Zimfest News Blog

Posts Tagged "workshops"

Zimfest Registration Updates

Greetings all,

The Zimfest organizers have been gratified to see the large numbers of registration and new memberships rolling in – we are looking forward to a large and joyous gathering at CWU this summer! Some updates:

  • We see from a glance at the Workshop grid that many workshops are already full, and a large number of them are marimba workshops! We will be evaluating in the coming days and weeks how we might add workshops, or increase enrollment in some, but in the meanwhile, please explore ALL our workshop offerings. If you have only taken marimba workshops in the past, consider a beginning workshop in hosho, drumming, or different types of mbira. You need NO experience to participate in song, or dance workshops!
  • We encourage everyone, no matter what type of instrument you have been learning, to sign up for a Cultural Presentation in order to deepen your knowledge of Zimbabwean culture and traditions. Zimfest considers these so important that we charge less for them! We have compiled a list of presentations and instruments new to Zimfest 2025 here
  • We regret to inform you that one of our long-awaited Zimbabwean guest teachers, Innocent Musafare Mutero, has been denied his visa in South Africa and will be unable to come to Zimfest. We have been working hard to replace his workshops, all intermediate marimba classes. If you were enrolled in one or more of his workshops, you should have received a message informing you of what to do in order to remain in the replacement workshop. Although most of his workshops were full, the replacement teachers have all agreed to allow a higher number of students, so there are currently openings in these workshops. A summary of the workshop changes can be found here

Happy hunting!
Festival Coordinator Claire

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Zimfest Registration is Open!

Greetings all,

We are so pleased to announce that registration for Zimfest 2025 is open as of midnight May 1 for Zimfest Association members, and May 3 for non-members. Non-members will pay a $15 registration fee (which is waived for paying members).

  • Go to the How to Register page on the website for complete instructions and a link to the registration system (RegFox).  There you will be able to take out a new membership or verify your existing membership number in order to register and pay for housing at our host university, tent camping, meal plans, workshops and concert tickets.
  • The Zimfest website gives information about On- and Off-Campus housing as well as Dining, Concerts, Festival events and so forth. Browse the website so that you know what you want to sign up for before registering. 
  • You can view details about workshops and teachers in the Workshops menu on our website. The Workshop Grid is now visible, a convenient look at the workshop schedule throughout the weekend.
  • Housing in the Central Washington University dorms we have been allocated is mostly in double rooms, so you may wish to take advantage of our Roommate Request Board if you have rented a room and need someone to share with. As festival time gets closer, you may wish to use the Ride Board to find someone to share gas costs with. 
  • And last, but certainly not least, be sure to sign up for one or more volunteer shifts on the Volunteer Sign-up page. Zimfest runs on volunteer energy, and we all need to pitch in!

A Big Thank You to the Tech Committee, namely Jake Roberts for setting up our registration system, Nora Holmquist for creating the teachers and workshops portal display, and Larry Israel for building and maintaining the Zimfest website. 

Best regards,
Festival Coordinator Claire

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Zimfest Workshop Schedule Published

Greetings Zimfest-ers,

Announcing the publication of the Zimfest 2025 teachers and workshops schedule!
We have been delayed by technical glitches, and you will see that photos of the teachers are not all accessible yet, nor is there a convenient view of the workshop grid. There is however, a complete list of all workshops sortable by session, teacher, topic and skill level, all thanks to our tech whiz Nora H.! Expect a viewable grid within the next few days, as well as Directions on How to Register, and the proposed Concert Schedule!

Those who want to ensure they get into the workshops of their choosing may wish to check that they have paid for Zimfest memberships in order to waive the registration fee and have registration open to them two days before it opens for non-members. Hint: it will speed things up to have your membership number handy!

We are still aspiring to open registration for Zimfest members on May 1.

Happy spring,
Claire (Zimfest Coordinator)

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Online Singing Workshop with Moyo and Jennifer

We are posting this on behalf of Jennifer and Moyo.

Online singing workshop: Todzungaira
Date: Sunday, June 16
Time: 6:00-7:30 EDT / 3:00-4:30 PDT
Cost: By donation (suggested donation on a sliding scale of $15-$40)

Join Moyo Mutamba and Jennifer Kyker for an online singing workshop featuring a soulful set of call-and-response lyrics to the beloved Zimbabwe marimba and mbira song known as Todzungaira. All funds raised from the workshop will support the work of two non-profit organizations: Ubuntu Learning Village (founded by Moyo) and Tariro: Hope and Health for Zimbabwe’s Orphans (founded by Jennifer). 

