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ART and FREEDOM
: Reflections of a Zimbabwean pianist through images, poetry and
music. In 2006 and 2007 I presented this celebration of Zimbabwe and its music in the United States at Long Island University, Brookville; at the Unitarian Church of All Souls Church, New York City; and at the East Hampton Music Series, East Hampton, Long Island. (* traditional African thumb piano) |
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MUSIC and ZIMBABWE Intended for school audiences, this introduction to the music of Zimbabwe includes images, interactive music, poetry and storytelling. It can be tailored to last between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the age group of the audience and the time available. |
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Chapin School |
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Gil Hodges School |
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Central Park East School
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| Reviews From the Tour | |||
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Long Island University
“Through the eyes of Zimbabwean pianist Jeanette Micklem we were able to enter an inner experience of Africa like none other before. Her presentation of images and poetry from Zimbabwe, along with her performance of Maurice Ravel's “Jeux d'eau” and Zimbabwean composer Paul Renan-Zelezniak's “Mbira Chorale,” was an infusion of adventure, beauty, and suffering brought to life by her insight and intense love of her country.” “Jeanette Micklem's extraordinary ability to express Art and Freedom through her reflections was profound and touching. It has left an impression in our hearts, minds, and souls forever.” Professor Stephanie D. Watt Chair of the Department of Music Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus Brookville , New York , U.S.A. |
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| Southern African Music
by David Swickard (excerpts) “The subtext of the concert was that Zimbabwe has, from its hopeful beginnings, become a nation whose economy is in tatters, where poverty and unemployment are endemic and political strife and repression commonplace. The fortunes of Zimbabwe have for more than two decades been tied to president Robert Mugabe, once seen as a nation liberator who wrested control from a small white community and put the country on a stable course....” “The program itself harked back to an earlier and happier time. It began with a performance of the mbira and piano concerto recorded in 1990 by the Musica Viva chorus and orchestra of All Souls Church in New York City and commissioned to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence....” “Ms. Micklem in her comments rightly observed that the work can be seen as a programmatic celebration of the beauty of the panoramic vistas of Zimbabwe and as an aural dialogue about its biological and geological diversity. Indeed, the visual images that Ms. Micklem presented in her slide show hauntingly echoed the aural experience….” “Her performance was a delicious combination of delicate but precisely articulated playing that subtly developed quiet passages of repose and poignant peace, coupled with a surprising physical and emotional strength in the more powerful passages.” “The passion reflected in her playing gave evidence of the immediacy and strength of her commitment to the music and to the land she loves. She is a pianist to be reckoned with and to whom more people should be listening.” Click this link to see the full text -> (The East Hampton Star, March 8, 2007) |
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The Gil Hodges School “Thanks to your professional relationship with our own musician, singer Nonie Donato, many of our students were treated to a magical trip to a faraway land where all forms of art were interwoven to instruct the children about another culture…” “The slides of the landscape and of the beautiful animals of Zimbabwe , as well as of the people, helped to bring an understanding of another world to our children. Thank you again for gracing our school with your talents and generosity.” Frank A. Cimino (Principal) The Gil Hodges School 2515 Avenue L, Brooklyn , New York , U.S.A |
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