Tuesday, 25 September 2012
INTWASA 2012 IN PICTURES
Sunday, 16 September 2012
STITSHA READY FOR INTWASA 2012 OPENING NIGHT
After the five-day premiere of Stitsha at Amakhosi
Cultural Centre last month the Stitsha cast has been hard at work in the
rehearsal room taking in suggestions from those that attended the shows and
perfecting their dances, also buoyed by the return of Nomathamsanqa Mkhwananzi
the Iyasa front girl who was on tour with Mother Afrika one of the best
ensembles out of Afrika. Stitsha opens at the Bulawayo Theatre on
Tuesday 18 September 2012, Sihlangu Dlodlo the director of the show says
theatre lovers should expect a mind blowing well polished show that will keep
theatre lovers on the edges of their seats.
Last
month in a newspaper interview the Qhube Productions director Sihlangu
Dlodlo said the play would be ready for the Intwasa Festival this month
and judging from the work in the rehearsal room it is ready.Stitsha is a play
about a woman’s struggle to be recognised and listened to when she wants to
produce a play when all her father wants is for her to marry a rich businessman.
It is one of the most successful productions to come out of Amakhosi and
returns to the scene after breaking into the international circuit 24 years
ago, the cast comprises of seasoned and upcoming artists notable ones being
Zenzo Nyathi (Mzambane) of the Amakorokoza Fame and Memory Kumbota. Stitsha
involves a lot of drumming, singing and dancing bringing a different feel to
one woman’s dream of breaking free from cultural barriers
End/
Saturday, 15 September 2012
IYASA AT INTWASA 2012
They have been called amazing, dazzling, mind blowing and a
whole of other names, they have performed with local greats and international
stars from Macheso , Mtukudzi , Zahara and Akon to name but a few, no amount of
writing or praise can fit Zimbabwean multi-award winning dance group,
Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa). Formed in 2001 as Mpopoma
high School drama club, Iyasa has grown from strength to strength breaking into
the hard but lucrative European circuit.
Iyasa play at the annual Intwasa Festival on the 20th at the famed
Chibuku stage which plays host to a lot of top Zimbabwean bands and groups.
They have held European tours yearly since 2002 and only just returned to
Zimbabwe past few weeks from a four month tour which took them to Austria,
Czech Republic and Canada, and already they have been to South Africa by
popular demand, in a press interview with an online publication last month
Nkululeko Innocent Dube the Founder and Director of Iyasa said the group's
flirtation with Europe for over the past decade has been fruitful and felt that
it was their mandate to uplift the country's arts standards.
"We have been doing shows in Austria and neighbouring countries. We are also aiming at uplifting our country's arts standards high, and we are doing our level best and a lot of people seem to be appreciating our work", he said.
He also mentioned that the group was aiming on gaining mileage across the globe and to be awarded with several international awards.
"I am impressed with the support we have been getting from the Europeans. I don't see us failing to land the best award in the arts industry worldwide with our authentic performances and collaborations, he said.
Iyasa during their tours have collaborated with Insingizi the imbube stars, who are based in Austria and some Austrian musicians.
Dube said the European tour had become an annual agenda and it coincided with summer programmes in Europe.
"We always hold an annual international tour that coincides with summer programmes in Europe. We collaborate with friends, contacts, promoters that we have acquired over the years. It is a very expensive endeavour, as we fund ourselves from the income we make from shows. However, there are benefits for the group and individuals involved. We can wish for better but we cannot complain. It has made our brand as Iyasa grow to international standards and also created a lot of opportunities for us and our artistes as individuals. An example is Future who out of these expeditions landed himself an opportunity to study in Austria," he said.
He also noted that Iyasa had become a trademark in the arts industry in Europe and was confident that they would grow to be a worldwide trademark.
"We have been well received by all nationalities here otherwise we would not be doing this for more than 10 years running," he added.
