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Zimfest News Blog

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 Updates

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

We have had a tremendous response since Zimfest registration went live May 17! Some of our workshops are already filling up, and we are pleased to announce that Patience Musandirire has agreed to teach a second session of one of his marimba workshops; see announcements of this and all future changes at https://2014.zimfest.org/news/. The good news from Zimbabwe is that Patience has been granted his US visa, as has Sheasby Matiure.

Unfortunately, Bulawayo dancer Caroline Mangwiro will not be joining us for Zimfest 2014 as her visa application has been denied. We have cancelled Caroline’s dance workshops, and will let you know in the coming weeks if we add any additional dance classes.

Our new Zimfest PASS is proving to be popular. We apologize for any registration quirks regarding the PASS – thanks for your patience! If you would like to purchase the all-inclusive Zimfest PASS, our advice is to register for it first, as soon as you add yourself as a participant. You do not need to sign up for concert tickets as they are included, but you do need to sign up for your chosen workshops.

Pamberi neChinyakare! Forward with the Past!
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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Note to Teachers Bringing Student Groups

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival News

Visiting groups of children are welcome at Zimfest! If you are a classroom teacher, or summer school or camp leader wanting instruction in Zimbabwean music or dance and a fun time for your class, bring them to the festival to enjoy the music and marketplace and take a workshop or two. We offer a one-time Teacher Membership ($60) that allows a waiver on registration fees ($12 each) for groups of up to 20, ages K-12. The Teacher Membership is intended to encourage newcomers to the festival, so at least 50% of your group should be first-time Zimfest attendees to qualify for the registration fee waiver; specific workshop fees will still apply. Email teachers (at) zimfest {dot} org for information and assistance. Festival staff can also help with group enrollments and setting up private workshop sessions.

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Zimfest 2014 Registration Coming Soon

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival News

Dear Zimfest community,

We had hoped to have the Zimfest 2014 online registration website live by May 1 but are experiencing delays. We look forward to making the announcement very soon that https://2014.zimfest.org is ready to accept registrations. In the meantime we appreciate your patience as we are working hard to get the system operational.

Thank you,
Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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Announcing Zimfest Opening Night with MOKOOMBA

Posted on by Claire Jones Posted in Festival News

Opening Night JULY 24 with MOKOOMBA
Zimfest 2014 breaks new ground with an opening night concert featuring Zimbabwe’s hottest band on the international “world music” circuit, Mokoomba! The Zimfest Organizing Committee is proud to present this terrific new Afro-fusion group who have been making a name for themselves worldwide. The band of six young men hails from Victoria Falls, home to the Tonga people, and combines traditional and modern instruments with a rich blend of rhythms. Their vibrant sound, largely originating from spectacular lead vocalist Mathias Muzaza, draws on traditional Tonga music, while also embracing the diverse music cultures of southern Africa.

MOKOOMBA

MOKOOMBA

Mokoomba will perform at 9 PM on Thursday night, July 24th, following the free Zimfest Opening Ceremony in Schneebeck Hall in the University of Puget Sound Music Building. Unlike the Thursday evening outdoor concerts of previous years, Opening Night with Mokoomba will be a ticketed indoor concert, with an advance purchase price of $20 for adults. Tickets will go on sale on the 2014 Zimfest website (2014.zimfest.org) when online registration opens on May 1. Mark your calendars now – we think you will find the $20 ticket a bargain price to pay for one of the premier African dance bands on the global stage!

mokoomba-rising-tide-webReviews of MOKOOMBA’S latest CD, Rising Tide:
“Mokoomba is quite simply the most impressive band Zimbabwe has produced in recent memory. The sheer density of ideas in this session is impressive, but it never feels like the musicians are merely checking off stylistic boxes. This is an A+ international debut… In all, Mokoomba, riding their own rising tide, are the best news we have heard out of Zimbabwe in years.” (Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide, USA, August 2012)
“I’ve seen the future of Afrosound and it is called Mokoomba.” (Thorsten Bednarz, Deutschlandradio Kultur, Germany, October 2012)

Enjoy this video clip of Mokoomba in performance in Belgium
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivakk2MPw0U&feature=relmf.
– Claire Jones, 2014 Zimfest Coordinator

