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Inspirational Band Brings TC Audience to Its Feet

Teacher's College - Columbia University

Liyana, the unlikely and exuberant group of young musicians from Zimbabwe who overcame their physical disabilities to win the Crossroads Africa Inter-regional Music Festival, brought hundreds of New York City schoolchildren to their feet at TC’s Cowin Center on January 27.

“I am enjoying each and every second of performing here in New York,” said Prudence Mabhena, the band’s lead vocalist. “Of course, it’s cold—but, hey, it’s all nice. Coming to America has been my biggest, biggest dream, and performing on stage in New York at a place like this is just great. And the kids—wow. This is a fantastic place. I love America.”

The Harlem students and their teachers—and a number of TC faculty, staff and students—clapped along to the music during Liyana’s two performances at the Cowin Center, at one point rising to their feet during a raucous, festive song that drew loud cheering from the schoolchildren and big smiles from the performers. The success of the eight self-taught musicians, ranging in age from 17 to 23, is remarkable because in Zimbabwe disability is often associated with witchcraft, and those with disabilities are usually shunned.

At TC, the band members, who make their own instruments, blended a mix of marimbas, African drums, shakers, pianos and vocals to create their signature driving, percussive sound that fans and critics have described as “Afro-fusion.”

“Every time we perform we get a great impression from people,” said Mabhena, who lost her legs when she was 11 and has only modest use of one hand, the result of a rare congenital disorder known as arthrogryposis. “People seem to enjoy our music and whenever I’m on stage, it’s the perfect time for me.”

To broaden the educational impact of the event, TC faculty have developed companion classroom materials with a focus on global culture, which are being posted on Liyana’s tour Web site (http://liyanatour.com/learn.cfm). Teachers will be able to download the materials and use them to develop lesson plans in music and social studies instruction and to train teachers of children with disabilities.

“While children grow from exposure to the band and the music, we think it’s also important to provide teachers with concrete ideas to connect the concert-going experiences with mandated curricula, to optimize deeper learning,” said Harold Abeles, Professor of Music and Co-Director of the Center for Arts Education Research at Teachers College.

Emily Zemke, coordinator of TC’s Office of Community and School Partnerships, said that students from 13 Harlem schools attended the two Liyana performances at the Cowin Center, as well as a school in the Bronx for children with cerebral palsy. OCSP sponsored the Liyana concerts at TC.

“I would love to see more of this kind of thing in the future,” said Zemke, who coordinated the event. “It’s really a question of people knowing that we can do this, and of the schools coming to recognize us as a source of these kinds of opportunities and a venue for bringing the school community in Harlem together.”

The band, which writes its own songs, is on a month-long tour of the United States, having already performed at Stanford University, Disneyland and the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. The tour is co-produced by the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a mobile recording studio that provides students the opportunity to make music, and the Jonathan Plutzik and Lesley Goldwasser Family Foundation. The word “liyana” means “it’s raining” in Ndebele, one of the three official languages of Zimbabwe—where, because the country often is plagued by drought, rain represents blessings and good fortune.

One of the two Liyana concerts also featured a performance by Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza, and both shows included a video showing of photography by Boston-based photojournalist Bobby Sager, featuring children from around the world. In addition, an all-girl a cappella group, The Eightnotes, from the Park School in Baltimore, also performed.

The concert will be posted on the Office of School and Community Partnerships Web page at http://www.tc.columbia.edu/oscp/liyana.htm.

Something like this should be parked outside of every school in America.

- Vernon Reid, Living Colour

The Headlines

  • BBC News: Yoko Ono Launches Lennon Educational Bus in Liverpool

    Yoko Ono has visited Liverpool to launch a bus which will tour Europe and be used by young people to make music. John Lennon's widow unveiled the bus at the Museum of Liverpool before it sets out for London and the rest of Europe. Young people will be able to take part in workshops and produce music, video and photography projects inside the bus's recording studios. Yoko Ono said it felt fitting to launch the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus in the former Beatle's hometown. To continue reading, click here

  • Liverpool Echo, UK: Yoko Ono and Kerry Katona visit Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

    Yoko Ono and Kerry Katona helped put a smile on the faces of young patients as they paid an emotional visit to Alder Hey. John Lennon’s famous widow pledged her support by agreeing to become an honorary patron of Alder Hey Children’s Charity. Mum-of-four Kerry also stopped by yesterday as part of a fundraising day for the West Derby hospital. Yoko joined children to create a piece of music on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus which launched on Wednesday at the Museum of Liverpool. To continue reading, click here

  • Reuters: Yoko Ono Launches New Music Scheme In Europe

    John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono helps launch The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus aimed at providing support for new musicians across Europe. Sarah Mills reports. To watch the full news piece, click here

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