March 27th, 2025New generation loving the rhythms of Africa
The powerful rhythms of Africa are not only coming to Creswick, they’re becoming part of the lives of a whole new generation of locals.
In the lead up to CresFest (April 4-6) children at each of the town’s three primary schools are participating in some pretty special workshops, learning how to play African drumming rhythms and to sing traditional African songs.
Ghanaian musician and master drummer Kofi Kunkpe and acclaimed local musician and music educator Stella Savy are leading the workshops.
The children will then get to perform what they’ve learned as part of the free Rhythms of African Extravaganza that’s set to transform a large whack of the town’s main street on Saturday April 5 at 4pm as part of the festival.
Stella, who is also co-director of the festival says it’ll be a prime chance for everyone and anyone to enjoy the sounds of Africa and get involved in the fun themselves.
The African extravaganza and the in-school workshops have been enabled with a $17,6000 grant through the federal government’s Festivals Australia grants initiative. It’s also seen Stella go into the schools earlier this term to teach the African songs in original languages.
“They are singing in about five different Ghanaian languages,” says Stella whose gift for teaching Aussies of all ages to sing in multicultural languages is the stuff of local legend.
Stella says the funding has been particularly valuable for the local schools in delivering music education for the students, particularly as two of the three local schools do not otherwise have music programs already in place.
“It’s a great joy seeing kids learn new things,” Kofi Kunkpe told The Local in the lead up to the in-school workshops.
The charismatic Ghanaian musician says the experience of stepping out of normal routine and into a different musical world is often transformative and surprising for the children, and also for parents hearing what their kids have learned.
“At the end of the day, when they get it, it makes me happy,” Kofi said.
The Rhythms of Africa Extravaganza will also feature other talented musos including Creswick Drum Circle, and the Creswick Chorus who have also been busy learning songs in original languages especially for the event.
“We’ve got a world class music festival happening in this town so I think it’s fantastic for the children to have this opportunity to interact with it in a real way,” Stella says.
“To have an opportunity to perform at a big event like that is the kind of thing that they’ll remember for the rest of their life.
“The main thing that I see is joy. Kids who are allowed to be loud and move and sing and dance and I know that they’re all going to love playing the drums with Kofi.
“And that in itself is worth it. In these times, joy is not always easy to find. That’s where music plays a crucial role in everyone’s life.”
The wider CresFest festival features a great multicultural diversity of top national and international music talent and CresFest co-director Judy Turner says if you haven’t already it’s time to move fast and snap up a ticket.
Words: Eve Lamb.
