Zvondai Muchenje Honoured with Ontario Arts Foundation Artist Educator Award
Toronto, February 19, 2020 – Zvondai Muchenje is the recipient of the $10,000 Ontario Arts Foundation Artist Educator Award. The award is given annually to an Ontario resident who exemplifies excellence in arts education.
About Zvondai Muchenje
Ottawa Baha’i musician Zvondai Muchenje has been sharing his love for music, teaching African hand drums and marimbas to students for over ten years. He leads workshops in secondary schools and classes for children and adults in the community.
As a child Zvondai played drums in his native Zambia and as a teenager he learned marimba, playing by ear the traditional music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. After coming to Ottawa, he continued to share his passion for marimba, forming “The Colour of Diversity” band, composed of his students. The band plays at several community events in Ottawa including at senior residences, Multifaith Housing Initiative events, Baha’i activities, and the Ottawa Community Housing projects.
About the Award
The Ontario Arts Foundation Artist Educator Award recognizes an Ontario resident who exemplifies excellence in arts education, demonstrates a unique approach to their arts education practice, creates meaningful learning experiences for young people, inspires connections to the arts beyond the classroom and continues to maintain an active arts practice.
The Ontario Arts Foundation established and manages the endowment that funds the Artist Educator Award. The Ontario Arts Council is responsible for the selection process. The award recipient is selected through the Ontario Arts Council’s peer assessment process from the applicants to the Artists in Communities and Schools Projects program.
Previous recipients include Chuck Commanda (2018), Yaovi Hoyi (2017), and Jamaal Rogers (2016). See the full list of previous recipients.
Source: Ontario Arts Foundation