Zimfest 2003 Welcome

Welcome to the web site for the 12th annual Zimbabwean Music Festival. The Zimfest 2003 Organizing Committee is pleased to invite you to the second such festival to be held in Portland. This event brings together an international community of teachers, students, performers and lovers of Zimbabwean music and dance for three days packed full of workshops, performances, presentations, community conversations, general visiting and musical jams. Please join us and share the joys of Zimbabwean music and culture. We look forward to seeing you there!

These Zimfest 2003 web pages contain complete and final information about the 2003 festival. Only workshops that were actually held are listed. These pages include the entire Zimfest 2003 Registration Guide (PDF; published in late April) and incorporate many changes that occurred later.

Zimbabwean Guests

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Yet again, the Festival will have wonderful teachers from Zimbabwe and North America. The following teachers are traveling here from Zimbabwe: Farai Gezi, Cosmas Magaya, Sheasby Matiure, Alport Mhlanga, Dumisani Mhlanga, and Fradreck Mujuru. U.S.-based Zimbabweans who will be part of the great teaching staff are: Pride Chigwedere, Tendekai Kuture, Peter Masundire, Paul Mataruse, Patrick Matsikenyiri, Maria Minnaar, and Loveness Wesa.

“Beyond-Festival” Opportunities with Zimbabwean Guests

Many of the Zimbabwean artists will be here for extended stays. They may be available to come to your community to teach and perform. If you are interested, contact us at 2003@zimfest.org and we will connect you with them.

About the Site

Reed College, a well-known liberal arts college founded in 1908, is situated on a lovely campus with rolling lawns, magnificent old trees, winding lanes, a canyon, a natural pond and a creek running through it. The campus provides excellent facilities — all within close walking distance — for workshops, concerts, marketplace, meals, housing, and, of course, for just general hanging out. Downtown Portland is a 20-minute bus ride from Reed College. For more information, check out their website, web.reed.edu.

Pre-fest: Thursday, August 7

Pre-fest has become a standard offering of Zimfest. Here is the chance, before the action-packed festival, to settle in, to visit with friends as they arrive, or to connect with a teacher for a lesson in mbira or other musical arts on Thursday. The following teachers have indicated they are available: Erica Azim, Nabi Camara, Kite Giedraitis, Tendekai Kuture, Russ Landers, Joel Laviolette II (in the afternoon), Joel Lindstrom (to teach Nhemamusasa with a band), Cosmas Magaya, Paul Mataruse (in the afternoon), Sheasby Matiure, Alport Mhlanga, Fradreck Mujuru, Ona, Sheree Seretse, and Wanda Walker. If a marimba ensemble wants to have a special session with a particular teacher on that day, please let us know so that we can arrange for a facility. Otherwise, Zimfest will not be involved with scheduling or dealing with payment. A reception for teachers, performers and sponsors on Thursday evening closes Pre-fest activities.

Something New!

For the first time, Zimfest will offer intensive workshops — that is, workshops of two-hour sessions per day that will continue over a period of two or three days. Most workshops will still be the one-time one-to-three hour sessions they have been until now. However, Zimfest 2003 wanted to offer the opportunity for students, who so desired, to spend more time on a piece(s), with an instrument and with the teacher. If this is popular, perhaps the next Festival will continue this type of offering.