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Posts Tagged "University of Puget Sound"

Final Pre-Zimfest Message

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

Hello all,

Well the Zimfest Organizing Committee has done its job, the musicians are gathering and we’ll see each other in a few short days. Some reminders to those coming to Zimfest 2014:

Looking forward to a wonderful three days of dance and music!

—Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

 

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Zimfest Reminders

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

Zimfest Participants,

Friday July 18th is the last day to drop Zimfest workshops. The deadline for signing up for Zimfest housing and meals has already passed, but there may be a limited number of rooms and meals available at onsite registration starting Thursday July 24.

Are you aware of the Panel Discussion taking place at Zimfest Saturday July 26? The panel topic, “Implications and Ethics of an Online Zimbabwean Music Database,” is an offshoot of a rich exchange that took place in November 2013 on the Dandemutande.org email list. We encourage all members of the Zimfest community to attend this free special session, as it represents a unique opportunity to discuss some important issues together with our panelists in real time. There is no need to register for the Discussion as it will take place in the Schneebeck Concert Hall. For more information, see https://2014.zimfest.org/festival-events/.

See you soon!
Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Update

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

Zimfest Participants,

We are sorry to inform you that Julia Chigamba and the Chinyakare Dance Ensemble will not be with us this year. We will miss them and hope to have them at Zimfest in the next year or so. Zimfest is very lucky, however, that some old friends are in the area and will be available to take Chinyakare’s performance spot. We are happy to announce the return of Bongo Love to the Zimfest Stage! The group has added two new performers to their lineup and have been wowing audiences up and down the West Coast, so we look forward to having them.

It is now less than two weeks before the start of Zimfest 2014, and we have had to cancel workshops with enrollments of less than two. Please check the webpage at https://2014.zimfest.org/news/ for a list of workshop changes and cancellations. Without Julia Chigamba, we have had to cancel the Mauya Mauya workshop—that will have to wait until Julia returns to Zimfest. The Dinhe Dance workshop she was going to teach is now in the capable hands (and feet) of Jimu Makurumbandi. If you were registered for a workshop that has been canceled, your account will be credited with the cost of the workshop. You may apply the credit towards another workshop. If you do not use the credit by the end of the festival, you may request a refund, or choose to donate the money to the Zimfest Association.

See you very soon,
Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Countdown

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

Hello folks,

Don’t delay registering for Zimfest any longer; July 9 (Wednesday) is the deadline for signing up for UPS housing and meals at the festival! On July 11th we have to take a hard look at the workshop schedule and cancel classes with low enrollment. Support your favorite teachers–and ones you may not know–by signing up for their workshops. https://2014.zimfest.org/teachers/

A reminder about Prefest: Before Zimfest kicks off in earnest, there is time on Thursday July 24th between 9 AM and 3 PM to set up private lessons and workshops with teachers who will be onsite. A list of teachers available can be found here: https://2014.zimfest.org/festival-events/. Email us at  if you would like to set up a Prefest workshop.

Enjoy the sun this week!
Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Update

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival News

Hello Zimfest community,

The 2014 Zimfest Concert Schedule has been posted on the website! An innovation this year is the introduction of featured lunchtime performances Friday through Sunday from 11:45 to 12:45 AM, scheduled so that there are no conflicts with workshops. Eat your lunch outside while enjoying some of your favorite groups: Yeukai Marimba from Boulder launches on Friday, Nhapitapi Mbira rocks out on Saturday and Kurai Mubaiwa and Friends entertains on Sunday. As always, the concert schedule is subject to change, so do not be surprised to see some adjustments in the lineups.

As promised, we have some new workshop titles for you to choose from: by popular demand, Dr. Sheasby Matiure will be teaching Zimbabwean and Southern African choral and makwayera singing; new Zimfest teacher Jimu Makurumbandi offers muchongoyo dance and mbira singing techniques; and MyLinda King and Jesse Larson offer tasty new marimba tidbits! Check the News and Updates page for all workshop changes.

Don’t delay registering for Zimfest: July 9 is the last day to purchase housing and meals, and we will start to cancel workshops with low enrollment on July 11.
See you at the festival!

Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Important Dates

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

Greetings Zimfest Community,

We are pleased to report that registrations for Zimfest 2014 are steadily increasing; the excitement is building! The good news this week is that our dear friend Dr. Sheasby Matiure has arrived in the U.S. We are still waiting to hear about the visa status for Selmor Mtukudzi however.

Don’t put off too long registering for Zimfest! Here are some important dates and bits of information you should be aware of:

  • The last date to register for and purchase a guaranteed room at the University of Puget Sound during Zimfest is June 23. Housing registration will remain open, and UPS will work with us to provide rooms registered for after this date, but cannot guarantee their availability.
  • The last date to purchase UPS meals and rooms is July 9. You may be able to purchase meals at onsite registration, but UPS cannot guarantee their availability.
  • Marketplace vendor applications are due June 30. See https://2014.zimfest.org/marketplace/ for information and applications.

We are sad to hear that Erica Azim will not be coming to Zimfest 2014. Fortunately we have many excellent mbira instructors lined up for this year’s festival, and there are still plenty of interesting and fun workshops to choose from. Stay tuned for additions to the workshop schedule, as several marimba classes have already filled up.

Pambile nga Masiko! Forward with the Past! Pamberi neChinyakare!

—Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest 2014 Registration Open

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival News

Dear Zimfest community,

We are pleased to announce that online registration for the 2014 Zimbabwean Music Festival is now open at https://2014.zimfest.org. We apologize for the delay, but think you will find it worth the wait! This year we are introducing the all-inclusive Zimfest PASS, which covers all festival costs including room, meals, concerts and workshops. Read about the PASS and other exciting new features at Zimfest 2014 at https://2014.zimfest.org/whats-new/.

