About the Organization

The Dhow Countries Music Academy Zanzibar (DCMA) is a non-profit, cultural and educational institution which has operated Zanzibar’s first music school since 2002. The school provides music lessons as well as instruments at minimal cost to anyone interested in studying music or acquiring mastery of an instrument and currently has about 150 active students at its main facility in Stone Town and at a village branch in Mahonda.

Particular emphasis is placed on teaching traditional instruments commonly used in the various local music styles, such as Taarab, Beni and Kidumbak. Most of the teachers at the academy come from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania and are accompanied by volunteer teachers from partner schools from Europe and the Middle East.

Subjects currently being offered at DCMA:
Instrument lessons: Oud, Qanun, Violin, Trumpet, Accordion, Piano, Guitar, Ngoma, Tablah, Ney, Keyboard.
Group Classes: Music Theory, Music Appreciation, Maqam
Ensemble classes: Taarab, Kidumbak, Beni, Western Band

In addition to regular music lessons, DCMA runs an outreach program targeting children in schools and in villages (including on the sister island of Pemba) with an objective of spreading music and performing arts training to the wider community.

The school provides a unique opportunity for the inhabitants of Tanzania and the Dhow Region to study music related to their cultural background. Special emphasis is placed on broadening the educational opportunities for youth, children and women with financial support from our own scholarship fund, separate from the donor funds that sustain the Academy.

Job Description

Interns will be involved in one or more of the following roles. Applicants should indicate in their application the role that that they are best suited for.

1. Teaching music teachers: Instruct and impart skills for effective lesson planning, teaching methodology (didactics), student assessment, record keeping and report writing.
2. Creating arts performances & workshops: Instruct and impart skills in the creative production of performances. This may occur through individual advice and mentoring or through the design and delivery of workshops, taking into consideration such dynamics as the objective, age of participants/audience, time/duration, etc.
3. Arts & Social Development for Children: Assist in the training of teachers currently involved in teaching music lessons to children in various schools in Zanzibar and Pemba. Training may include general teaching didactics but should focus more specifically on music and arts education for children.
4. Web developer: Assist in the further development of the DCMA website. DCMA particularly seeks innovative ideas for interactive possibilities and the documentation of online communication (e.g. networking with online radios etc).
5. Arts Journalism: Interns with journalistic skills may work on improving the arts journalism skills of the DCMA public relations staff. The DCMA public relations focus is not only aimed at promoting DCMA but the arts in general (currently with no dedicated platform). Specific tasks might be in training our staff in creative writing and in the process revive the DCMA magazine.

# of Positions per term

1-2

Start Dates

Internship not available during Ramadan (August 18 to September 29, 2009)

Duration of Internship

12 weeks to six months

Academic Background

Relevant majors include music, performing arts, arts education, computer science and journalism.

Skills/Experience

For positions 1-3: Training in music or performing arts, also arts Training experience preferred
For position 4: IT, web design
For position 5: journalism, creative writing

Language Ability

English required. Swahili preferred but not required.

Other Requirements

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.

IE₃ Program Fee

The program fee* for the first term of any internship is $2950 - $3150. You do not pay tuition in addition to the program fee. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

*The program fee noted above reflects the anticipated fee increase that will go into effect for the Fall 2010 term and will apply to all terms thereafter.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
International Travel	$2500
Visa Fees	$120
Recommended Immunizations	$440

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	$300
Food	$300
Local Transportation	$60
Recreation	$100
Personal Expenses	$50

Compensation

None

Additional Expense Information

Accommodation in private bedroom in shared apartment in Stone Town. Most apartments are walking distance from the DCMA facility. Homestays may also be arranged upon request.

DCMA is a relatively young organization and the first and only fully fledged arts training institution in Zanzibar. Despite its profile and international appeal, DCMA has a small student population of mostly men above the age of 25 years even though more and more female students are joining the Academy each year. Having dedicated arts institutions is a new concept in Tanzania which means that most of the Academy’s teaching and office staff are not formally trained professionals in their areas of work. Most DCMA teachers are experienced musicians from the world-famous Taarab clubs such as Nadi Ikhwan Safaa and Culture Music club among others.

Stone Town, where the main facility of the Academy is based is Zanzibar’s main commercial and cultural capital. Because of its world-heritage status, the city attracts many tourists from around the world all year round. As result, the living costs, especially for foreigners, may be considered expensive compared to other parts of the Islands or the mainland Tanzania.

The Islands of Zanzibar are very beautiful with a fascinating history from being the capital of the Omani Empire under a dynasty of Arab Sultans that ruled the Eastern Coast of Africa and the present day Sultanate of Oman in the Arabian Gulf. Zanzibar is also infamous for being a former center of post abolition slave trade with secret caves and monuments that have been preserved until today. Also owing to the centuries-old blend between Arabs and Bantu-Africans, Zanzibar was the birth place of Africa’s most widely spoken native language, Swahili, which has a unique culture with mesmerizing music styles and other art forms. Present day Zanzibaris are a friendly people who, like inhabitants of most African countries, are faced with challenges in sustainable development, poverty, threat of diseases and occasional political tensions.

Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim country and despite being a largely tolerant society being under dressed is normally considered offensive and inappropriate. Therefore casual dress means no shorts (male & female) no very short skirts! Interns should also bring clothes to dress up for concert activities, etc. Zanzibaris like to dress up for special occasions, so it is very easy to feel under-dressed.

Additional information can be found at:
Dhow Countries Music Academy http://www.zanzibarmusic.org
Zanzibar Tourism http://www.zanzibar.net