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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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Call for Help – Zimfest 2014 Zimbabwean Guest Sponsorship

Posted on by Zimfest Association Board Posted in Festival News, Zimfest Association News

Dear Zimfest Community,

We have received great news from the 2014 Zimbabwean Music Festival organizing committee! The festival has received applications to teach and perform from 26 Zimbabweans based in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. Some of these visiting artists are first time participants at the festival, but have dozens of years of experience in Zimbabwean music and dance, both internationally and in Zimbabwe. This increased number of Zimbabwean guests presents significant cost challenges to the festival itself. We would like to host as many of these talented individuals at the festival as possible. Unfortunately, without additional assistance it is impossible for us to host all 26 applicants and have a balanced budget. Therefore, we are asking for your help in offsetting the cost of their attendance at Zimfest 2014.

Between now and March 21st, we will be accepting pledges to help support Zimbabwean teachers and performers at this year’s festival. Based on the pledge amounts that we receive between now and then, we will determine how many Zimbabweans that we can invite to the festival. If you’d like to help, please send an email to with the amount of your pledge. There will be an online mechanism for you to donate for this purpose shortly. If you’d like to donate immediately, you can do so at http://www.zimfest.org/membership/. However, please also send an email with your pledge amount so that we can ensure that the funds go to the right place.

This year’s festival will be July 24-27 at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Below are the costs associated with Zimbabwean teacher / performer attendance at the festival:

  • Full festival room and board – $300
  • Full festival room and board + travel – $575

We are hoping to raise enough funds to cover all expenses for as many of the Zimbabweans as possible. Please kindly donate at whatever level you feel comfortable, and feel free to pass this letter to your friends, colleagues, and other community members. All donations to Zimfest Association are tax-deductible.

We look forward to seeing you, and all the Zimbabwean guests who have applied to come to the festival, at Zimfest in July.

Sincerely,
The Zimfest Board

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Zimfest Application Deadline Feb 28

Posted on by Zimfest Organizing Committee Posted in Festival Details

Greetings potential Zimfest performers and teachers!

Would you submit a late application to the college of your choice and expect to be accepted? Of course not! The deadline for the Zimbabwean Music festival of your choice is only a few short days away! Friday February 28 is the deadline to apply for teaching and performing at Zimfest 2014. Go to http://2014.zimfest.org to log in and enter your application info. Late applicants will be wait-listed.

Thanks,
Claire Jones
2014 Zimfest Coordinator

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Zimfest Applications – Continuing Education Workshops for Teachers

Posted on by Claire Jones Posted in Festival News

Greetings Zimfest community,

Applications to teach and perform at Zimfest 2014 in Tacoma close on February 28. Please don’t wait until the last minute to get your application in online! Workshop teacher applicants, please note that we are bringing back the Continuing Education workshops to allow Washington State classroom teachers to earn clock hours at Zimfest. We’re looking for exciting workshops geared towards classroom teachers. If you haven’t seen it, here is the description that appears in the Zimfest teacher application:

Music Educator Workshops

Zimfest recognizes the growing popularity of Zimbabwean-style marimbas in schools, and in 2014 will offer continuing education clock hours for Washington State classroom teachers. We are requesting experienced Zimfest instructors to propose workshops that will help provide schoolteachers with background on Zimbabwean culture and/or enrich their knowledge of the great diversity of Zimbabwean music and dance. Possibilities include songs and choral pieces appropriate for school marimba groups and choirs; workshops on Zimbabwean children’s games, drumming, and dancing; and cultural presentations.

Go to http://2014.zimfest.org/applications/ to apply.

Thanks,
Claire
2014 Zimfest Coordinator

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Workshop Proposals for Zimfest 2014 in Tacoma, Washington

Posted on by Claire Jones Posted in Festival News

Zimfest teacher and performer applications opened January 15th. We are waiting for your applications! In the surveys filled out at Zimfest 2013, some of you said you wanted a wider variety of workshops on cultural topics. If you are a teacher, we want to hear your ideas! Go to http://2014.zimfest.org/applications/

If you are a student of Zimbabwean music, would you attend a workshop to learn Shona or Ndebele and discuss the culture behind the music? How about a panel discussion on preserving intangible culture of which music and language is a major part?

Let us know!

—Zimfest 2014 Organizing Committee

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