FORTY-FOUR students from Madziwa Teachers College’s music department, who were on a recent industrial tour, made a stopover at The Charambas Fishers of Men Studio where they were introduced to various elements of the music value chain by the Charambas who were at one time affectionately labelled the Gospel Music First family in Zimbabwe.
The musical family of Charles and Olivia, now founders of the Resurrection in Christ Church, has 16 music albums that dominated both airwaves and sales over a number of years, while they have begged several awards which are in their display cabinet. Accordingly, the Charambas remain highly inspirational to many, while their children Shalom, Eternity, Mukudzei are already accomplished singers and instrumentalists in their own right.
A music lecturer at Madziwa Teacher’s College, Mavis Chimbadzwa told NewsDay Life & Style that the tour was fully supported by their institution as educational tours help in remodelling the music curriculum to best fit industrial needs.
“It is common knowledge that educational tours provide students an opportunity to improve their teaching practices and enable unequalled appraisal opportunities. Moreover, it is good to network with experts and develop positive relationships,” she said.
Another lecturer at the same college aid: “We are here to observe and appreciate how a music studio operates. We cherish and admire establishments like that of the Charambas and we wish to acquaint ourselves with the various professions that support the music industry value chain. Our principal fully supports the music department and likewise it is in our next immediate plans to own a recording studio.”
Charles, who is conversant with the Zimbabwe National Arts Council music strategy pillars, took the student teachers through a theoretical account of the creation and production activities and such areas of specialty as song writing, composition, sound recording, editing and mixing including aspects of the Copyright and Neighbouring Act.
“The studio is the maternity ward for music production. Everybody or every parent wishes to receive a perfect baby and in like manner one chooses a good or reputable hospital. Our gifts are like a pregnancy which has to be natural in order to come up with the best expected results,” said the Mhinduro Iripo hitmaker.
“As we all look at ourselves we need to take cognisance of the fact that some music or song is hidden inside us. It will only be revealed as a perfect baby through our perfect practice.
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“The studio captures your soul into a mechanical recording which becomes a tangible memory bank consumable at one’s choice,” said the veteran gospel artiste.
Charamba added that the easiest way to trace growth and development in the arts industry is to trace technological developments in a chosen field such as film, music, visual art, craft and photography. One field that moves with time is music technology, making the quality of music highly dependent on the newness of the technology as well as experience.
“Studios have been there for some time and equipment has been revolutionised over years. The choice of equipment and its supporting manpower depends on budgets, available technology and the like. A very minimum number of gadgets can be used, depending on preferred technical setups.”
Charamba highlighted that the establishment of resilient digital platforms such as Spotify, Itunes, Zolitunes, Deezer, Apple Music and Qobuz, among others, has transformed the lifestyles of recording musicians and blending between traditional and the modern methods of marketing will best suit African contexts.
The student teachers recorded two songs Rukende and Madziwa Musha Wedu Wakanaka to have a feel of what studio recording is all about.
The Charambas recorded hit albums such as Tinashe Akatendeka (1997), Johanne 3:16 (1998), Vhuserere (2000), Exodus (2001), Sunday Service (2002), Verses and Chapters (2004), New Testament in Song (2007), Daily Bread and Pashoko Pangoma, among others.
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