The specific lyrics that Moyo and Jennifer will co-teach during this workshop are frequently sung in community at Ubuntu Learning Village. They were also part of Tariro’s winning rendition of Todzungaira at the 2023 National Institute of Allied Arts school music competition!

This workshop will include an online Zoom session, audio and video recordings, and a lyrics sheet. The Zoom session will be recorded and shared with all participants, making it possible to enroll in the workshop even if you cannot attend the Zoom session in person.

Registration is easy!

  1. Email Jennifer at: jennifer(dot)kyker{at}gmail(dot)com
  2. Send your donation via PayPal using Jennifer’s phone number: 541-729-2972 or her direct PayPal handle: @jenniferkyker1828

To learn more about the work of Ubuntu Learning Village and Tariro, and/or make an online donation, please visit the organizations’ websites:

Please feel free to share news about this workshop with your friends, band members, students, and anyone else who may be interested in attending! 

Best wishes,
Jennifer

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More Zimfest Updates

Here are a few more details, as the festival is nearly underway.

  • All kinds of Workshops have openings. Come register in person at Oregon State University.
  • We have replaced all five of Innocent Musafare Mutero’s marimba workshops. For a summary of the changes, see the Festival Updates & Workshop Changes page. For complete descriptions of these – and all Zimfest workshops — see Workshop Details.
  • All meal cards — for meal plans and commuter cards — will be given out by UHDS (OSU housing and dining services) staff, not by Zimfest. UHDS and Zimfest Registration are both located in McNary Hall.
  • Don’t forget to pick up your prepaid evening concert tickets at the Zimfest registration desk when you check in.
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Festival Updates

Zimfest community,

We are disappointed to announce that Moyo Mutamba has had to cancel his participation in Zimfest 2023 due to personal reasons. We have been able to find excellent replacement teachers for all but one of his workshops, spelled out in the Workshop Changes page on the website. You may also wish to check for adjustments to the Friday and Sunday concert schedules to make up for the loss of Moyo and Friends mbira. 

Festival Hints

As the festival is a mere three weeks away, start preparing now! Those of you who are driving and plan on parking on campus, be advised that permits are mandatory for on-campus parking from 7 AM – 5 PM, Monday to Friday, but free on the weekend. Advance online purchase of a visitor permit is recommended, and there is information on how to go about it on the Parking page. If you check the Zimfest map, it looks like the parking lot on Jefferson way between the dorm and the outdoor stage would be most convenient, but it is not! That is a small lot, loading and unloading for the stage and marketplace will take place from reserved parking sites there, and it is more expensive! We recommend you park in the (cheaper) Zone B parking lots south of McNary Hall and Dining Center. 

See you soon,

Claire and the 2023 Organizing Committee

Music Dancing Across Borders

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Zimfest Updates

Greetings Zimfest Community,

We regret to inform you that Gwenyambira Joyce Warikandwa Chihera will not be joining us at Zimfest this year as her visa was denied. We hope to see her in a future year. Please see the Workshop Changes webpage for adjustments to the schedule to accommodate her absence.

The ZA Board has revised the COVID safety policy, to recommend (but not require) masking in indoor public spaces at the festival. Consult Covid Safety at Zimfest 2023 for details.

 

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May Board Meeting Minutes and Workshop Changes

Minutes from the May 14th meeting of the Zimfest Association Board of Directors have been posted.

Please also note Workshop Changes posted on June 6.

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Zimfest 2023 Registration Opens Soon

Are you ready to register for Zimfest!? Go to the website to Meet the Zimbabweans, meet the Workshop Teachers, browse all 79 workshops on the Workshop Schedule, learn How to Register, and much more.

Registration is due to open late Sunday night at midnight (when the date turns May 1st, Pacific Time) for ZA members, and on May 4th for everyone. Why not join, renew, verify your membership, or get your membership number.

A team of dedicated volunteers, the Zimfest Organizing Committee has been working very hard for the past few months preparing an amazing festival, August 3-6 at Oregon State University in Corvallis.

The Roommate Request Board is a new feature on the website this year (similar to the ride board). Because most dorm rooms are doubles and triples, you may want to find a roommate, to save money on housing.

