Combined Schools Concert

About a dozen schools participate in a big event here that usually happens every September.  It was a bit late this year (October 1st) and happily, our girls both participated.  They were part of the orchestra (which was directed by HIS music teacher Roz Whaley) and the string orchestra (which was directed by Arianna's viola teacher and the teacher at a nearby school called Hellenic Academy).

A bit blurry because I turned off the flash to get a decent photo - but it's a pretty good size orchestra, isn't it?

One of my favorite parts of the concert was the marimbas.  I counted them and there were 45!!  You can see some up on the jumbo screens.

If you think that it was a lot of marimba players, the choir had over 500 in it!  You can see all the different school uniforms here, as well as special jackets that the prefects wear.  I think the choir students were mostly from the last two years of high school (form 6) - they had to be selective in order to fit everyone on stage.

The evening was rounded out with a Wind Ensemble (aka band), an a capella vocal group, a Big Band, and a Pipe and Drum Corps.  Yes, that's bagpipes!  One of the local schools has a strong tradition in bagpipes and the students had traveled to Scotland on the last term break.  They were joined by some players from another school that I think is a government school (most, if not all of the schools that participated are private schools).  They were my second favorite part of the night even though I'm not usually a big bagpipe fan.  The drummers were great and it was just impressive to have them all march in playing.

EZ and Sweet 16

One of the highlights of the HIS program is their Explore Zimbabwe trip that the students do in 4th-12th grades.  This year's trip for Abigail's class was going to Outward Bound Zimbabwe in a beautiful area of the Eastern Highlands.  Outward Bound is an international organization (my sister Megan has led trips for them in the US) and we were excited for Abigail's experience of adventure.

Getting ready!

 Out on the raft that Abigail's team built

Beautiful setting.

Unfortunately, on the overnight trip into the mountains there was an accident with one of the cook stoves and several students and an HIS teacher were burned.  The teacher is still hospitalized for treatments for his burns so if you are inclined to pray please keep him in your prayers.  

Arianna had been waiting to have a little "Sweet Sixteen" celebration for many weeks and we finally had scheduled it for the day after Explore Zim.  Three of the five guests happened to be the injured students from the trip, so we debated about whether or not to go ahead.  Fortunately most of the student injuries were minor and the one more severe still wanted to come and hang out.  We canceled the water fight that was scheduled and it was a good chance for the girls to spend time together after their school trips.

Hanging out after making tie die shirts

"Sweets" table - the candy buffet was a highlight!

For those of you who know Arianna, she loves to plan a party.  She has enjoyed getting ideas off of Pintrest and blogs and has even started her own blog with ideas.  Here is a sample of her handiwork - cupcake tops on pint mason jars complete with labels for different beverages.  On the sweets table you can see the Chinese takeout boxes that she made and decorated for the girls to take home their candy loot.

Raining - Part Two

I wasn't expecting to be able to write about real rain so soon after that last post, but here it is:

First grey sky we've had in months.

You can see the raindrops on the pool!  The first rain is expected around October 15th so this is unusually early.  We also had some unusually hot weather the last few days of September (October is usually the hottest right before it rains) - which still makes me laugh a bit when people say, "It's so hot" since it only gets into the low 90's with no humidity.  Nothing compared to the 4 months of heat in Paraguay.  Or even July in Philly - when it is hot and humid whenever it is hot.  Looking at the forecast I think this is pretty much an one off event - no rain in the ten day forecast after today.  But at least it will bring the "perfect" temperatures that we usually have here in Zimbabwe (80's) back for a while. 

Here is the Jacaranda in our front yard.  I hope to get into the part of Harare where the trees make a canopy over the road when the blooms peak in a few days.  With any luck, I'll have some more spectacular pictures to post.  

When it rains it pours (even in the dry season)

OK, so it's not at all raining out (I don't think there's been a single drop since we got back over a month ago).  But we've been inundated with great musicians from America (as the US is called here!).  There is a concert series here that has been underutilized in the recent past but happily had it's first concert in about a year because there was an American Piano Trio that was doing a tour in the region.  It turns out that they are from Pittsburgh!  And that I've played with the cellist in at least one symphony (and probably more).  When I saw the promotional material I wasn't totally sure but when she walked out on stage I was!