Iyasa is Zimbabwe's multi award-winning performing arts school for youth established in 2001 to support and promote the best interests of young musicians, dancers, actors and poets.
It has since expanded to be a resource centre for most established and upcoming artistes, especially musicians, singers and dancers.
Iyasa has a talented and committed team of skilled and highly trained artistes in music, dance, drama and poetry, film and other genres.
Through comprehensive workshops, projects, training, programmes and performances in and outside Zimbabwe, Iyasa plays an integral role in the development and promotion of the arts industry in Zimbabwe. The group has become a household name in Zimbabwe and perhaps the world.
"We have been doing shows in Austria and neighbouring countries. We are also aiming at uplifting our country's arts standards high, and we are doing our level best and a lot of people seem to be appreciating our work", he said.
He also mentioned that the group was aiming on gaining mileage across the globe and to be awarded with several international awards.
"I am impressed with the support we have been getting from the Europeans. I don't see us failing to land the best award in the arts industry worldwide with our authentic performances and collaborations, he said.
Iyasa during their tours have collaborated with Insingizi the imbube stars, who are based in Austria and some Austrian musicians.
Dube said the European tour had become an annual agenda and it coincided with summer programmes in Europe.
"We always hold an annual international tour that coincides with summer programmes in Europe. We collaborate with friends, contacts, promoters that we have acquired over the years. It is a very expensive endeavour, as we fund ourselves from the income we make from shows. However, there are benefits for the group and individuals involved. We can wish for better but we cannot complain. It has made our brand as Iyasa grow to international standards and also created a lot of opportunities for us and our artistes as individuals. An example is Future who out of these expeditions landed himself an opportunity to study in Austria," he said.
He also noted that Iyasa had become a trademark in the arts industry in Europe and was confident that they would grow to be a worldwide trademark.
"We have been well received by all nationalities here otherwise we would not be doing this for more than 10 years running," he added.
Iyasa is Zimbabwe's multi award-winning performing arts school for youth established in 2001 to support and promote the best interests of young musicians, dancers, actors and poets.
It has since expanded to be a resource centre for most established and upcoming artistes, especially musicians, singers and dancers.
Iyasa has a talented and committed team of skilled and highly trained artistes in music, dance, drama and poetry, film and other genres.
Through comprehensive workshops, projects, training, programmes and performances in and outside Zimbabwe, Iyasa plays an integral role in the development and promotion of the arts industry in Zimbabwe. The group has become a household name in Zimbabwe and perhaps the world.
End/
Friday, 7 September 2012
Arts and Craft Fair At Intwasa 2012
Like every other big and recognised festival in the
world, from Glastonbury Festival in England to Grahamstown festival in South
Africa and even our very own HIFA in Harare , Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo
has joined the arts and crafts markets in a festival trend by introducing the
Bloom Arts and Craft Fair 2012.
This is an inaugural event of this kind by Intwasa
Arts Festival koBulawayo. It takes its name from this year’s theme “Bulawayo
blooming”. It will take place at The
City Hall Car Park during the Festival period over two days which will be
Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd of September 2012 from 9 am to 4.30pm on
both days. It will bring together 30 exhibitors from Bulawayo, Harare and other
parts of the country. Its main objective is to bring on board products that are
diverse and of high quality and creativity and also feature skills or hands on
workshops on a particular subject per time.
Exhibitors will showcase and sell their wares to a
possible different clientele at the craft fair the products will range from
paintings, curios to jewellery. For this inaugural session as a fringe activity
of the arts and craft fair there will be a Pottery workshop by Ko-Maseko Arts
and Ceramics.
The Bloom Arts and Crafts Fair is now open to
applications to those interested in exhibiting their wares during this fair.
The deadline is Friday 14 September 2012 @ 4pm. No late submissions will be
accepted. There will be a jumping castle for kids to have fun while the parents
are shopping and a food stall for snacks and drinks.
