Teachers from five Grahamstown schools learned a thing or two about their pupils in the making of the collaborative CD, Peace, which was launched on Friday.
Teachers from five Grahamstown schools learned a thing or two about their pupils in the making of the collaborative CD, Peace, which was launched on Friday.
High school pupils from Mary Waters, Victoria Girls' High School, Nombulelo Secondary School, Nathaniel Nyaluza Public Secondary School and Benjamin Mahlasela Secondary School joined forces to record the album last year.
Victoria Girls' High School teacher, Sarah Hanton, said the recording process had been an eye-opener. It had been really interesting hearing the girls rapping, she said.
All the songs were written by the pupils and were performed on Global Peace Day on 21 September, 2011.
The album comprises five tracks: Umanyano, Just to let you know you're forgiven, Are you aware yet?, Hold on tight and Akhonto inolunga ngaphandle koxolo.
The theme of the album is awareness and peace.
They were produced by the Village Scribe Association – an NGO working in Grahamstown through AwareNet – in collaboration with Sonic Art Studio and SOTA Productions.
AwareNet works in local schools to improve pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, as well as teach practical life skills.
Speaking to a Grocott's Mail reporter before the event, AwareNet's community co-ordinator Terri-Lynn Penney explained that the songs selected for the album were the winners in the organisation's schools peace song competition in 2011.
Hip-hop group Teen Legacy kick-started the event with a lively set.
That got the mood going and afterwards teachers and pupils danced together to Peace.
One of the young singers, Zandile Klaas, said because they were choir members, they understood music – but recording the CD had been their first time doing rap.
The CD is on sale for R60.
Half of this money will go to cover production costs (materials and labour) and R30 goes to ensuring a repeat of the project this year.
Buy it at the AwareNet office at 9 Florence Street, or contact Terri-Lynn Penney at 046 422 7507 or terri@villagescribe.org.
The best song, which was performed by Mary Waters High School students, won them a custom-made music video. Watch the video in the box on the right!
