Flutist Sarah Frisof, cellist Ryan Murphy, and violist Dawn Smith traveled to Zimbabwe from August 10 to 26, 2007, where they collaborated with musicians from the Marondera Arts and Culture Village in a series of workshops and concerts promoting the preservation of traditional Shona culture by encouraging talented musicians. This component of the project helped raise funds to provide instruments for schools.
Additionally, the Cultures in Harmony contingent served as counselors, coaches, and teachers at Musicamp, a winter music camp for classical musicians from throughout southern Africa. They visited numerous orphanages including the Just Children's Foundation, and presented a benefit concert for the non-profit Eyes for Africa that raised $600 towards providing life-saving eye operations for Africans who cannot afford them. These funds enabled 145 people to regain their sight.
This project follows our first project in Zimbabwe, Project III in 2006.
For more details, please read Dawn and Sarah's travelogue about the trip. Articles appeared in the Zimbabwe Herald but are now accessible only for a fee.
During their time in Zimbabwe, Sarah, Dawn, and Ryan made the following donations of materials:
| $102 | School fees for 102 children at Epworth Primary School (about one U.S. dollar per student). As a result of these fees, these children will be able to attend school for one year. |
| $400 | Computer for the Marondera Arts and Culture Village |
| $312.71 | Instruments for the Marondera Arts and Culture Village (glockenspiels, xylophones, shakers, and recorders) |
| $150 | Lunches for all 40 students attending workshops with Marondera Arts and Culture Village for five days |
| $25 | Sheet music for use at Musicamp |
| $57 | Estimated value of food donated to Matthew Rusike Children's Home |
| $100 | Estimated value of clothes donated to the Just Children Foundation |
| $50 | Estimated value of toiletries donated to the Just Children Foundation |
In addition to this impressive total of nearly $1,200 in items donated to various organizations, Cultures in Harmony Deputy Director Sarah Frisof presented Phillip Macquire, the director of Musicamp, with a cash contribution of $1,000 towards the operation of Musicamp, without which Musicamp would not have been able to operate this year.
Cultures in Harmony extends a special thank-you to the underwriters of Project VI: the Samuels Foundation, the U.S. Embassy, and Dianne McKeever. Their generous gifts, and the support of all our donors, enabled us to make these donations that have such a tremendous impact on Zimbabwe. One hundred and two youngsters who would not have otherwise been able to go to school were able to attend in 2007-2008, thanks to our donors and thanks to Sarah for taking the initiative in making this donation.
- Paul Engelstad, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, for his support and for throwing the reception
- Dr. Solomon Guramatunhu, for hosting the musicians at his home, treating them to numerous meals, and presenting them in concert
- Onias Horiwa, founder and director of the Marondera Arts and Culture Village, for organizing the workshops and concert
- Phillip Macquire, director of Musicamp, for being such a communicative and helpful collaborator, and Cathy Macquire, for being such a wonderful surrogate mother to everyone at Musicamp
- Oliver Horiwa, Mozyce Ngombe, Jeffresy Chasi, and Lorraine for helping out with the workshops
- Ronald Badza, for making the DVD, and Gabriel, for helping him and for emceeing
- Kalisto from Showman Tours, for giving us a good deal on ground transportation, and especially Gilbert, our driver
- Walter Klauss, the conductor at Musicamp; Hanne and Hovard, the Norwegian wind and brass instructors; and Di Wright and Caby (strings), for being such good colleagues
- The College of Music, for the tour
- The cooking staff at Godfrey Hudgins School in Marondera for the delicious lunches
- Jayne During, Director of the Kuaba Humanitarian Foundation, for invaluable information regarding on-the-ground conditions in Zimbabwe
- Marie Bosman and Francois Le Roux, for connecting us to Phillip Macquire and Musicamp
