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DCMA Taarab Ensemble Performs at Forodhani
The DCMA Taarab Ensemble has now started to perform every Wednesday and Saturday at
Forodhani Park. Their performances have been enjoyed my large audiences gathering with
food in hands enjoying the open-air taarab performance
These performances have been sanctioned by Stone Town authorities who feel that the music presented is exactly what the local and international patrons of Forodhani Park want i.e, music with
a local flavour while people eat the delicious sea foods and sugar cane juice offered for sale in the
park.
Farewell Concert for DCMA Volunteer Teachers Emilie and Ebrima
DCMA has a growing number of outstanding volunteer
teachers coming from all corners of the world
The Volunteer Teacher project has highly professional
instrumentalists, singers and Music Educators come to
the DCMA campus for various periods of time and DCMA
is very appreciative of this wonderful assistance.
Two recent volunteers, violinist Emilie Lidsheim from Norway and kora player Ebrima Mbye from the Gambia have
offered DCMA students and staff highly professional
teaching, have shown the Zanzibar community their outstanding musical abilities and have made many many
friends at DCMA and throughout Zanzibar.
A Farewell Concert was presented on Saturday afternoon, November 29 to have a last opportunity to hear
these great musicians perform and to say "Farewell" and "Asante sana"...
During the afternoon, Emilie brought together numerous music ensembles she had been working with during her 3 - month visit at DCMA These groups included a large string ensemble featuring all of Emilie's Students, fusion music of Taarab and Norwegian vocal music and a beautiful duet for qanun and violin.
Ebrima ended the program playing his now famous kora music, and thanked all the students and teachers
of DCMA who made his stay so wonderful. He also performed a kora duet with Head Teacher Mohammed
Othman.
Ricardo Garcia's Flamenco Guitar Concert at DCMA
A large audience gathered at DCMA in the
evening of 15th November to hear the musicmaking of internationally renowned flamenco
guitarist Ricardo Garcia.
Born in Andalusia in southern Spain, home of
flamenco-style guitar playing, Ricardo's family
moved to France when he was a young child.
At a very young age he was taught to play the
guitar by his uncle Antonio.
The audience at the concert was very large as
Ricardo built his reputation in Zanzibar having
performed nine months earlier at DCMA to a
During the current visit, at a 2-hour workshop given in the afternoon of the concert day, Ricardo
informed the mainly student audience about the history of Arab musical migrations that brought
Arab music traditions to southern Spain, and the establishment of flamenco.
He also excited the audience by talking about and performing many styles of Spanish guitar music. Throughout the evening concert, the DCMA students and other members of the audience had
an opportunity to hear Ricardo's flamenco style blend with other musical forms. In the first piece
of the program, Ricardo performed with some DCMA students and teachers. Arguably, this was
one of the finest performances presented this year at DCMA.
The evening was a fusion of different international music instruments and different styles performed on Ricardo's guitar, violins, an oud, a qanun and a tabla. DCMA Artistic Director Mohammed Issa Matona concurred at the end of the program that the concert initiated a "resurrection"
of wonderful music concerts at DCMA.The musical fusion presented in the first part of the concert
was a perfect start to the show.
Ricardo followed this opening with a few solos before he was joined on stage by his accompanying, "electric" and energetic flamenco dancer, Japanese born Canadian Nanako, who studied flamenco dancing in Spain and currently lives in Germany. The concert also included 'local flavour'
with a performance of a Chewa song from Malawi which Ricardo learned while teaching at the
University of Malawi more than 20 years ago. The song was sung by DCMA teachers Beatus
Nsiima and Lusimiko Bimbiga while Nanako did her electrifying dance to the Malawian song.
The concert was a show to remember and in closing remarks Ricardo promised he will come back
again in the near future. Keep watching this space as .... More Flamenco is Coming to Zanzibar!
Flamenco Dancing by Nanako Aramaki at DCMA
Flamenco dancer Nanako Aramaki excited the large
audience at the 15th November concert at DCMA.
Nanako was born in Tokyo, Japan and grew up in
Vancouver, Canada. She studied Spanish dance in
southern Spain, the home of flamenco. She presently lives in Berlin, Germany.
