RUTENDO MACHIRIDZA OFF TO EUROPE

In 2012 with her band Savannah Afros, Rutendo Machiridza won the National Competition Finals for Music Crossroads held on the 21^st January on First Street. The band proceeded to Maputo, Mozambique for the Inter-Regional Finals where they came second from a total of six Southern African bands from Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Rutendo was awarded an Ethno-world award for being the most outstanding performer at the regional finals and is scheduled to tour three countries in Europe end of June this year.

Ethno-world is a folk/traditional music festival that takes place annually in several European countries such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark and starting this year Tanzania.  It features young musicians between the ages of 18 and 25, giving them a platform to share and exchange ideas in collaboration with ethno organisations such as Jeunesses Musicales International and Music Crossroads International.

Ethno –world is a wonderful opportunity for cultural music exchange as it features young musicians from all over the world. It is conducted on a one-teach-one basis, workshops and jam sessions which are put together under the supervision of musical mentors after which concerts are put up.

Rutendo is a young musician, fronting vocalist for the band Savannah Afros.  They made their debut appearance at HIFA this year as Savannah Afros where they put up a sterling performance in the Coke-Green.  Rutendo has performed regularly at the Book Café and at the Zimbabwe–German Society’s Acoustic Nights as well as at several live music joints in Harare.   She has participated in several competitions such as the ‘A’ Academy where she made it into the top 20 in 2007. She also made it into the UMOJA Cultural Flying Carpet in 2011, where she performed together with artists from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Norway and Mozambique. Whilst part of the  UMOJA team of 2011, Rutendo toured Zimbabwe performing at various venues. Currently she is participating in the Starbrite Competition and has reached the last round of the competition.

At 21,  Rutendo holds a National Certificate in Music from the Zimbabwe College of Music and says she would like to further her studies.

In the past bands like Bongo Love, Club Shanga, Mokoomba, Gwarimba, African Destiny have won the Music Crossroads competition and toured Europe several times.  Mokoomba and Bongo Love continue to enjoys regular tours in Europe and the United States respectively.

Rutendo leaves Harare for Stockholm, Sweden on the 28^th  June then proceeds to Zagreb, Croatia on the 8^th of July.  She makes her last stop in Copenhagen, Denmark and returns home at the end of July.

By Batsirai E Chigama