Calling all aspiring musos

• PINEHAS NAKAZIKOTHE Thetardius Music Academy (TMA), which was established seven years ago, is calling all aspiring and existing musicians to register for this year’s music education programme.

Entries kicked off this week, with the academy wishing to provide students in the vicinity of Windhoek with a basic knowledge of music.

The academy also aims to combat alcohol and drug abuse among young people by keeping them occupied with after-school programmes to motivate them to become productive citizens.

“We focus on music education and promoting our musical culture. We have learnt that as years go by, our young people are slowly drifting away from their respective culture and traditions, and we wish to remind them of the art of music education, and its diversity, and how it impacts our day-to-day lives,” Thetardius Munjanu, the founder of the academy, says.

The TMA operates from the Tanidare Church Empowerment Centre at Soweto, Katutura, and this year offers trumpet, trombone, tuba, keyboard, saxophone, recorder, vocal training, guitar, music theory, composition, djembe, and woodwind lessons.

Munjanu says students will be able to play an instrument after six months of training, but there is no limit to the number of lessons they may take.

The tuition fee is N$1 500 per instrument per school term, and a registration fee of N$100 is charged.

“We do not have a fixed certificate or diploma programme, but our students take part in the certification examination offered by the Royal and Trinity schools of London,” he says.

Munjanu says the academy’s plans for 2022 include expanding its student base, and registering its certificate programme with the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA).

“It is important to see the Thetardius Music Academy as a school that gets students ready for bigger institutions, like the College of the Arts, and the University of Namibia,” he says.

The academy also wishes to raise funds through performances to invest in the school, and to acquire more donations and investors in its youth development programme.

The academy has in the past seven years trained hundreds of musicians and established its marching band, which has performed at events, such as the Oktoberfest, among others.

“Our bandsmen and choristers often have the know-how, but are not theoretically and practically accustomed to the fundamentals of music theory, because some ensembles are situated in areas where these facilities are not available.

“We aim to improve the performance of individuals and groups by providing music lectures in various genres of music and arts,” Munjanu says.

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