Dr Robert Chanunkha
Dr Robert Chanunkha is the first known Malawian holder of a PhD in Music Education. He obtained his Bachelor of Education degree in Music and English at the University of Malawi in 1991 before earning a Master of Arts in Music at the University of South Africa in 2000. His PhD was read at the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 2005. His areas of research interest include music as culture, music education, dance as culture, and music as creative economy.
Dr Chanunkha has held various leadership positions, for example, Head of Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Chancellor College, and President of Pan African Society for Musical Arts Education.
He is a composer of the songs and anthems of the University of Malawi (UNIMA) and Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) respectively.
He has taught music and held membership positions of both academic committees and professional bodies. He has been an internal and external examiner for the University of Dar es Salaam, Domasi College of Education (DCE), and the University of Jyvaskyla.
He has supervised postgraduate students (MA and PhD) in his professional career; developed and evaluated curriculums of music and those that are culture in nature; published journal articles; presented conference papers; conducted sensitization workshops; and received different awards.
As an educationist, Dr Chanunkha argues that solutions for African music education lie in the African music traditions and philosophies. With that foundation, he has helped to create relevant music programmes, at MUST and UNIMA, which integrates African music practices and principles as well as interdisciplinary studies. He enthusiastically undertakes outreach activities using the musical arts with focus on addressing social problems and reducing poverty.
Currently, Dr Chanunkha is the Executive Dean of the Bingu School of Culture and Heritage at MUST.
His vision is to see the School become a leading centre of excellence, through culture and heritage, for the development and improvement of human life in Malawi and the world.
Contacts: rchanunkha@must.ac.mw