BY SILAS NKALA BULAWAYO-FOUNDED Thando Arts Production group recently embarked on a COVID-19 awareness campaign and schools performing arts training to help learners adjust to the new curriculum that involves music, theatre and drama among other arts. Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Thando Arts founder Lovemore Gumede said he had a passion for impacting behaviour change in society through performing arts. “We have been training schoolchildren on the implementation of the new curriculum under performing arts such as music, theatre, poetry and drama. “We conduct concerts after training the learners and these concerts were held towards schools closing days,” he said. “Last year, we started coronavirus awareness and we released tracks such as Be Strong in a Jamaican dancehall genre and we also produced another single titled Africa Sisonke.” Gumede said the outbreak of COVID-19 posed challenges as they were not able to carry on with their activities since schools were closed, adding that they hoped to resume their programmes if they get the greenlight. “Besides performing arts, we are into metal fabrication, welding, and metal sculpting, that is how we have been surviving though the business has been very low,” he said. Gumede said besides producing COVID-19 awareness tracks, they were working on a Chimurenga song called Asibafundise Abasakhulayo, which is a mix of reggae and Afro-jazz. “We are also working on other tracks like Peace and Pamusoroi. In all concerts we conducted, we were being assisted by various businesses. In all the training and concerts we held at schools we recorded videos and took pictures and we are urging parents of those children who want the material to contact us,” he said. Formed in 2004 by Gumede, Thando Arts Production group released its first seven-track album titled Uzozisola in that same year. The album had one of its tracks Baba Wethu’s video making waves on ZBC-TV’s Music Calabash show. The group has to date produced a number of single tracks which have also been played on local radio stations. Follow Silas on Twitter @silasnkala
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