The Sunday Mail
Desire Ncube
THE Methodist Church in Zimbabwe will next month hold its two-day annual national music convention in Harare.
The event will start on November 21 at Harare Exhibition Park.
More than 50 choirs from the church’s nine districts (Harare East, West and Central; Kadoma; Marondera; Masvingo; Gweru; Hwange and Bulawayo East) are expected to perform.
Event organiser Bishop Daniel Muzenda said this year’s convention would honour and celebrate the life of Charles Wesley, who penned most of the songs in their hymn book.
“As the church we saw it prudent to uses this year’s music convention to celebrate the work and life of our founder John Wesley’s younger brother, Charles, who wrote a number of songs that we sing as Methodists,” said Bishop Muzenda.
“This is an annual event and we have been planning since January and now we are only waiting for the day. We have categorised the choirs into five groups A, B,C,D and E.
“In group C we have choirs that use ngoma nehosho, this group is mainly for the elderly but it’s not limited to them as we also have other young people who are keen and passionate about these instruments.
“Group B is mainly for small choirs, while group A is slightly above group B but also caters for small choirs.
‘‘The biggest tussle will be in group D. We normally call it the group of death. This is the group that mainly features renowned choirs.
“The last is group E, which caters for our younger generation; the youths who uses modern instruments such as keyboards, guitars, pianos, flutes and other modern instruments.”
Bishop Muzenda said all choirs would sing two songs, one of their wn choice and another selected by organisers.
Methodist Church in Zimbabwe education secretary Reverend Elliot Mashonganyika said they wanted to use the convention to support construction of Southern Africa Methodist University starting in 2016.
