Music Computer Workshop - Konjila - Report + Feedback

Details

Created: Wednesday, 15 October 2003 00:00

 
“Konjila” ( chiTonga for “come in”)

a music and computer workshop held at Binga ITC from 16 – 20 September 2003

listen to "konjila" , a sample of the outcome of the workshop.

see images of the workshop.

Focus: Using computers for the teaching, learning and recording of music

Resource Persons

Klaus Hollinetz (for AZFA)
Keith Goddard (Kunzwana Trust)

12 participants

5 Teachers Binga (Various Schools)
1 Teacher Victoria Falls (Mosi Sec School)
2 Musicians Binga (Simonga)
2 Research Binga (Batonga Museum)
1 Lecturer Bulawayo (United college of education)
1 Artist Zambia (Choma Museum)

 The workshop started on Wednesday 16-09-03 with an exploration of sine tones versus noise and how sine tones may be distinguished from noise by studying the waves for both sine tones and noise. Various aspects of sound waves such as amplitude were also covered. Participants learnt to use the minidisc recorder and in the afternoon all workshop participants went to Siachilaba where a field recording of the Simonga group performing was done.

On the second day the recording of Simonga was then used to go through the various steps of editing, which covered the analysing, filtering and converting of the audio file to mp3 for uploading onto the Internet. The afternoon session was disrupted due to technical problems with the computer and the participants then went out to collect more sounds while the computer was being attended to.

On the third day the audio material from the first and second days was then used together to come up with a composition, which the participants entitled “Konjila”, which is Tonga for “come in”.

To come up with the final product, it was necessary to separate the drums as well as the Nyele (horns) from the Simonga recording. Other sounds used were those of footsteps, dripping water, children in a class, the school bell ringing, a door opening and banging, among others. All the sounds were recorded and edited by the participants as part of the workshop.

A challenge that came up as a result of the workshop was that of notating the Ngoma Buntibe Music as well as researching further on it.

The workshop was funded by the Austrian Embassy in Harare and supported by Otto Lechner & Windhund with the generous donation of a mini disc recorder. Thank you. Twalumba!!

Sengamo Ndlovu,
music teacher at Binga Highschool