New album •

Purchase the album

_______________________________________________________________

23 February 2011
Roots 2 • During two weeks in january 2011, Gimo Mendes and Lars E. Christiansen from World Music Center (WMC) worked in Mozambique with the five teacher teams in workshops, teaching cases and dialogues.

The teachers learned different songs, rhythms and melodies which are relevant to their future meeting with school children in Mozambique. Through teaching cases they learned different methods to get a pedagogical successful result. For instance what key to sing in and what range of tonality you can expect when you are teaching children.

We also discussed the importance of teaching music in relation to a visible pulse, just to mention one of many things and situations.

To keep the musical focus on traditional music and dance WMC had engaged two teachers from Companhia Nacional de Canto e Dança and another group named Tufo. They all contributed with a fantastic enthusiasm, and the young teachers learned some traditional songs, rhythms and dances.

Based on Gimo Mendes’ own experiences, he motivated and encouraged the young teachers to get organised and to create projects, concerts, workshops and networks especially in Mozambique.

We also emphasized the importance that each of them should do their best to exploit their musical and pedagogical skills and personal talents, and to compose music and write songs in the tradition of Mozambique. We encouraged the young teachers to be ambitious in the field of teaching music.

Information
Through the contacts of Gimo Mendes we had a fine press coverage, which has been invaluable to the project. We were interviewed by newspapers like Noticias de Moçambique and the Radio Moçambique.

Evaluering og samarbejde
Mozambique needs music teachers that are specially qualified in teaching music to children in a pedagogical and interactive way. With this project WMC has shown that musicians can be trained to teach at schools. And the children will get music training with traditional instruments, songs and dance. To work with this group of 10 musicians with so much talent, creativity and energy has been a pleasure. They have received the Roots Project with great enthusiasm and made it possible to become a success.

_______________________________________________________________


19 January 2010
In cooperation with the Viborg School of Music, Gimo Mendes coordinates a workshop for music school teachers and older students on 20 January 2010. Gimo Mendes has brought together three talented artists from two continents: "Modou" Traore from Senegal, Jomo Silveira and "Jiló" Pereira, both from Brazil. All three are profesional choreographers and percussionists.

All participants can look forward to three very exciting and intense workshops.

Later the same day can all look forward to the first 2010 concert with a well prepared and enthusiastic Gimo Mendes Band. After practicing hard we warmly to share your music out and give everyone a fantastic concert experience.

_______________________________________________________________


10 November 2009
Gimo Mendes has brought together a group of unique and powerful musicians from home and abroad who are engaged in preparing a series of concerts in 2010.

Meanwhile, Gimo Mendes has started to prepare new songs for his next album, which is also expected to be ready in 2010. This will be his most powerful album to date.

The concert series, which takes place both in Denmark and Mozambique, will further the artistic and cultural bridge Gimo Mendes has helped to launch in recent years in Mozambique. The tour will be named 'Ponte', and the first concert is part of the opening of the Salaam Film Festival in Aalborg (see: salaam.dk).

Gimo Mendes says: "My music belongs in the places where people meet, where ideas grow, where we cross-culturally can create understanding, development, new options, a sense of togetherness and a positive atmosphere.

_______________________________________________________________


21 June 2009
Gimo Mendes has spent the last two years travelling to and from Moçambique, where he has not only consulted, but also served under both an advisory and teaching capacity for several exciting projects namely:

• WORLD MUSIC CENTER: a side project under the heading “Roots” which deals with creating an understanding of the values of traditional Moçambiquan music and bringing it to the fore within the music school. Gimo Mendes’ latest trip deals with trying to bring more musicians into the project and educate them in assimilating the music into the teaching in the music school and in September 2009 the first attempt at this will be evaluated in the form of the school holding several concerts.

• The Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Aarhus has taken the initiative towards a cooperative project between conservatoriums in 10 different countries in Scandinavia and Africa. The Glomus project will have its first campus in Ilha de Moçambique in August of 2009. Here students will be able to meet for workshops, idea-exchanging and networking. Gimo Mendes says, “I am very proud that the first campus will be in Ilha de Moçambique. Apart from being the region where I grew up, the area has a large historical importance and contains a wealth of music and musicians.”.

• One of Gimo’s oldest visions is becoming a reality in the form of a mutually beneficial project between the Danish embassy in Moçambique and the women in Ilha de Moçambique; to create and support development for the 10 traditional women’s groups who have carried the traditional Tofu music from the area through the generations. Unfortunately, time has not been on the women’s side as they have only been able to cater to the occasional tourist or VIP party. Economically, they have been unable to support their music as a lot of their time has gone into supporting their families.
This project will open up new possibilities for them, financially, and allow them to strengthen the development of their strong music and dancing traditions. “I am very grateful for the strong warmth and support I have been met with from the side of the Danish ambassador, Johnny Flentø.”, says Gimo Mendes.

• In the spring of 2009, Gimo Mendes took part in the UNESCO project, Education For All, which was held in Denmark under the auspices of IBIS entitled Hele verden i skole (The World in School). Together with the amazing and talented children and teachers at St. Anna’s school, he was in charge of the launch concert at Christiansborgs Slotsplads (King Christian IV’s palace). See photos here.

• As chairman of Artists Take Action, Gimo Mendes stated in January of 2009 that the ongoing effort in Denmark to collect hospital equipment and school supplies is starting to bear fuit; a container loaded with said supplies was gratefully received by the citizens of Ilha de Moçambique, preceding a range of festivities for that day.

_______________________________________________________________

• The Mozambique Union of Journalists offers to co-operate with the network Artists Take Action.

Read the letter...

• The Ministry of Culture and Education in Mozambique has issued a ‘Carta Abonatória’ (Letter of Warranty) for Gimo Mendes. A ‘letter of warranty’ in this case means ‘a personal and specific recommendation given by an authority’ to Gimo Mendes and his activities promoting culture and society of Mozambique.

Here is a translation of the letter:

República de Moçambique
Ministério da Educação e Cultura
Direcção Nacional da Cultura

Letter of Warranty

The cultural policy and strategies for their implementations stimulate the participation of the civil society in cultural life, creation of infrastructures for this purpose, aid, organisation and financing of cultural programmes as well as they make of the arts culture an instrument in the promotion of welfare and economic and social development.

The initiatives for fundraising and investments for the cultural area and others within the social field fit into this context.

In this way, and in order to contact the various interested national and international entities, the present aims at dignifying and granting Mr. Abdul Remane António Mendes (or simply Gimo Mendes),

Av. 24 de Julho n° 167-14° Andar - Tel. 21.490268 – Caixa Postal n° 34. drosario(a)mec.gov.mz MAPUTO

_______________________________________________________________