By Spiked Lifestyle
Poet Albert Nyathi has hailed Zim Talent Hunt for their new arts training initiative launched last weekend in Harare.
The inaugural seminar held at Parkview Restaurant in the capital was well attended with the Zimbabwe College of Music tutor Walter Mujuru providing insight on how to compose a song as well as outlining distinction between a song and music.
In his closing remarks Nyathi said he would have loved to see more artistes participating at the seminar.
“I really am saddened that it is just this small number of artistes that participated,” he said.
“I remember when I was still with the National Arts Council there are those artistes that refused to participate in programs like these and others for finance management and the bulk of those died paupers.”
Prior to the event, Nyathi had hailed the organisers of the seminar saying contemporary artistes were so fortunate to have such initiatives to benefit their work.
“Musicians in the 70s and 80s were unfortunate as they did not get skills training but the current generation can.”
“We cannot let the computers do all our work. Instead, we should do all the work then use the computer to finish the work.”
Shepherd Munyawiri director of ZimTalent said he was pleased with the outcome of the seminar and promised to work on modalities to hold more.
“We were pleased with the event but the attendees expressed they would have loved to have more of such events,” he said.
“We are also glad that even the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association chairperson Albert Nyathi expressed interest to attend more of our programs especially those with an inclination to song writing.
“We may not be able to hold it monthly, but we are working on plans to hold it at least every second month.”
Audrey Charamba, assistant director of National Arts Council of Zimbabwe who stepped in for her director Elvas Mari also hailed the initiative and commended the participating artistes for making a choice to choose the arts ahead of other professions.
