Hi all,
Greetings Zimfest Participants,
There are now six days remaining before Zimfest 2016 launches! We have a few tips and reminders for Zimfest participants, whether you are new to the festival or an old hand:
Thanks for reading, and see you at the festival!
Zimfest 2016 Organizing Committee
Marimba … Mbira … Dance … Song … Drum
Hosho … Guitar … Chipendani … Presentations
Marimba … Mbira … Dance … Song … Drum
Hosho … Guitar … Chipendani … Presentations
Marimba … Mbira … Dance … Song … Drum
Hosho … Guitar … Chipendani … Presentations
Marimba … Mbira … Dance … Song … Drum
Hosho … Guitar … Chipendani … Presentations
Marimba … Mbira … Dance … Song … Drum
Hosho … Guitar … Chipendani … Presentations
Greetings Zimfest community,
Registration is going well and the excitement is building – Zimfest 2016 is only three weeks away! We wanted to remind you that there will be no housing available at the festival unless you book it in advance, and you must make your reservations online as soon as possible. Here are the important deadlines to be aware of:
See Registration Deadlines on the website for more information. To register for housing, meals, workshops, and concert tickets, go to https://register.zimfest.org.
Keep up with workshop changes: https://zimfest.org/news/festival-updates/
Sing-Dance-Play! Tambai Tambai! Dlala-Dlala!
See you soon,
Claire Jones, Festival Coordinator
On behalf of the Zimfest 2016 Organizing Committee
We have a marvelous lineup of mbira teachers at Zimfest this year and a spot just for you! From beginning workshops to advanced, from traditional songs to new and unusual instruments.
Our group of 7 teachers include 4 who are Zimbabwean and are highlighted below:
Musekiwa Chingodza was born into a family of great mbira players in Mwangara village, Murewa, Zimbabwe. He began playing mbira at the age of five and is self-taught. Through listening to other gwenyambira, or great mbira players, he developed a strong attachment to and love for mbira music. This year, Musekiwa introduces a nyunga nyunga with an extra key which broadens the instrument’s repertoire. Read more…
Moyo Rainos Mutamba grew up mostly in the Ndau/Karanga-speaking areas of Zimbabwe, immersed in muchongoyo, maduda and ngororombe drumming and dance. He fell in love with mbira from hearing his great-uncle play at family gatherings and from recordings on ZBC Radio 2. Moyo has just returned from Zimbabwe from a three-month mbira mentorship immersion with Garikayi Tirikoti where he learnt Tirikoti’s seven-mbira orchestra. Read more…
Chakaipa Mhembere was born in Chegutu, Mhondoro, Zimbabwe. He started playing mbira when he was four years old. His totem is “Shumba”, and he has played with Thomas Mapfumo since 1995. Now based in Eugene Oregon, Chaka works with the mbira group Mudzidzi. Read more…
Clayton Master was born in Mbare (Harare) Zimbabwe in a family of seven. All of them have something to do with the lovely arts of Zimbabwe. He began teaching dance at 16 years old, then moved to Victoria Falls to work full-time performing mbira and dancing. He also taught djembe drums for several years in Victoria Falls. Clayton is currently based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Read more…
Greetings Zimfest community,
If you haven’t visited our website lately, please check out the Concert Schedule and Performers pages for the announcement of Zimfest 2016 concert lineups. We’re excited to confirm that Zimfest newcomers Mbira Renaissance from Edmonton received funding for their travel expenses and will be joining us in Monmouth!
Once you have perused the concert schedule, we invite you to finalize your workshop registrations. You can keep up with changes and additions to the workshop schedule here. Marimba workshop spots have been selling like hotcakes, but we’d love to see more people signing up for mbira and singing, in support of our wonderful mbira and singing teachers! Also, if you aren’t aware of the chance to perform with your teachers, read about the Festival Highlights performances in the What’s New page. We need more people to register for the workshops selected for performance to make it fun for everyone!
Tambai Tambai! Sing-Dance-Play! Dlala Dlala!
Registration is now open for the 25th Zimbabwean Music Festival in North America.
The festival is an annual celebration of Zimbabwean music and culture. A fun-filled four-day weekend of concerts, workshops, community conversations, a marketplace, late night mbira & jamming parties, and more; Zimfest is the largest annual gathering in North America of students, teachers, performers, and fans of Zimbabwean music.
Zimfest 2016 will be held August 11-14 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon. Just west of Salem, the WOU campus provides an attractive and comfortable site. Housing, camping, and meals are available on-campus.
Register for festival workshops, concert tickets, housing and meals at https://register.zimfest.org. Workshops can be viewed by teacher, type of workshop, or day and time.
Detailed information about the festival is available at https://zimfest.org. The volunteer signup can also be found there.
Volunteerism is at the heart of every Zimfest. All festival attendees can help by volunteering for a task or two. Volunteers help organize and run the entire festival!
Zimbabweans joining us at Zimfest to teach and/or perform for the first time include:
Traveling from abroad to be with us are:
(As always at this point in time, visas or travel plans are still pending for several of these artists.)
We extend a hearty welcome to the following North American-based Zimbabwean teachers and performers:
After an absence of several years, we are ecstatic to welcome back to the Zimfest fold:
Zimfest concerts occur from Thursday evening through Sunday night.
Opening Ceremony & Free Concert on the Outdoor Stage:
Thursday 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Following the opening ceremony, Nyemwerero will set the tone of the festival with the dynamic sound of Musekiwa Chingodza on mbira, joined by Zivanai Masango and other members of ZiMBiRA!
Free Afternoon Concerts on the Outdoor Stage:
Friday Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday Noon to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday Noon to 5:30 p.m.