Nanako described her relation with flamenco as not
love at first sight, as she first categorized flamenco as
something that only old people did. But, after she
turned 16 and her mother convinced her to take
dance lessons with dancer Rosario Ancer at the
Centro Flamenco Dance Studio in Vancouver, she began to love flamenco dancing.
Flamenco is a form of Spanish folk music and dance from the region of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is an
art form made up of three parts: guitar playing (guitarra), song (cante) and dance (baile). Although it originated in southern Spain, it is thought to be influenced by music and dance traditions of many world cultures including Latin American and Cuban cultures and Indian and Jewish traditions. Most modern flamenco dancers are professionally trained, as flamenco is a very mature and emotional style of dance
where dancers must express their deepest emotions by using carefully learned body movements and facial
expressions.
During the memorable flamenco concert, Nanako Aramaki with Ricardo Garcia performed different styles
of flamenco. Among the styles performed were three that particularly excited the audience, sevillanas,
siguiriyas and rumba. Nanako's performance, involving great coordination of feet, arms and head, demonstrated simultaneous movements coordinated with meters of 8 and 12 beats and more complex mixed meters.
During the performance, Nanako accentuated rhythms with clapping and stepping down her feet with special flamenco tap shoes which made the audience to be very excited. It because very clear that a main purpose of flamenco dance is to entertain and solicit romantic, enticing dance stances. During the concert
Nanako also surprised the audience with a "sweet" friendship dance with Beatus Nsiima in a Chewa
(Malawian) song. The dance was so "cool" and everybody was entertained and comforted.
Besides greatly appreciating the skills of Ricardo and Nanaco and the magnificence of flamenco, audience members clearly felt the professional seriousness of both of these artists and were very pleased
with the apparent love both performers expressed for Zanzibar and the people of DCMA.
Andrew Scrivener Scholarships Awarded
Since 2006 DCMA has been receiving grants
from the Andrew Scrivener family for the purpose of supporting students of DCMA
The Andrew Scrivener Fund (UK) was established in memory of the late BBC Philharmonic
Orchestra violinist to sustain the Music studies
of young and talented students from all over
Tanzania. Over the years, DCMA has had four
intakes of students supported by the Andrew
Scrivener Scholarship to study different instruments. This year three DCMA students will receive support from the Fund.
The students receiving scholarship assistance are Rahma Ameir for her study of the violin, Amina
Omar for her study of the oud and Said Bhai Said for his study of the qanun.
The Andrew Scrivener Scholarship Fund covers the students' course fees, costs for all study materials, purchase of the student's instrument of specialization and a weekly transport allowance for
each of the students.
This Scholarship has been greatly sought after, with many students applying and seeking the assistance of the award. The expressed criteria for receiving the award is the student's level of need
and talent, gender equity and promotion of assisting individuals on learning some specific instruments.
DCMA's Zanzibar Taarab - Kidumbak Ensemble Invited to Perform in Harare
DCMA's Zanzibar Taarab-Kidumbak Ensemble has been
invited to perform at the Harare International Festival of
the Arts (HIFA) in Harare, Zimbabwe from 28th April to
3rd May 2015.
After viewing a recent video of the DCMA ensemble posted
on YouTube, the Artistic Director of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) contacted DCMA to see if
the Taarab-Kidumbak Ensemble could come to Harare to
perform at HIFA. The Artistic Director, Manuel Bagorro
wrote, "I would be very proud to present the Zanzibar
Taarab-Kidumbak Ensemble as part of HIFA 2015. I love the
2 YouTube clips you sent.We would present 2 or 3 performances on our Global Stage and also program a community
engagement appearance on the streets of central Harare".
This will be the first time Swahili music expressions will be performed at the HIFA and there is great excitement to have these traditions travel to entertain audiences in Zimbabwe. HIFA is one of Africa's largest
international festivals of the arts, established in 1999. Over the years it has attracted performers from
many parts of Africa and the rest of the world.
