Namibian music academy helps nurture youth’s artistic growth

WINDHOEK, June 26 — At a community hall in Windhoek, Namibia, a group of young people eagerly blew their trumpets, showcasing their newly learned techniques during a music workshop.
“That is such an improvement. Let us try the tune again,” Thetardius Munjanu, artist and trainer, affirmed to the youthful group.
Munjanu is the founder of Thetardius Music Academy, nurturing youth’s artistic growth to help them swing into a brighter future.
The training covered music theory, fingering techniques, rhythmic exercise, and individual and band playing, and over ten youngsters with demographics comprising learners, out-of-school, and working youth taught critical aspects of music attended the workshop.
The initiative’s core objectives are two-fold, according to Munjanu.
“First, to bridge the skills gap and secondly to train. We reach out to the communities where people who have not had the opportunity to attend art schools nor have access to music production facilities to groom such talent,” he said on Sunday.
Since its establishment in 2014, the academy has capacitated thousands of youth and adults in various parts of the country. The academy also teaches the foundation of music to church groups and individual artists.
“That way, we address the skills gap deficit in the Namibian creative space,” he added.
So far, the training has impacted many, and participants believe the environment’s ambiance is ideal for personal development, he cited.
Twapa Klemens, an upcoming artist, sought the academy to improve her skills.
“I started playing the trumpet three years ago but lagged a year back. This training helped polish my skills, and I have learned a lot to aid my advancement as an artist,” she said.
Moreover, the training offered by the academy has accorded young people a chance to shadow music while they are still able to pursue their careers.
“The workshop birthed my dream to pursue my passion for music, and I am not looking back,” said Klemens.
The initiative equally hopes to keep youth off the streets, where they are prone to crime and drug and alcohol abuse. The abuse of drugs and harmful substances are some of the major social problems children and youth in Namibia face, said Bernadette Jagger, Deputy Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.
For that reason, the initiative exposes them to arts, where they learn valuable life skills. “Thus helping them build strong character, and subsequently transform their lives,” Munjanu added.
“I learned commitment, confidence, discipline, and teamwork, which will help me going forward,” said 17 years old Devin Nasab, who resorted to the training to revive his skills after a two-year hiatus.
In the interim, the academy has reached strategic agreements with other artists and institutions to amplify music education provision to locals.
“The goal is to capacitate more people and create opportunities, be it income-generating activities or brands,” Munjanu said. Enditem