The trio (Trio Nova Mundi) was great and two of the members were able to come over the morning after the concert to join Arianna and me for breakfast (one of the benefits of online schooling).  It was great to hear a bit more of the story of their journey to Africa for a tour before they left the country for their last concert at Oprah Winfrey's school for girls in South Africa and then headed back to Pittsburgh.

So, the same day they arrived in Harare, an expert Suzuki teacher who did the first teacher training here in Harare also arrived.  She stayed for a week, spending time with the woman who runs the program at the International School here (Ivy Decker Jones).  She did three days of parent talks and Arianna attended them all (another one of those benefits of online school) which is great since she is continuing to teach.  I think it inspired her to do Suzuki teacher training when she is eligible (you have to be a high school graduate or 18).  Unfortunately, her visit coincided with the Explore Zimbabwe trips so the HIS students in middle school and high school missed the opportunity to work with her, but I think there are plans for her to return to Zimbabwe in the near future.

The day all of these people arrived in Harare happened to also be the day that I had the chance to be part of a concert of a departing Japanese pianist.  She had been here for two years and wanted to do a farewell concert and include some chamber music.  So a local violinist and I joined her in three movements from Mendelssohn Trio No. 1 which is one of my favorites.

August Visitors

Our first visitors were friends that we met on the plane to Costa Rica when we were all on our way to language school!  We were so happy to have Bob and B Nesbitt visit us soon after our trip to the UK.  They are now part of the pastoral care team for their missions agency and so were able to stop in to see us for a couple of days after their first trip in their new role.

Besides having a great time hanging out, we revisited the caves at Domboshowa - a short ride out of town.

Rocks rising up as we drove there:

 North of Harare:

 View from the Domboshowa hike:

I had warned Bob and B that the paintings were not in good shape so I think they were pleasantly surprised at what we were able to see in the one cave we visited:

 Climbing up the rock formations:

Last night of the visit:

We hope to see them again the next time they come to this region!

National Musicamp of Zimbabwe

 I love it when we get to be a part of local life and the girls and I had a great opportunity to do that last week when we went to National Musicamp of Zimbabwe.  It was held at Peterhouse Girls' School out in Marondera and these pictures are from the picnic in the park there at the girls' school.  There are animals in the park but I didn't see any.  I did see the famous Msasa trees (in these photos at the park and below) which produce lovely colored new leaves in the springtime.  Not quite as brilliant as fall leaves in the Northeast of the US, but spectacular nonetheless.

 HIS students (and friends).  Even though school was in session, the kids were excused from classes for the week because the school thinks it is a good opportunity.  I have to agree!

String players waiting around for the final rehearsal at the concert venue back in Harare - the campus of St. George's College (which is a high school in American English) - also in full spring bloom.  The conductor was Juan Luis Munoz - a Chilean who has lived in South Africa for the last twenty years.  He brought a great sense of humor to the rehearsals and really knew how to prepare the kids for a good concert. He and his wife also performed in a recital in Harare on Sunday which was excellent.

The camp was mostly large ensembles (Orchestra, String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Choir) and a bit of small ensembles of all kinds of instruments (including marimbas) and a chamber choir.  The camp was a full week long (Saturday to Saturday) and we are still tired!  But Abigail had a chance to perform as a soloist with the String Orchestra (Bach Double) and Arianna played an original fiddle tune at the Variety Show and so it's worth being tired.  

Rock Formation at Gosho Park and Msasa trees.

                                 

Chapel at Peterhouse

                   

Flowering tree at St. George's.  We had these in Paraguay so it is so nice to see them here!

First Day of School - part two!

School resumed today for Arianna and she was pretty happy to return to George Washington University's Online High School.  She is right now sitting in the first day assembly with over 100 kids who are meeting virtually.  I was probably equally as happy to login to the school this morning and feel like we were returning to a well run organization!  Arianna is a junior - can you believe it?  She is taking AP Biology and AP Spanish plus AP Psychology second semester so she will be a busy girl.