Music Crossroads launches Creative Training Campus in Malawi

Titled Europe-Africa: Strengthening Collaborative Creative Training for Youth (EASCCTY), the campus will be hosted by Music Crossroads Malawi and is already under way in Mchinji until April. The first phase was hosted in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Lilongwe, Malawi, respectively.

The training will conclude with a showcase concert in Lilongwe on 13 April when all participants will get to demonstrate their skills in front of a large audience. The EASCCTY project will cover such topics as instrument building and repair, audio engineering, cultural management and capacity building training for teacher trainees.

“With the aim of strengthening the standing of young people who are to shape the creative economy, this project undertakes to strengthen and build capacity among them in areas of the music value chain in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, as a means of earning an income,” MCI said. “Each participant trained will go on to train a further 10 people, having a snowball effect that will kick-start entrepreneurship among young people in the industry, leading to the creation of jobs as capacity and professionalism is increased.

“Based on the evaluation of previous projects’ results, MCI builds on the foundations laid by the previous achievements. It sets out to implement revised methodologies, new subjects and advanced topics, including a new focus on a practical, hands-on approach to training, ensuring a much more effective and long-lasting impact to beneficiaries.”

MCI said the instrument building and repair workshop would cover maintenance and repair for electric and acoustic instruments. “Based on the ground already covered, the course moves on to expand the participants’ knowledge on electronic components, the concept on electromagnetism and soldering techniques. This course is theoretical and hands-on at the same time, extending the participant’s knowledge of materials and tools.”

The audio engineering workshop would cover topics that develop the participants’ understanding of live sound management, audio processing, computer-based sound production, mixing and mastering.

“This year, the workshop will also cover areas of concert amplification in conjunction with concert audio recording, video recording and video processing. At the end of the campus, the participants will be in charge of operating the sound at the showcase concert, with the supervision of the partners, which will serve as hands-on work experience.”

MCI said the cultural management workshop would focus on practical music business aspects that are required in making a living and building a sustainable career in the industry. “Based on the ground already covered, the course will move on to practical examples and business strategies, with a presentation of modules for digital music marketing. Participants will also gain knowledge on cultural entrepreneurship through interactive group work, challenges and coming up with innovative solutions.”

The capacity building training is designed to provide innovative teaching solutions. The workshop, MCI said, would enable talented young musicians to acquire the necessary instrumental and analytical skills to read, write, document and transmit their musical cultures.

The topics and dates for the Malawi EASCCTY project are as follows:

• Instrument build and repairing, facilitated by Hans Geerdink (10 to 20 March in Mchinji).
• Audio engineering, facilitated by Gert Müller (20 to 29 March in Mchinji).
• Cultural management, facilitated by Luc Mayitoukou and Belisa Rodrigues (20 to 29 March in Mchinji).
• Capacity building training for teacher trainees (30 March to 13 April in Mchinji).
• Showcases (13 April in Lilongwe).

For more information about this training worship click here or contact Music Crossroads International at [email protected].