Nyundo, where budding artistes polish up their talents

A scarlet river makes its grand entry right at the gate of Ecole d’Arts de Nyundo, a renowned art school located in Rubavu District in Western Province and exits anonymously into a dense forest along the hedges of the school on its journey towards Lake Kivu. Crossing the short bridge, you are alerted by a huge signpost that boldly announces that you’ve arrived at the arts school. I’m ushered into the vast compound by the director of the newly established school of music, Jacques Murigande. He takes me to the school of music section but a class is in session. Therefore, I let my predatory eyes wander as I take a walk around the compound to acquaint myself with the task at hand. I count one, two, three statues raised on giant plinths. One is of a man cuddling a baby, the other one is a woman leading two children by both hands while the third one is of a man, right palm cupping his chin, perhaps contemplating about the future. For this school is all about the future. I meet a parent who has traveled from Musanze District to see her child and she tells me that at long last, her child is able to fulfill his dreams, nurtured when he was still young—to become a famous musician. “This school is a blessing to us for the students here are being trained by expert teachers and we hope that when they come out of here, they are going to make their names in the world of music,” she tells me with optimism lighting up her face. The arts school is a government initiative through Workforce Development Authority (WDA) to promote and professionalise the art industry, according to Murigande. Thirty six students were selected out of seventy six applicants who passed preliminary competitions in all provinces and Kigali city late last year in an event held at Amahoro indoor stadium. Later, when the class finally breaks up, I get the chance to sit and have interview with Joey Blake, an outstanding figure in the music world. Blake is an exceptional singer and voice artiste, a producer and associate professor at Berklee College of Music, in USA. He came to Rwanda in February during the music school’s first training week. “We provide these youth with different skills they will need to be independent in future through their talents in music,” Blake says, adding that it’s important that the current youth preserve traditional music that’s facing stiff competition from modern and imported brand of music. Blake turns philosophical and the tenor of his voice changes to magnify the big dreams that the school of music is going to realise by saying that the country is moving in the right direction to empower the youth and make them achieve their mission in life by harvesting on their innate talents. “The human spirit is strong enough and it will find you at all times when you are ready. These youth have shown that they have tremendous energy and are ready to face the world through using their talents in music. They are going to be provided with all the skills they will need to achieve their mission in life,” adding that, “when you are ready, everything is going to come your way.” He adds that the beat of African music, the beat of African drums and the vigorous dance that’s synonymous with African traditional music talks and the strong message the African music passes cannot just be wished away because we are living in modern times. “In this school of music, we realise that these youth have natural aptitude to do what they would like to do and our work as experienced musicians is to help them in harnessing those skills so that they can improve on their talents and become useful members of the society.” He says that the students need first to become familiar with the African traditional music before they can synthesize it with other music from different cultures in order to emerge with a unique hybrid that would have its roots in Rwanda’s musical heritage. Erasme Kamayireze, 25, is one of the lucky winners who emerged from Amahoro competition to be a student in the school of music. He says that all along, he had wanted to be a musician and thanks the government for its effort in ensuring that finally, he and the rest of other talented budding musicians achieve their life’s mission. “I like to play traditional music though sometimes I also play reggae music. Here, I’m learning the necessary techniques to play music and I hope that the skills I gain from here are going to profoundly influence my music in the future.” He adds that they have different tutors that teach them different skills like music composition and playing different musical instruments. “ We didn’t have such a school before and this is the most significant move the government has made in ensuring that the youth in Rwanda exploit their talent in music through teaching them all they need to improve their skills.” Kamariyeze was the winner of the final competition held in Musanze district. He is optimistic that in a few years’ time, the fruits of the music school are going to be realised since it is acting as an incubator for talent that will take Rwanda’s music a notch higher through professional skills passed on by teachers who have already established their reputations in the music industry in Rwanda and abroad. Alice Nikeza from Rusizi says the music school is already providing her with an opportunity to improve her musical talent and become famous in music in future. “We learn so many things here to do with music. Apart from that, we also have a chance to learn other aspects of life like how to live in society. This school offers us holistic approach through which we can face the future with confidence.” Nikeza says that she has all along nurtured a dream to be an M.C and a music producer and hopes that the skills she is going to get will eventually help her achieve her ambitions. Metusela Mbonimpa is busy playing a guitar outside the classrooms. Soon he’s joined by his fellow students and as his fingers work dexterously on the strings, he leads them in a song which they join in a chorus as they flail their arms in the air, that distinctive mark of Rwanda dance, Intore. When the spontaneous but invigorating sounds of his guitar dies and calm once again returns, he lifts up his face and tells me that he knew from when his eyes opened to the world that he was destined to be a musician. “Music was in my blood and it has been circulating in there. I started liking traditional music when I was young and I was fascinated by how the musicians of then performed. It was beautiful and enthralling. It was something magical and I convinced myself that I would follow my dreams to be like them. That dream is what has brought me to Nyundo and I’m still chasing it,” he says. But this place is not only about music. There’s also an arts school and several students also come out to express their hopes and challenges they are facing. Innocent Mugisha, 19-year-old and plastic arts students at Ecole d’Art de Nyundo, who scooped the first prize in drawing in “Kwibuka 20” as part of activities for commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi’s says that even though they are learning a lot of skills in the art school, senior government officials should visit them and learn some of their concerns. “We feel that music is being promoted more than arts though this shouldn’t be the case for all of us are youth and want to improve on our respective talents,” he says. Walking once more past the gate, the river carrying the flotsam and jetsam of life symbolizes the ephemeral nature of life. But when I look back at the immobile statues that have probably been there for several years, the permanence of the dreams of the students at Ecole d’art de Nyundo comes to mind, the dreams they all have expressed will make them chart a new course in their lives.