By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE — What happens when a 7,000-year-old Chinese zither, a Zimbabwean mouth bow, and a Steinway piano share a stage?
You get Afro-Sino Dreams, a genre-defying musical journey that transcends time, culture, and geography.
This cross-cultural recital will premiere on June 28, 2025, at the Theatre Upstairs, Reps Theatre, with two magical performances set to awaken your ears—and your soul.
A Musical Alliance Beyond Borders
At the heart of Afro-Sino Dreams is an extraordinary trio: Belle Qiu, a Guqin virtuoso from China; Sabelo Nyoni, a Zimbabwean pianist and musical visionary; and Anesu Ndoro, an instrument builder and multi-instrumentalist deeply rooted in African musical traditions.
Sabelo Nyoni
What began as a playful exchange between Belle and Sabelo—both seekers of sonic depth and cultural truth—soon evolved into a groundbreaking collaboration. Enter Anesu, whose passion for endangered African instruments added an earthy, ancestral heartbeat to the mix.
Together, these artists have composed a soundscape that defies classification. It’s not quite classical, not entirely traditional, and definitely not mainstream.
It’s a sonic mosaic, blending the contemplative elegance of the Guqin, the emotional expressiveness of the piano, and the raw resonance of indigenous African instruments like the Uhadi, Chipendani, and Chivandudzo.
Music as Cultural Testimony
This concert is no ordinary showcase. It’s a living archive—each note a story, each instrument a cultural artifact. Belle Qiu will perform ancient Guqin compositions dating as far back as 2200 B.C., offering Harare audiences a rare immersion into Chinese philosophical and musical history.
Sabelo Nyoni, with over four decades of piano mastery, brings a Western classical backbone to the trio’s sonic tapestry. Through her work as director of Note2etoN, Sabelo has long championed music as a tool for community building and intercultural understanding.
And then there’s Anesu Ndoro, Zimbabwe’s own treasure. With his hands, he revives forgotten sounds from Africa’s past—sounds in danger of fading forever under the weight of modernity.
His custom-built instruments and spellbinding performances remind us that cultural heritage isn’t just inherited—it must be defended and reimagined.
Anesu Ndoro
A Call to Cultural Action
More than a recital, Afro-Sino Dreams is a cultural movement. It embodies UNESCO’s call to preserve intangible heritage and aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Creative Industries Strategy and National Music Strategy. The performance champions endangered instruments and emphasizes the urgent need for their integration into public life and education.
“By putting these instruments on a world-class stage, we’re not just performing,” says Sabelo. “We’re preserving. We’re innovating. We’re igniting conversations across continents.”
Afro-Sino Dreams is more than entertainment—it’s an invitation. An invitation to witness the power of music as a bridge across oceans and eras. To reflect on what we risk losing—and what we still have time to save.
So come. Be part of history. Be part of the dream.
📣 Event Details – Don’t Miss Out
📍 Venue: Theatre Upstairs, Reps Theatre, Harare
📆 Date: 28 June 2025
⏰ Shows: 2:30 PM (Matinée) | 6:30 PM (Evening Performance)
🎟️ Bookings: www.thespotlight.co.zw or WhatsApp/Call 0772470005
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