Evening Concerts (Ticketed, Indoors):
Friday 7:30 to Midnight
Saturday 7:30 to Midnight
Sunday 7:30 to Midnight
Come visit the Zimfest 2016 Marketplace and explore the wonderful assortment of African art, clothing, crafts, musical instruments, CDs, and DVDs available for purchase. Relax on the broad grassy lawn and enjoy the music from the afternoon concert stage as you shop for special treasures. The Marketplace also provides an opportunity to learn about and support nonprofit organizations that are working with the people of Zimbabwe. Your purchases from these nonprofits will benefit many lives in Zimbabwe. The Marketplace will be open Friday 10:00-5:00, Saturday 10:00-5:30, and Sunday noon-5:30.
Valuing education as well as performance, Zimfest attracts Zimbabwean music and culture experts from around the world to teach festival participants. Zimfest offers a large selection of workshops at all skill levels in marimba, mbira, hosho, singing, dance, drumming, guitar, chipendani, and makwa (clapping), as well as a variety of cultural presentations. Details and registration are available at https://register.zimfest.org.
Zimfest 2016 will celebrate the theme “Sing-Dance-Play! Tambai Tambai! Dlala-Dlala!” In Zimbabwe you only need one word to say “Play (music)” or “Dance” or “Play (have fun)”: Tambai if you speak chiShona, or Dlala in isiNdebele. What could be more appropriate to describe the three-and-a-half days of Zimbabwean-inflected music, dance, song, culture and fun that is the Zimbabwean Music Festival? Come sing-dance-play with us August 11-14. Tambai! Dlala!
Dear Zimfest Community,
Applications are now open for Zimfest 2016. All performer and teacher applications are available online at https://apply.zimfest.org. As introduced last year, you will need a Google account (gmail will work) in order to log in. The deadline for submitting applications is March 12, 2016; don’t delay!
Each year we seek to offer a balanced number of workshops, including singing, dancing, drumming and the instruments performed in traditional and modern Zimbabwean music. This year’s emphasis is on Cultural Presentations. We encourage you (especially Zimbabwean instructors!) to propose workshops on a variety of cultural topics of interest to American students and fans of Zimbabwean music. Personal discussions of your own experiences in the music and growing up are welcome! Students: please take note that these presentations are half-price! Teachers: please take note that the Zimfest Association Board has approved an increase in pay rate (to $70 per teaching hour) for teachers of workshops with 20 or more participants. We would love to see Presentation topics that attract large groups!
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 2016 Zimbabwean Music Festival, August 11-14 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR. Please remember that the festival needs your volunteer help! If you are interested in volunteering, please write volunteers {at} zimfest (dot) org.
Best regards on behalf of the 2016 Organizing Committee,
Claire Jones, Zimfest Coordinator
Dear Zimfest Community,
This will be our final announcement before Zimfest 2015 launches on Thursday August 13. The excitement is building, but there is still much to do! We have a few comments and reminders for Zimfest participants, whether you are new to the festival or an old hand:
Thanks for reading, and see you at the festival!
Enduring Rhythms ~ Gathering in Harmony
Zimfest 2015 Organizing Committee
Hello Zimfest community,
Yesterday was the deadline for cancellation of workshops with low enrollments. Please check the Workshop Changes page (https://zimfest.org/news/festival-updates/#workshop-changes) for a list of cancellations and changes. If you have been dropped from a cancelled workshop and have Zimfest credit, browse the workshop list for a replacement. There are still many open workshops in all categories: dance, mbira, marimba, presentations, songs and games!
You will have until August 5th to register for any open workshops, drop workshops or transfer to other workshops. On that date, workshop registrations will be frozen until the festival and no changes will be allowed. During the festival, students may not drop or transfer to another workshop unless the workshop they are enrolled in has been significantly changed by the festival organizers (such as a different teacher.) See the page About Workshops for more information on cancellations and situations in which you may apply for a refund (https://zimfest.org/wksps/about-workshops/).
Enjoy the blue moon tonight!
Zimfest 2015 Organizing Committee
Enduring Rhythms ~ Gathering in Harmony
Dear Zimfest Community,
Here are a few reminders:
Festival volunteers needed: Please log on to online registration to choose a volunteer task and time. Shifts are still available in every area — registration, concerts, workshops & marketplace. Go to: https://zimfest.org/volunteer/list/ (the program will not allow you to double-book workshops and volunteer shifts).
Housing registration closes July 28: Tuesday is the last day you can pre-register for on-campus housing, camping and meals. Go to: https://zimfest.org/location/housing/ for information on WOU housing.
Low enrollment workshops: We have had to cancel some workshops with low enrollment now to help ensure the best possible enrollment in the remaining workshops. If you have been thinking of taking a class that might be on the cusp, sign up now! Online registration for workshops will close on August 6.
Concert schedules are online at https://zimfest.org/overview/concerts/
Zimfest 2015 Organizing Committee
Enduring Rhythms ~ Gathering in Harmony
Dear Zimfest Community,
Our Volunteer Sign-up page has now been integrated into the new website and is live! If you have already registered for Zimfest and were unable to sign up to volunteer, you may now log in, browse the volunteer tasks and sign up for shifts at https://zimfest.org/volunteer/list/. Further information is available at https://zimfest.org/vol/why-and-how-to-sign-up/.
The Workshop Coordinators have also added some new workshops as many of our marimba classes have filled up. Please check the workshop changes page at https://zimfest.org/news/festival-updates/#workshop-changes for new offerings.
Thank you for pitching in to help. Volunteers make our festival go!
Enduring Rhythms ~ Gathering in Harmony
The Zimfest 2015 Organizing Committee