The Ensemble will perform 3 major concerts at HIFA and will also offer a free concert in the center of Harare, "on a street corner", for the enjoyment of all. While in Zimbabwe, it is anticipated that the Ensemble
will also perform at the Zimbabwe College of Music, a major center for the study of the music of Africa.
Let Us Know Your Musical Achievements
It has now been more than 13 years since the Dhow
Countries Music Academy opened its doors and
started efforts to preserve and promote the musical
heritage of Zanzibar.
Many students have had the "DCMA Experience" and
have learned, enjoyed and used music in different
ways after leaving DCMA. Through this Newsletter,
the Dhow Countries Music Academy is herewith providing an opportunity for musicians with DCMA backgrounds and with Music study from other schools all
over the world to talk about their achievements in
music from the day they started their music training
until today.
To share with other readers of forthcoming DCMA Newsletters, you may please send us a brief history of
your success in music. Please send this to our Facebook / Twitter page by starting with the
#MyMusicalAchievement.
Those who may not have a Facebook / Twitter account may send a profile and photo to
[email protected] and you will get a chance to have your remarks published in our
Social Network pages as well as in our Newsletter which is published at the end of every
month.
DCMA in Full Swing to Advertise the DCMA through a New Brochure,
Sales of T-Shirts and Calendars
It has been frequently lamented that "DCMA is
doing wonderful things and making wonderful
music but many people have yet to know of the
existence of DCMA".
That is now changing as DCMA is going 'fullspeed ahead' to make the Dhow Countries Music
Academy a household name in Zanzibar, other
areas of Tanzania and around the world. A new,
informative brochure has been published and is
now widely distributed, a variety of beautiful
message t-shirts have been made to spread the
name of DCMA and a beautiful 2015 calendar
with photographs by talented photographer
Nicholas Calvin are now being sold and bought by
local people and tourists. Besides spreading the
good name of DCMA, the sale of the t-shirts and
calendars bring much needed funds to the Academy. Please visit our sales point in the main office
of DCMA to purchase our products.
Photos of Daily Activities at Dhow Countries Music Academy
Music Items for sale
DCMA has a new large supply of CDs for sale of outstanding music of Zanzibar and other areas
of Tanzania and the World. Please check it out at the DCMA office.
DCMA Performances around Stone Town
When: Every Monday & Thursday
Event Name:Traditional Taarab Night
Venue: DCMA , Old Customs House
Time: 8 p.m.
Admission: 10,000 Tzs
When: Every Saturday
Event Name:Traditional Taarab Night
Venue: Emerson on Hurumzi Restaurant
Time: 7.30 p.m.
Admission: Those who have Dinner
When: Every Wednesday & Saturday
Event Name:Traditional Taarab Night Raht Zaman
Venue: Forodhani Garden
Time: 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Admission: FREE
When: Every Tuesday & Friday
Event Name: African Fusion /
Jam Session
Venue: Livingstone Beach Restaurant
Time: 9 p.m.
Admission: FREE
When: Every Tuesday & Friday
Event Name:Princess Salme Concert
(Traditional Taarab Night) with food
Venue: Mtoni Palace Ruins
Time: 7 p.m.
Admission: $30
When: Every Tuesday & Sunday
Event Name:Traditional Drumming &
Dancing (Kidumbaki)
Venue: Seyyida Hotel
Time: 7 p.m.
Admission: Purchase of Food & Drinks at
Seyyida Hotel
Music Joke of the Month
Question: what's the difference
between a pianist and God?
Answer: God doesn't think he's
a pianist
Music Quote of the Month
If this word "music" is sacred
and reserved for eighteenth
and nineteenth century instruments, we can substitute a
more meaningful term: organization of sound. - John Cage
Sponsors
Our main sponsor:
Other sponsors:
Contact Us
Dhow Countries Music Academy
PO Box 4055
Stone Town
Zanzibar, Tanzania
The DCMA is situated on the waterfront close to Malindi Port.
[email protected]
Tel: +255 (0) 24 223 4050
Office Tel: +255 (0) 777 416 529
Edited & Designed by:
Abdulrazak A. Tausir
[email protected]