26 Apr 2023

Botswana Society for Jazz Education alongside Kingdom Arts Academy has organised a five-day workshop to commemorate International Jazz Day.

The workshop will include educational programmes, performances and community outreach initiatives.

The society for jazz education founding chairperson and Kingdom Arts Academy  principal, Akhutleleng Kekwaletswe said the International Jazz Day was an opportunity to honour the contributions of jazz musicians and artists who have enriched the world with their music and passion for creativity and innovation.

“The aim of the workshop is to bridge the gap of lack of skills in schools such that teachers can get as much knowledge to teach a variety of materials to their pupils,” said Kekwaletswe.

She noted that pupils that had taken part in the workshop include those from Motswedi Junior Secondary School, Ledumang Senior Secondary School, Regent Hill and Kingdom Arts Academy.

“International Jazz Day concert will be on 30 April at Molapo and we will have artists like Mpho Sebina, Kennedy Thal, DJ Jazz Man from Congo, DJ Jembe Soul, CAFCA and The Fleek band just to name but a few,” she said.

Kekwaletswe implored the media to support the event as they aim to bid for the hosting of the event in 2025. She said hosting the concert would attract an international audience and boost the country’s economy

For her part, a music teacher at Motswedi JSS, Gaone Galeragwe said the workshop benefited their school and that they had learned new skills and gained knowledge.

She added that teaching and practical times had been reduced in schools due to COVID-19 and that the workshop would help them to catch up on practical sessions and that their pupils interacted with others from different schools which enhanced their skills.

She urged other music teachers and pupils to attend the workshop in order to share knowledge and skills as well as appreciate talent.  

One of the pupils attending the workshop, Zion Siakgosing 15, who has been playing drums for 13 years, said music has helped him throughout the years to deal with his emotions as it made him happy. ENDS