The arts possess the sublime power to inspire, engage, and transform. Just as a solitary note holds the ability to captivate, a single voice, gesture, or melody possesses the ineffable power to carry us away.
We invite you to embark upon a new journey with us this season at The Noorda Center—home to inspiring events and an exciting hub for the arts in Utah County. Our mission is to produce and present artistic excellence, which would not be possible without the generous support of our donors and sponsors. We thank them and express our deep gratitude to all patrons, supporters, and friends of The Noorda Center.
Thank you for journeying with us this season to experience the profound and transformative power of the arts!
Courtney R. Davis, J.D., M.A.
Dean, School of the Arts
1. INGANEKWANE
Duduzile Sibanda
Inganekwane is Ndebele for "folktale", a story told in song form. This folktale tells
us how the beauty of the universe is composed of many species, including the human
race itself.
2. NANGUYANA
Duduzile Sibanda
A wedding in our culture is a big and celebrated event. We celebrate the arrival of
the bride, and we are in awe of how she looks.
3. CULA UKUNYATHELA
Simphiwe Dana
A song by Simphiwe Dana, a South African songstress who inspires the jazzy side of
our music.
4. NYAWO LWAMI
Ndebele Traditional:
Rearranged by Nobuntu
Nyawo Lwami is a traditional Ndebele song that accompanies “Isitshikitsha,” a type
of Ndebele traditional dance. It is sung in traditional ceremonies and many other
celebratory events.
5. HOMELESS
Joseph Tshabalala
This song honours the pioneers of “lmbube” music. Ladysmith Black Mambazo have taken
Imbube music to world stages.
6. LINSO LYAMOYO
Thandeka Moyo
This is a song in the Tonga language, one of the languages spoken in Zimbabwe. It
means the eye of the heart. It talks about our dreams and aspirations as people — dreams that if we don't achieve, we are left broken. The song also advises people
to let other people live their dreams
because they will be unhappy if they don't.
7. MHONDORO
Shona Traditional:
ReArranged by Nobuntu
A Shona traditional song performed at rain making ceremonies.
8. BLACK TAX
Zanele Manhenga
Traditionally, in our culture, parents and grandparents are taken care of by their
children. It’s a duty and an honour to be able to take care of your parents, regardless
of your circumstances. However, in the past years, because of cultural integration,
some people feel burdened to take care of their loved ones and call it “Black Tax.”
We, as Nobuntu, say there is no such thing as "Black Tax." Be glad that you are able
to take care of your parents.
9. QINA
Duduzile Sibanda
Zanele Manhenga
This song encourages women to be strong and shows they don't always need others to
advocate for them. If you don't stand up for yourself, no one else will.
10. LEAN ON ME
Bill Withers
This is a song by Bill Withers about friendly support during difficult times. Nobuntu
does a rendition of this much needed message that
strengthens the bond between people.
11. NOT YET UHURU
Letta Mbulu
A Letta Mbulu song, Not Yet Uhuru means we are not yet free. This song was released in the early years after South
Africa achieved its independence from the Apartheid system. We, as Nobuntu, feel this
song still rings as true now as it did then. We are not yet free as a society if
women do not have equal opportunities and equal pay with our male counterparts.
12. AVUMILE
Zanele Manhenga
This is a victory song.
13. UNKULUNKULU MUHLE
Thandeka Moyo
This song praises the presence of God and the beauty this
brings in people’s lives all the time.
14. INGANEKWANE OUTRO
Thandeka Moyo
When a folktale has finished, we all must take a lesson from the story
and apply the knowledge to our very existence.
Bonus Performance
15. PEOPLE GET READY
Curtis Mayfield
A gospel influenced track that displays the growing sense of social and political awareness in 60’s America.
Nobuntu, the female a cappella quartet from Zimbabwe, has drawn international acclaim for its inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the Mbira (thumb piano), and organic, authentic dance movements.
Nobuntu was nominated for Best Musician of the Year at the Zimbabwe International Women Awards in London in 2015 and are currently a two-time winner for the Best Imbube Group at the Bulawayo Arts Awards 2017 and 2019. In the last few seasons, the quintet has performed at festivals and concert halls in Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and throughout the African continent. The ensemble was a huge critical success at “Trans-Vocal” in Frankfurt and “Voice Mania” in Vienna. Their first tour to Canada, in 2016, included performances in Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Victoria.
The word Nobuntu is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity, and family from a woman’s perspective. The ensemble represents a new generation of young African women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty, and heritage through art. The ensemble’s mission is the belief that music can be an important vehicle for change, one that transcends racial, tribal, religious, gender, and economic boundaries.
Back at home, Nobuntu holds a number of community initiatives, one of which is The Nobuntu Pad Bank where they gather sanitary pads for young women in the arts in underprivileged communities. Nobuntu has released three recordings —Thina in 2013, Ekhaya in 2016, and Obabes beMbube in 2018. The group has made dozens of television and radio appearances throughout Africa and Europe, promoting these recordings and the culture of their homeland.
This program is supported in part by Creative West and the National Endowment for the Arts.
"Traditionally, it is a male-dominated genre. Not only was Nobuntu the first all-female group in Zimbabwe, they were the first in the world. As the lights dimmed, five women took their places on the stage to much applause... Throughout the night, each performance added to the picture of their identity as a group: proud to be the first female group, thrilled to be on tour, glad to talk about their roots and where they are from, and so incredibly in love with music."
THE LAWRENTIAN
"The women of Nobuntu may not have brought the ocean to their inland country, but they are surfing the airwaves and digital channels, and taking Zimbabwe’s music to a higher plain."
WORLD LISTENING POST
"From the first notes, the quintet had a magnetic stage presence. Their striking outfits filled the stage with colors... Their joyful, velvety voices melted together, gliding between colorful dissonance and dolce consonance with ease. Their mbube style combined call and response, vocal calls, and whistles with rich a cappella harmonies. They exploded into movement, gesturing grandly with their arms and dancing in harmonious synchronicity, only coming to rest briefly between songs."
THE CU INDEPENDENT
It is thanks to community members like you who make experiencing the wonder at Utah Valley University’s The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts possible.
The arts inspire us to engage with others, discover new ways of thinking, and provide us with hope - in short, we believe the arts transform you.
As a hub for the arts in Utah County, hundreds of performances are produced by talented students, faculty, and world-renowned visiting artists at UVU. We invite everyone to join in connecting through the arts.
As part of UVU’s EverGREEN comprehensive fundraising campaign, please consider making a gift to UVU’s Noorda Center for the Performing Arts today.
Your gift impacts students and everyone who comes to The Noorda Center by ensuring programming and artistic creation continues.
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