Music Crossroads Academy opens today

Music Crossroads Academy in Lilongwe starts classes today and has since registered 25 students, the country director Mathews Gayighayi Mfune said.

He said in the past weeks they have been doing registration, auditions and orientation.

“We have 25 registered right now out of 30 that we wanted to start with.

We have state-of-the-art equipment from directly from Yamaha and Carsbro, a fully stoked resource centre with 24/7 wi-fi and access to music labs and a recording studio. We also have good music modules specially designed and trained facilitators who not only are musicians themselves but have been going through training,” he said.

Mfune said they have a deliberate policy that they should have a minimum 25 percent reserved for females, but revealed that so far, only six female have registered.

“There are still places remaining and people can still apply, we also are registering for weekend classes to target those that go to schools and work. The fee is equivalent of US$360 a year. We also have some scholarships available that people can apply for,” said Mfune.

Mfune said Malawi, which has no proper music training school, will benefit from the academies which are running in Southern Africa to turn the huge young music talent and musical traditions into opportunities in the local music sector.

Music Crossroads, which is one of Africa’s largest youth-music programs for nearly 20 years, is launching this

programme which it deems affordable and revolutionary educational for highly motivated musical talents mostly aged 18-30 in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

A press release from Music Crossroads says between 2013-2015, the non-profit MC Academies, implemented by the local

Music Crossroads entities in Lilongwe, Maputo and Harare, will train some 270 students, including over 25 percent of female participants, in addition to 30 academy teachers.

“Providing relevant basic music education to young talents in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe while covering the gaps in the existing music education will have a huge positive impact on local musical standards and will aid the development of the music industries” says Joe Herrmann, Director of Music Crossroads International.

The Press release says each academy shares an educational program designed by the Global Music Academy, also focusing on specific musical traditions and instruments to each country and the courses include training in Harmony, Rhythmic/ Melodic reading and writing, Improvisation, Ensemble Practice, Music Styles & History, Master Classes, Modern/ Traditional Instruments, Vocals and Rhythm & Body percussion.