Primary Music Exchange with the John Mackenzie School in Botswana

On Thursday and Friday, 7-8 September, our Grade 4 and 5 students will engage in collaborative music projects with students from the John Mackenzie school in Botswana. To provide some background, Simon Kalomo, a Zambian music teacher who taught at ISL for many years, is now based in Botswana and teaches music at the John Mackenzie School in Francistown. Simon has created a music ensemble called the JMS ensemble with upper primary and high school students at his school. The ensemble is a combination of voice, marimba, and western instruments. The ensemble has performed at AISL during the music camp week in 2015 and were a hit! Simon has organised a week long residential trip for the students in Lusaka. From the 2nd to the 9th of September, the group will tour and have concerts at schools in Lusaka. They will be at AISL on the 7th and 8th of September working with our Grade 4 and 5 students for one lesson each. They will spend the rest of their time with the middle and high school music students. The whole primary school will get a chance to see them perform at PALS on Friday the 8th and then the JMS ensemble will have a public performance in front of the PAC next to the Friday Market from 1:30-2:30. All families are welcome to grab a picnic blanket and some lunch and join us for some amazing music! 

---