Bulawayo Music Festival preps at advanced stage

PREPARATIONS for the Bulawayo Music Festival are at an advanced stage. The event is set to run from 15 June to 19 June.

Bulawayo Music Festival is an event that focuses on a number of classical concerts which feature international musicians and includes other forms of music in parallel series of concerts, including kids’ events.

The Festival was founded by Michael Bullivant in 1997. Its debut event was in April 1997 and its events are staged by the Zimbabwe Academy of Music.

The festival has received support from organisations such as NMB Bank, Sandvik Mining and Construction, Australian Embassy, Beit Trust, British Friends of the Zimbabwe Academy of Music, British Council, Alliance Française de Bulawayo and local supporters. Due to economic challenges, since 2006 festivals have been held every two years. Speaking to Sunday Life, Michael Bullivant said preparations for the festival are at an advanced stage and United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean Nokuthula Ngwenyama will headline the festival.

“Preparations for the festival are at an advanced stage. Organisers have gone all-out to secure a line-up of internationally-acclaimed performers, all well-loved and well-known by local audiences. Among them are violinist Nokuthula “Thula” Ngwenyama, who returns to the land of her father’s birth for the third time as a celebrity performer; cellist Theo Bross, a long-time supporter of the Music Academy who just a few short months ago enchanted audiences with his collaborative concerts with French pianist, Maxime Zecchini, Christopher Smith; the Odeion Quartet, the Heuglin Toners and Molly Dzangare and two legendary festival performers, Leslie Howard and Coady Green,” said Bullivant.

Bullivant said the festival that will have day and night performances lined up will also be punctuated with local artistes.

“Music is a vibrant and evolving force and, we are well aware of this, the organisers have always made the outreach and collaborative aspects of the festival key. As a result, a number of local dance and vocal groups, including Impumelelo Shining Stars, the Amawumbo Dance Company and Wings over Jordan, will join in the festival, creating a dynamic fusion of sounds and sensations with a program varied and accessible enough to appeal to all audiences,” he said.

The festival seeks to promote arts industry and create a platform for artistes to meet and mingle. The festival will be taking place in different venues and Zimbabwe Music Academy (ZMA) will be the main venue.