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Kundai Marunya Arts Correspondent
Talented musician and music producer Clive “Mono” Mukundu is ecstatic ahead of his international tour that will see him holding lectures in the United States.

Mukundu will be leaving for the US tomorrow for a cultural exchange programme in Detroit, Michigan.

He will be giving lectures at Michigan State University through the Zimbabwe Cultural Centre of Detroit (ZCCD), an organisation that fosters cultural exchange and fellowships between local artists/ arts practitioners with their US counterparts.

The musician has decried lack of recognition by local educational institutions despite his vast knowledge acquired through 30 years of experience in the industry.

Mukundu said it feels great to be recognised by international institutions.

“Locally most institutions do not value someone’s experience. They just value academic qualifications, of which some people might have academic qualifications but without much to offer musically.

“I’ve never been invited to lecture at any Zimbabwean institution; I’m just invited to album launches and other seminars, but in US your experience in the field is considered just like academic qualifications,” he said.

Mukundu only bears a national certificate in music which has seen most local music institutes shying away from engaging him to conduct lectures despite his musical genius, experience and vast knowledge.

“99 percent of what I know is from the streets, but I also have a national certificate in music from Zimbabwe College of Music,” he said.

Mukundu has been to the US four times for performances. This is however, his first time he will be travelling to deliver lectures in the country.

“My lecture will be basically about Zimbabwean music and guitar but basing on Jit music,” he said.

After his invite to Michigan State University, Mukundu was also engaged by other US academic institutes for lectures but had to turn them down due to time constraints.

“I had received a few more invitations from other universities when they heard that I would be at Michigan State University. Unfortunately I had applied for a short-term visa because I had told the organisers that I want to come back home early because of studio work,” he said.

Apart from delivering lectures, Mukundu will collaborate with US artistes.

“I will collaborate with a US producer, Everett for a fusion recording, then I will collaborate with a top dancer/choreographer called Haleem Strings for a performance,” he said.

ZCCD has for years been initiating collaborations and cultural exchange programs between local and Detroit artistes.

They were able to take artistes like Masimba Hwati to Detroit while bringing Haleem Strings to Zimbabwe where he collaborated with local dance Francis “Franco Slomo” Dhlakama.