You can always get the latest news by going to the Zimfest Home Page (in the white box in the middle).

Larry Israel
Zimfest website maintainer

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Online Registration Ends June 17

Dear Zimfest People,

Thanks for continuing to sign up for workshops – we are happy to announce that no scheduled workshops will be cancelled due to low enrollment! Here are some bits of info to keep in mind as Zimfest 2022 draws ever nearer:

  • We have been waiting since early 2019 (pre-COVID) to announce that Zimfest has purchased five sets of hand drums, three in each set, for use in  workshops (see below). We thank Paul Hayes for making this happen through his generous donations! We have enough drums for students and teachers to use in all drum and percussion workshops. You are of course welcome to bring your own favorite drum if you prefer.
  • We have also been asked about whether students should bring mbira-s to mbira workshops. Enough loaner instruments will be available for teacher and students to use in the tuning called for in each workshop description. Again, you may prefer to bring your own instrument in the desired tuning.
  • Check out the Festival Highlights program, scheduled to take place at the Fairgrounds from 4 to 5 PM on Sunday June 26. This year’s highlights will feature classes taught by our three new Zimbabwean teachers: Danmore Kusaya (Hi Hi Hi Hello on Marimba), Salani Wamkanganise (Mhoro Nherera singing) and Blessing Chimanga (Tamba Jaiva Dance). There are still openings in the latter two classes, and you can join the fun of performing with your teacher and showing off what you’ve learned!
  • Final messages have been sent to the band contact person for each group performing at Zimfest 2022. These messages include instructions for vaccine verification for day stage performers (if you do not have your wristband showing vaccine verification when it’s time to perform, you will not be allowed onstage!) and evening performers. Additional information about the Lincoln Theatre and the the Zimfest masking policy has been sent to evening performers. If you have not seen this message, make sure your band contact person shares it with you!  For further information, write to concerts{at}zimfest{dot}org.
  • Notes on Important Dates: no further changes to workshop registrations may be made after June 15; online registration and volunteer signups end at 11 PM June 17. 

Zimfest Nested Drums from Remo

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Two Weeks Until Registration Closes

Greetings Zimfest community,

It is yet another wet, grey day here in Seattle. But a weather forecast for Mount Vernon says the Zimfest weekend of June 24-26 will be sunny and clear. Here’s hoping!

In one week the workshops team will look at workshop registrations and cancel those with enrollments under the minimum number of students. We don’t like to do that, so help us and the teachers out by signing up for those in danger of cancellation:

  • Session 5: Danmore Kusaya has agreed to teach any and all levels of mbira player in the fun song Huku Ine Ronda. 
  • Session 3: Zivanai Masango is teaching Vocal and Percussion Ensemble, and more people are needed to form an ensemble. All levels welcome!
  • Session 3: Salani Wamkanganise and Kelly Orphan collaborate in teaching Mhoro Nherera singing with hosho. We’d love it if students in this class could join in the Festival Highlights program on Sunday.

Reminder that Zimfest cannot happen without volunteer help, and there are still plenty of volunteer jobs to sign up for. Volunteer Coordinator Ev would like you to know that if you sign up for 3 or more volunteer jobs, you will be offered a trip to the Hospitality Lounge (formerly Claire’s Cafe), located onsite, for a goodie or two. We need your help to make Zimfest 2022 a success!

Claire and the 2022 Organizing Committee

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Zimfest Volunteers – We Need You

Posted on behalf of Ev Keller, Volunteers Coordinator:

Zimfest is: 
 
Z-imbabwean culture and music learning/listening opportunities
I-n a welcoming and supportive setting
M-aking meaningful and memorable moments
F-un for families, friends, fellow music lovers
E-veryone volunteers!! 
S-haring the good vibes
T-ogether crossing borders and taking flight in the experience
 
Please, take a moment to check out the (many) volunteer opportunities where you can lend a hand to help make light work for all. The sign-up link is here. We need YOU to make this a successful festival. Thank you for joining us – we appreciate you! ~Ev

And some alerts from Webmaster Larry Israel:

  • The Zimfest Ride Board has now been published – set up your ride sharing to and from the festival
  • Explore the evening and afternoon concert schedules for recent changes
  • And Festival Updates for workshop changes and additions

Till next time,
Zimfest 2022 OC

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