Thanks for your patience,
Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Disabled Access

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

This notice applies to any person with disabilities who may be registering to attend Zimfest 2014 at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA this July. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity to enjoy campus programs, activities, and benefits. The Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee will work together with the University of Puget Sound to meet our responsibilities with respect to persons with disabilities. We will make every attempt to ensure that procedures are in place with respect to accommodating, and providing access to, Zimfest participants with disabilities.

Zimfest must notify UPS of any special needs 60 days before the festival, so we are requesting individuals needing assistance or special accommodation (such as wheelchair accessible residences) to fully participate in the 2014 Zimbabwean Music Festival to contact by May 23, 2014. Zimfest organizers will in turn notify the University of Puget Sound of any requests.

We hope to have registration live very soon at 2014.zimfest.org.

Thank you,
Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimbabwean Guests and Vendor Information for Zimfest 2014

Posted on by Zimfest Association Board Posted in Festival News

The performer and teacher application deadline was February 28, and this year we received a record number of applications from Zimbabweans. With the help of donations pledged by many of you in the Zimfest community, we will be able to host most, but regretfully not all, of the applicants at Zimfest 2014. You should know that the time period following the application deadline is an extremely busy one for the Organizing Committee, and we are hard at work finalizing invitations and acceptances and working out schedules.

We are thrilled to welcome to Zimfest for the first time (pending visa approvals): dancer Caroline Mangwiro from Bulawayo and marimba specialist Patience Musandirire, who is currently teaching in Botswana. Some of our returning Zimbabwean friends who will be attending this year (also pending visa approvals) are: Cosmas Magaya, Musekiwa Chingodza and Sheasby Matiure, all coming from Zimbabwe; Lucky Moyo, England; Nhapitapi Mbira, Toronto; Julia Chigamba and Chinyakare, Oakland; and Loveness Wesa from Portland. We hope to be able to announce more exciting news about this year’s lineup in the very near future. For further details, see the Zimfest 2014 web site.

Also, Zimfest 2014 marketplace vendor information and applications are now available. We anticipate a variety of vendors selling marimbas, mbiras, hosho, CDs, clothing, accessories and art. Crafts sold at the Marketplace should be of Zimbabwean or related African origin, and in keeping with the spirit and intent of Zimfest.

—Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Applications Online

Posted on by Claire Jones Posted in Festival News

Dear Zimfest Community,

Happy New Year everyone! It’s 2014 and time to submit your Zimfest teacher and performer applications. All applications are available online at http://2014.zimfest.org.

Please mark your calendars for the 2014 Zimbabwean Music Festival July 24-27th at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA.

Thursday July 24th is Zimfest Pre-Fest with the opportunity to schedule private lessons during the day and the opening ceremony in the evening. On Friday the schedule starts in earnest with three days of workshops, afternoon and evening concerts and the African marketplace.

Please remember that the festival needs your volunteer help! If you are interested in volunteering, please email volunteers [at] zimfest {dot} org.

Best regards on behalf of the 2014 Organizing Committee,
Claire Jones
2014 Zimfest Coordinator

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Zimfest 2014 – Save the Date

Posted on by Claire Jones Posted in Festival News

Hi Zimbabwean music lovers,
These Zimfest 2014 “Save the Date” announcement cards will be coming out soon. Take note – continuing education clock hours will be available for Washington State teachers!
Pamberi neChinyakare – Forward with the Past – Pambile nga Masiko
Claire Jones, 2014 Zimfest Festival Coordinator

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2014 Zimfest Theme and Call for Volunteers

Posted on by Claire Jones Posted in Festival News

Greetings Zimfest Community,

I’m excited to be named the Festival Coordinator for the next Zimbabwean Music Festival (July 24-27, 2014), and I think you will enjoy the lovely campus of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma! In consultation with Cosmas Magaya and Lucky Moyo, we have agreed on a theme for Zimfest 2014, inspired by a saying in chiShona from Ambuya Beauler Dyoko: Pamberi neChinyakare—meaning Forward with the Past/Tradition or Pambili nga Masiko (siNdebele). Sekuru Cosmas says the theme is perfect because we need to counter the attack on traditional practices from some of the Apostolic/Pentecostal Churches in Zimbabwe; Lucky agrees that it is a great statement and likes that it connects us with Ambuya.

We have set the date of January 15, 2014 for online applications to open on the festival website at https://2014.zimfest.org. There is much to do before that date, and I am now recruiting team members to work on festival organizing. Helping out with the annual Zimfest gathering is a great way to give back for all the joy and enrichment you have experienced through this wonderful music

What You Can Do To Help

If you have the time and commitment, volunteer for the core organizing committee, members of which meet regularly via skype and take responsibility for major areas of the festival: Teacher and Workshop Scheduling, Concert planning and production, Marketplace and Vendors Coordination, Volunteer Coordinator.

If you have small chunks of time, there are many other tasks that you can do leading up to (as well as at) the festival: publicity and marketing; festival guide article solicitation, proofreading, editing and production; website content proofing and updating; T-shirt production and sales; airport pickups/drop-offs.

If you are a group that would like to work on a project together, I envision several opportunities: work party to put together registration packets; festival decorations; festival signage; festival site cleanup crew.

Please let me know if and how you can help: e-mail claire [at] zimfest {dot} org

Pamberi neChinyakare – Forward with the Past – Pambili nga Masiko

Claire Jones, 2014 Zimfest Festival Coordinator

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