The 10th annual Music That Matters Camp ended on a successful note and culminated in a concert held at Hartmann House in Harare a fortnight ago.
The five-day music camp was hosted at Peterhouse Boys School in Marondera for four days.
During the final concert at Hartmann House, campers presented the musical pieces they had diligently crafted throughout the week. The event was graced by local and international music facilitators, conductors and skilled performers from various musical disciplines and backgrounds.
The camp attracted nearly a hundred campers who engaged in a diverse music programmes, encompassing orchestra, choir, string and vocal ensembles, as well as marimba, jazz and wind bands.
The concert began with a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, featuring a blend of marimba, wind orchestra, vocal ensemble and keyboard performances.
The audience comprised parents, guardians, music enthusiasts, school authorities and facilitators from Zambia, namely Pritchard Ngonga and Delight Haangala. It also included participants from Botswana and guest conductors Andrea Valeri and Marianna Blinova from Italy. Notable local music educators, such as marimba facilitator Nyasha Zengeni, were also in attendance.
Valeri, a renowned guitarist and finalist at the 2024 Los Angeles InterContinental Music Awards, left a lasting impression with his exceptional guitar-playing skills. He performed solo and collaborated with local drummer and music educator Rodney Meki.
Valeri shared the insights he had gained from the campers than they probably did from him.
“The experience at the camp tells us the real meaning of music, that it is a universal language bringing joy, love, happiness and sharing among mankind,” Valeri told IndependentXtra.
“The first rule that music teaches us is to listen, to know how to listen carefully, then we can understand what it tells us. Each camper experienced the priceless value of sharing between themselves and the teachers.”
This overnight residential music programme, now overseen by Covini with support from Tibone Matikiti, takes place annually during the first week of the August school holidays.
Registration for the 2025 edition opens in April next year, further updates are available on the Music That Matters Zimbabwe Facebook page.
