Minutes from the September 11th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Zimfest News Blog
Board Retreat and June and July Meeting Minutes
The Zimfest Association board of directors has posted meeting minutes from the June 19th and July 10th board meetings, and a summary of their February 20th & 21st strategic retreat.
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Zimfest 2016 Survey
Another fabulous festival is over; Zimfest 2016 is now history. If you were there, please take the Zimfest 2016 Survey at https://goo.gl/forms/lF7glY8e5a0R4aC83
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Calling all Zimfest Old Timers
Greetings,
The Zimfest Association Board of Directors is very interested in hearing how future Zimfests can better meet the needs and desires of experienced musicians and long-time Zimfest participants. At this year’s festival, The Board will be hosting a discussion on Saturday August 13 at 11:45 a.m.in the Backstage Room in Valsetz Dining Center to hear your feedback on this topic. Please join us, bring your lunch, bring your ideas, and help contribute to stronger Zimfests in the future! This is a lunch meeting, so get your food in the cafeteria at Valsetz and then come back out towards the entrance and turn left into the Backstage Room.
Hope to see you there!
Zimfest Association Board of Directors
Posted In: Festival Details
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Drums and Mbira Needed for Zimfest Workshops
Hi all,
Zimfest needs loaner drums and mavembe/gandanga mbira for workshops.
If you have either a conga/djembe drum, or a mavembe/gandanga mbira that you are willing to loan, please bring it to the registration desk Thursday or Friday morning. We will check it in, label it with your name, and treat it as if it were our own.
Thanks!
Zimfest 2016 Organizing Committee
Zimfest 2016 Organizing Committee
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Zimfest Tips
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:
- The weather forecast for Monmouth OR is for continued sunny and warm weather, likely to be in the 80s during the festival. Be sure to put on sunscreen and bring fans for your rooms. Like most colleges, Western Oregon University has no air conditioning in the dorms.
- Zimfest supplies (borrowed) marimbas and hosho for workshops, but it can be challenging procuring enough instruments for the many types of workshops we offer. If you have or can borrow a mbira in the tuning a workshop will be taught in, please bring it; otherwise the teacher or Zimfest will provide one. The same goes for drumming workshops; if you own or can borrow a drum for a workshop you are taking, please bring it. If you are taking a guitar workshop and have a guitar amp, please bring it as Zimfest cannot provide amps.
- Zimfest online registration for housing, dining and workshops is now closed, but you can still sign up for volunteer shifts here. Onsite registration will open at the festival at noon on Thursday August 11. You will then be able to enroll in workshops that still have space in them by going to the Registration Desk.
- Workshop registrations will close 15 minutes before the session starting time in order for staff to print final workshop rosters. In some cases latecomers may request a “golden ticket” to sign up for an open workshop up until the start time of the workshop.
- Very often bands performing at Zimfest like to sell their CDs after their shows. If you are performing on the evening concert stage, Zimfest can provide table space in the WUC West Lobby outside the Pacific Room concert hall. Please provide your own CD salespeople, as Zimfest volunteers cannot sell CDs for you.
Thanks for reading, and see you at the festival!
Zimfest 2016 Organizing Committee
Sing-Dance-Play! Tambai Tambai! Dlala-Dlala!
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Online Registration Closes August 4
Dear Zimfest Participants,
Complete your workshop registrations and concert ticket purchases this week! Online registration for both Zimfest workshops and concert tickets closes Thursday, August 4 (registration for Zimfest housing and dining is already closed). After this date:
- You will not be able to sign up for open spaces in workshops until August 11 at onsite registration.
- You will not be able to purchase concert tickets at the discounted advance sale price.
- Concert tickets will be available at the door of the WOU Pacific Room from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Aug 12 – 14. No tickets will be sold at the Zimfest Registration Desk.
See you in Monmouth!
2016 Zimfest Organizing Committee
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Less Than 1 Week To Go
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
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Volunteer Request
Zimfest is just two weeks away! The Organizing Committee is eagerly watching volunteer sign-ups to learn who can help pull final festival details together on Wednesday and Thursday, August 10 and 11.
Are you arriving in Monmouth on Wednesday or Thursday? If so, we can use your help setting up – particularly WORKSHOP INSTRUMENT SETUP, GENERAL FESTIVAL SETUP, SIGNAGE SETUP and COMPUTER ASSIST (at registration). If you do not have a task preference, sign up for a shift at the VOLUNTEER TABLE. Every task scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday is our first priority to fill.
Sign up here: https://zimfest.org/vol/volunteer-tasks/. With your assistance, we look forward to preparing the space for another fabulous Zimfest!
“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” —Oscar Wilde
Posted In: Festival Details
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Registration Deadline Reminder
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:
- July 25 (Monday): Sign up and pay for all housing by this date.
- July 28 (Thursday): Workshops with enrollments of less than three (marimba) or two (all other workshops) will be canceled.
- August 3 (Wednesday): Last day to drop workshops
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
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Calling All Mbira Players … and Adventurers
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…
Posted In: Festival News
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Concert Schedule Posted and New Workshops Available
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!
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