seventh Day Adventists and Zion Christian Church whose music outfit, Mbungo Stars, uses the aerophone.
Mujuru said there will be four main categories in the festival and the three best choirs in each category will walk away with prizes.
The festival, running under the theme Uniting Zimbabweans through Aerophones, wil