For more details, please contact: Fisani Nkomo on
0772 392 512, or e-mail fisanink@gmail.com
End/
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Dudu Manhenga Headlines Intwasa 2012
Born on the 6th of January 1981 DUDU MANHENGA
is a dynamic young Zimbabwean singer/songwriter who leads and fronts the group
‘Color Blu’. Her music has been accurately described as ‘an afro jazz
adventure’ – a fusion of genres: afro, contemporary, Zimbabwe
traditional, township, jazz, afro, Latino, and a cultural cross-breed of
Zimbabwe’s Manica, Mashona and Matabele rhythms and melodies, with energetic
stage work, and sizzling vocals.
This
self- styled jazz artist is no stranger to the big stage having worked and
shared the stage with music greats such as Tuku, Steve Dyer, Louis Mhlanga,
Tanga wekwa Sando, and the late Dumi Ngulube. During the Spring Jazz Show she
will share the stage with Alexio Kawara and Cool Crooners.
Coming
to Bulawayo immediately after her international tour and the successful launch
of her latest album, Rites of Passage,
Dudu Manhenga and her band, Colour Blu, are set to light up the 8th
edition of Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo on the 20th of September 2012 at the Rainbow Hotel with her sizzling hot “afro –jazz adventure”
performance.
When Rites of Passage premiered at
the Harare International Conference Centre earlier this year it was received to
wild rounds of applause and a standing ovation. Rites of Passage is
a musical biography, which promises to excite and entertain fans while telling
them the story of this talented afro jazz diva. It speaks of journeys,
challenges and victories, and celebrates 16 years of music that has not only
put Zimbabwe on the radar for thousands of music lovers, but has touched the
world over and over again.
Since her musical journey
began at the age of 16, the singer-songwriter who doubles as a teacher,
worship-leader, wife, mother, entrepreneur, activist and imaginer has plunged
herself deep into a full schedule of entertaining, mentoring and campaigning
for better spaces for women in the arts.
Her music has taken
her to Italy, South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana,
Denmark, Germany, France and Serbia.
Major highlights
have been her recent tours of Italy in 2011 and 2012. In cooperation with the
Embassy of Italy in Harare, Dudu and Color Blu first toured Italy in 2011 with
14 appearances at concert and festival events. They also appeared on Italian
national television, did a magazine photoshoot with Italian Vogue.
In her many years in the music
industry, the group has performed widely at clubs, cooperate gatherings and
festivals in Zimbabwe (HIFA, Winter Jazz Festival, Regional Jazz Festival, Dudu
is also active in music rights and anti-piracy issues, gender and anti-violence
activities, and is a major contributor to the FLAME (Female Literary Arts Music
Enterprise) programme, for the development and promotion of women artists into
the mainstream of the arts, which is run by Harare-based arts organization
Pamberi Trust. She has facilitated and participated in 16 workshops with FLAME.
Dudu studied her O’s to A
level at St Columba’s High School in Makokoba. The school is located close to
Amakhosi Theatre and it encouraged and facilitated her involvement in the
arts.Dudu then joined her first band Gospel Arc and later moved to 1st
jazz outfit Siyeza headed by former southern freeway and Wells Fargo guitarist
Handsome Mabhiza who groomed her and tailored her taste to the music of Dorothy
Masuka, Letta Mbulu, Thembi Mtshali, Miriam Makeba among other afro and
township jazz greats. Opportunities to be featured on different projects and
recordings as both lead and background singer were also taken on by the ambitious
young lady.
End/
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Intwasa Arts Festival 2012
I ll try by all means to take you through all the events at the festival the best way i can, hopefully when all is done i would be a better writer and creative like Raisedon Baya, Delta Ndou kumbe uPhathisa Nyathi and many others.So starting today i ll profile events and groups , talk about this and that from all the planning , running the ups and the downs of Intwasa 2012.So good people sit back , kick back kinda relax and walk with me.
Nkue
nkue@sabelamusic.com
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