LATE last year, I cited controversy on why most Government-aided schools fail to produce musical dramas; a kind of theatre I personally take great pleasure in.
Over the same matter, I received a salvo of intimate responses, one from Mervis Maseka Mbewe, a teacher in Chingola who bemoaned the state of affairs saying most teachers in Government schools were primarily qualified, but for lack of incentives, motivation, inducements, and material avoid going an extra mile in producing musical dramas.
Mervis wrote, “Musical dramas are generally expensive when you look at time and material,
which often you cannot find in Government schools. Given such inducements as encouragement and incentives, teachers are technically well equipped and capable of producing such dramas in Government-run schools.”Later, I received another mail, interestingly from Chingola again, now from a close buddy of mine Evans Kalandanya, a musical teacher at Nchanga Trust School writing that he incredibly valued the debate about musical plays. Today, I want to revisit the subject, emphatically now, andask why teachers in government-run schools have not been keen enough in producing musicals, which among other precepts enforces education like informal drama among other basics and fundamentals; song and dance, choreography and unison performance, and the like. Evans wrote, “Hi JK, allow me to echo Mervis Maseka Mbewe’ssentiments about the good job you are doing, writing about theatre particularly about theatre in Zambia.
“When I read the article on why musical plays are not generallypopular in Government aided schools, I was left with no option but to pick up my laptop and contribute to the topic, a painful scenario in Government aided schools. I am saying it is painful because our children today will grow with no knowledge about pantomimes (Musical plays) and operatic drama (plays with sung out words) this, I believe is a danger to the future of Zambian art as is evidenced today. “Take a serious glimpse, how many musical plays have been written and acted out in recent times in Zambia? If they are performed, what isthe frequency?
When I sit to reflect on the late Kwaleyela Ikafa’s musical play, ‘Kalicheli and Mawe,’ my heart bleeds that today no single musical has come up, not only outside schools, but even from the community
theatre.” Evans went on, “Let me come back to the lack of musical plays in government schools where I once worked in Kitwe at Nkana Junior Secondary then at Chingola Secondary School, now at Nchanga
Trust School. I am not condemning my friends in government schools but to simply encourage them, because they can do it, and make it.  “The issue of infrastructure is chiefly the hall, though it does not hold water. I strongly blame the lack of creativity and will power on the part of the teachers of music alongside their respective managements as the cause of lack of musical in schools. Most schools have forum areas or what we used to call assembly areas where a musical can be demonstrated. These areas, depending on how creative the teachers are, can roundly be ideal. “I have done musical plays which are normally known as concerts at such forum areas before for over sixteen years, until, recently, when we shifted into the school hall.
“What of schools with beautiful school halls where concerts are not done, not even drama clubs exist; who is to blame when teachers of music and other teachers are around? My feeling is that most teachers do not want to be creative; they want to sit by, sit on their talents, and that of their learners.”
Evans whose musicals I have watched at Nchanga Trust School such as My Father My Teacher, Bang the Drum, The Palace’ Secrets and Touched by an Angel admits that financial hardships is a point; “Like I have said, you need a strong will power from both the teachers and management to host concerts. Yes, musicals are costly, but can be managed. Like all other plays, money goes into costumes, backdrops, stage construction, advertisements and tickets.
With good planning, money invested in musicals can easily be realized with some profits.
“And generally, in school, we do not stage plays for a profit, but to help our learners develop their self esteem, confidence and build their characters.” He goes on, “Perhaps, one other reason some teachers may run away from musicals, is the big numbers of learners in the schools, but I feel, that gives an opportunity to select the most talented! This can be done with every child allowed to step their feet on stage.
Evans Kalandanya, who happens to be Chingola Arts Society’s Production Manager, and is seventeen years as a teacher advises that big schools can be divided into three for easy management; lower, middle and upper.
Concerts should never be regularly staged as we do with ordinary drama, but well planned towards the end of the year as one needs to save costs and time.
The other problem needing critical attention is that music is an inborn skill, an inert talent, and Evans asks, “How many are teachers of music born with it?“Most teachers of music teachers are not born teachers o f music, but made by colleges and universities.
And when they are made, they are still raw. What reason do we have for teachers shunning to teach music upon graduation?  This is as a result of lacking confidence.
Upon graduation most teachers become more of teachers of English as English and Music often go for a combination. Given this scenario, does anyone envisage a teacher of music to venture into concerts when they can’t thump a chord on a piano or strum a guitar’s strings? Mind you, in all these musicals, music has to be composed and played.
No recorded music is encouraged. That is how born music teachers are measured.
Tough going when you are made and not born a music teacher!,” Evans who musical Touched by an Angel was a lively performance when I traveled to watch at at Nchanga Trust School in 2013.
Admittedly, Evans said Zambia’s script writing should be encouraged, or else local drama will
remain low. There is need for workshops for teachers so that they are well equipped with the basic necessary rudiments of drama.“For any drama, first, there is need for a script, which the director will work round and build the actors on. If good scripts cannot be found as it is with instruments, then the success of musicals and ordinary drama will be absent too.
Summarily, Evans reminisces, “For born musical teachers, hindrances in succeeding producing musical is not a problem; because they always carry with them their ‘God given instrument – the
voice.’ “While a pupil in Secondary school, I effectively and successfully made use of the God-given instrument; my voice which led to the birth of what we called ‘the Mighty Bwacha Secondary School Choir’ in 1980 in Kitwe. After my graduation from Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts, I assembled one of the best choirs on the Copperbelt, ‘The Ever Green Chingola High School choir.’ Those that were there will recall, and agree with me.
The school had no instruments, but we sang wonders. Let us not hide behind the ugly face of lack of instruments.
Be creative and use what you have.”Evans further advises fellow teachers of music and administrators to go by the maxim, ‘When you know what you love, you will love what you know! This will be the beginning of good music programs in schools.
It is only when people start appreciating your input are they going to give you the support you
need, do not keep crying! Thank you Evans Kalandanya, and hope to hear from you this year.
Well, I am sure the National School Arts Association of Zambia team led by David Asumani has followed this, and this year, one school might come up with a musical during the festival.
And what I generally know is that school administrators are not difficult so long they see what the teachers are doing.
Head teachers know that a good school is one that which nurtures the youngstar’s character, building them into confident individuals.
Try out a musical this year in 2015; this is where private schools make a mark!